Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation challenges Wonder Valley AI data centre again in court
The First Nation argues Alberta hasn't properly consulted on the $70-billion proposed data centre project near the Grande Prairie region, citing concerns about emissions, water use, and wildfire risk.
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Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation is back in court over the Alberta government's duty to consult, this time challenging the proposed Wonder Valley Data Centre — a $70-billion project backed by investor Kevin O'Leary that aims to become the world's largest AI data centre industrial park.
The First Nation argues the province has failed to properly consult and has raised concerns with the federal government about the project's foreign ownership, since O'Leary Ventures is based in Miami. It's also asking for a federal impact assessment.
"This is a massive project with significant emissions, water use and, most alarming, create a heat island in an area already ravaged by wildfire, drought, and climate change," said Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation Chief Sheldon Sunshine in a June 4 statement.
The challenge marks the second time in recent months the First Nation has pursued court action over consultation rights. Last month, an Alberta judge ruled in Sturgeon Lake's favour over the Stay Free Alberta separatist petition, saying the province had a duty to consult with First Nations whose treaty rights could be affected.
Premier Danielle Smith rejected that ruling as incorrect in law and anti-democratic, pledging to appeal — a process that could take months or years.
"After the Alberta government lost the First Nations' separatist challenge, Premier Smith said the duty to consult applies only to major projects. This is completely false," Sunshine said. "Yet we have either not been consulted at all or have been given the lowest level of consultation on what the province itself describes as the world's largest AI data centre."