Data Centre Wave Reaches Chestermere Region

A cluster of large-scale data centre proposals is taking shape across communities east of Calgary, with projects tied to artificial intelligence and cloud computing now in motion in Chestermere, Rocky View County near Indus, and Wheatland County communities serving Carseland and Strathmore.
In Chestermere, Beacon AI Centers has presented plans for a multi-billion-dollar facility the City describes as a “state-of-the-art AI data centre hub.” City materials outline a proposed $4-billion investment and more than 300 permanent jobs if the project proceeds.
Just east of Chestermere, Rocky View County is advancing area structure planning for multiple campuses, including a 946-acre Beacon site in the Indus/Langdon area targeting roughly 400 MW of capacity alongside on-site power and solar generation. Filings and industry reporting point to a December 2026 energization target, with work proceeding through a dedicated Area Structure Plan (ASP) branded the Beacon AI Hub.
Rocky View has also green-lit work on a broader technology park concept: the Kineticor ASP envisions land use to accommodate “multiple data centre facilities” supported by up to 900 MW of generation, part of a 453-hectare (1,120-acre) site near Balzac. County updates and local coverage confirm council direction to collaborate with proponents and host public engagement.
Strathmore, meanwhile, is preparing for a locally driven entry. Prairie Sky Data Solutions says it is retrofitting space for an AI-focused operation, looking for a staged launch and economic spin-offs. Municipal coverage in the past week highlighted the announcement during the Stampede long weekend and the company’s intention to begin operations in the community.
In Wheatland County, which includes Carseland and surrounds Strathmore, the Goldfinch Industrial Park—already home to heavy industry—has been marketed for large-footprint development that could accommodate data centre-scale projects. A proponent, Diode Ventures, has published updates on a 575-acre Goldfinch Technology Park concept positioned as a data centre development within the county’s industrial hub. County economic documents and the Goldfinch ASP frame the area’s rail, highway access, and heavy-industrial zoning.
The burst of proposals reflects a province-wide rush to secure grid capacity for compute-heavy AI infrastructure. Beacon AI publicly committed in May to a multi-gigawatt Alberta portfolio, citing a combination of power options and speed to build; sector coverage places sites near Chestermere and Langdon among its early targets.
Regulators are trying to keep pace. The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) has outlined a phased connection plan that caps large-load interconnections at 1,200 MW through 2028, after receiving requests from 29 proposed data centres totaling more than 16,000 MW—illustrating the scale of interest versus near-term capacity.
For local governments, the attraction is diversification: hundreds of construction jobs, high-skill technical roles, and long-term non-residential tax base. For residents, questions remain around power sourcing, water use, noise, and visual impact—issues that counties are addressing through ASPs, open houses, and conditions on on-site generation.
In Chestermere, the City has urged residents to engage with updates as the Beacon proposal advances through planning. In Rocky View County, the Beacon AI Hub ASP and the Kineticor technology park process will shape the Indus and Balzac-area build-out footprints. And in Wheatland County, Goldfinch’s industrial positioning—and the emerging Strathmore initiative—suggest the corridor from Carseland to Strathmore could see incremental, modular deployments as grid and site services come online.
Taken together, the region’s four fronts—Chestermere, Indus (Rocky View), Carseland (Wheatland/Goldfinch), and Strathmore—now sit at the centre of Alberta’s AI infrastructure ambitions. The coming months will determine how quickly proposals convert to permits and power contracts. For now, the pace of planning signals a clear direction: the data economy is staking a claim on Calgary’s eastern doorstep.