A real estate listing for a former cannabis facility outside Saskatoon is advertising the property as a potential data centre, sparking concerns among residents about resource consumption. The site, located at 1 Plant Technology Road in the Rural Municipality of Corman Park, spans 101.25 acres and includes multiple buildings, a greenhouse, parking lot, grey water lagoon, and concrete pads. It sits across Highway 16 from Saskatoon's south end Costco.
Residents voice concerns to city council
During a Wednesday city council meeting, Coun. Jasmin Parker reported that she, along with Mayor Cynthia Block and Coun. Scott Ford, had received about 20 emails from residents worried about the development. City manager Jeff Jorgenson acknowledged the concerns, noting that data centres across North America are known for high water and electricity consumption.
“One of the concerns we’re seeing across North America and the world with data centres is the consumption of water and electricity,” Jorgenson said. He added that SaskPower would supply electricity to the site, and he does not expect Saskatoon's water system to be used.
No application yet, says Corman Park
Kerry Hiltz, chief administrative officer of Corman Park, stated that the RM has not received any formal application for a data centre. “The RM is aware that a potential applicant is exploring an indoor, office-based operation focused on data analysis. The proposed services would potentially support the agriculture, ag-tech, forestry, and natural resource sectors,” Hiltz said in a statement.
Data centre demand driven by AI
The growth in data centres is largely fueled by the surge in artificial intelligence development. IBM explains that AI-ready data centres require high-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) and advanced storage, networking, energy, and cooling capabilities. This increased computing power demands more electricity and water for cooling. Goldman Sachs projected in 2024 that data centre power demand would rise by 160 per cent by 2030. Tech giants like Microsoft and Meta have invested billions in data centre infrastructure.
City officials to monitor impacts
Jorgenson said city officials will speak with Corman Park administration to determine the status of the proposed development and assess any potential impacts on Saskatoon. The RM maintains that no application has been filed, leaving the project in an exploratory phase.
