Rocky View County council votes against data centre complex

Rocky View County council voted down a proposed data centre complex east of Balzac, Alta., on Tuesday evening. (Supplied/Kineticor)

Rocky View County council voted down a proposed data centre complex east of Balzac, Alta., on Tuesday evening.

The vote was 6-1 against the complex, with Coun. Kevin Hanson as the only vote in favour.

Several councillors said they like the idea, but not on that agricultural land.

They said it would be better suited to a commercial area.

“Oh my gosh, so excited! I’m so incredibly proud of all of the landowners, the farmers that came out and got off of their equipment today to come here and support all of the residents, everybody that spoke,” said Christina Thomas, who lives near that area.

“I’m just so grateful to council that they saw this project was not in the right place. We are supportive of data centres, but just not right here in agricultural land.”

The decision followed a 10-hour public hearing.

The room on Tuesday was packed with people.

More than 50 speakers and video submissions were made, with the majority being against the project.

The planned development site was approximately 450 hectares of land near Highway 566 and Range Road 282, east of Balzac.

The proposal included multiple data centre facilities and a future 900-megawatt power generation facility.

Construction could have lasted anywhere from 15 to 20 years.

Raymond McKay, executive vice-president of development and operations for Kineticor Asset Management, said, “While today’s outcome was not what we had hoped for, we respect the consideration of Rocky View County council. We want to thank the county’s administration team for their thorough technical review of the application and support through the process.”