Alberta’s cold climate is better suited to a hyperscale data centre than Utah’s desert ecosystem, but the project still carries environmental risks. The University of Calgary estimates that the Wonder Valley project could produce up to 33 million tons of emissions per year. This would completely undo Alberta’s progress in reducing its emissions over the last twenty years; between 2005 and 2023, the province reduced its emissions by roughly 29 million tons. Researchers warn that “a handful of data-centre projects could raise emissions levels to those of twenty years ago—when we burned coal to power the grid.”

The Alberta government has opted not to conduct an environmental impact assessment for the project. The federal government has not yet determined whether to conduct their own assessment.