Another large artificial intelligence data centre is now being proposed in rural Alberta, less than two weeks after Meta announced a $13-billion data centre in Sturgeon County.

Emerald Energy Technologies, a subsidiary of Canadian natural gas producer Tourmaline Oil, has presented Yellowhead County with plans for “Malachite One,” a proposed one-gigawatt data centre and natural gas power facility on Crown land west of Edson.

The company says construction could employ several hundred workers, while the completed development could support between 300 and 500 data-centre jobs and another 40 to 60 positions at the power facility. The project would use air-based cooling and proponents say the associated power plant could capture up to 90% of its emissions.

There is an important caveat: the project remains at the proposal stage, and Emerald does not yet have a technology company committed to occupying the facility. Yellowhead County councillors also raised questions about water, electricity, emissions and local infrastructure during the company’s first public presentation.

But that does not rescue the federalist narrative.

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Federalist politicians and pundits keep insisting that discussion of Alberta independence is frightening investors away. Someone apparently forgot to tell the companies proposing billions of dollars in long-term technology and energy infrastructure across the province, however.

The argument has been that even discussing independence makes Alberta too politically risky for serious businesses to consider. Yet companies continue spending money developing projects, securing land, approaching regulators and pitching Alberta communities.

And unlike the Yellowhead proposal, Meta’s investment is no hypothetical. The technology giant announced July 8 that it will build its first Canadian data centre in Sturgeon County, investing $13 billion in a one-gigawatt facility capable of expanding to 1.8 gigawatts. 

Alberta Technology Minister Nate Glubish says several other gigawatt-scale proposals are already moving through various stages of development. Reuters reported that nearly 100 data-centre projects have been proposed across Alberta as the province promotes its affordable natural gas, cold climate, available land and ability to let developers build dedicated power generation.

There is no evidence that discussion of Alberta independence has stopped companies from considering or committing major investments in the province.

Meta has committed $13 billion, nearly 100 other data-centre proposals are reportedly in the pipeline, and another developer is now pitching a one-gigawatt project near Edson.

Investors are not running from Alberta. They appear to be forming a queue.