Wonder Valley AI Data Centre Park

Phase 1 data centre capacity: Up to 1 GW of IT load. The current FAQ says Phase 1 could support up to ten data centre facilities, each designed for approximately 100 MW of IT load. This is not approved or operating capacity. [12] Proponent projection

Phase 1 power: Up to 2 GW proposed. O'Leary Digital's current FAQ describes up to 2 GW of on-site power. The original 2024 announcement and provincial record used 1.4 GW. [12][7][10] ADCW context

Full-build power: 7.5 GW or 9 GW. The current project website says 7.5 GW, while the March 2026 consultation filing says approximately 9 GW. The reviewed records do not reconcile the difference. [11][13] ADCW context

Power model: Entirely off-grid?Non-grid-connected×The facility has no electrical connection to Alberta's interconnected grid and relies on supply available to the site.It does not directly draw from or send electricity to that grid. Power-plant approvals and local impacts can still matter.Learn more → in current filing. The March 2026 filing describes dedicated generation and says a future connection to Alberta's grid may be considered. [13] Proponent statement

Primary generation: Natural gas. The project is planned around large-scale on-site natural-gas power generation. Final generating equipment and phase-by-phase capacity were not found in the reviewed public record. [7][13] Proponent statement

Geothermal component: Potential addition. The original announcement described geothermal as a possibility. No committed geothermal capacity, design or schedule was found. [7] ADCW context

Carbon management: Capture-ready design claimed. The current project website describes the design as carbon-capture-ready. It does not identify an approved capture facility, committed capture rate or operating date. [11] ADCW context

Anticipated air releases: Local pollutants and CO₂ identified. The consultation filing identifies potential nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, ammonia and carbon dioxide emissions. Project-specific modelling is still being prepared. [13] Proponent statement

Annual greenhouse-gas emissions: Not published in reviewed primary sources. No project-specific annual CO₂e estimate or natural-gas consumption figure was found in the reviewed municipal, regulatory and proponent records. [13][8] ADCW context

Full-build heat release, preliminary estimate: 16–18 GW under a 9 GW generation scenario. In June 2026, physicist Robert Davies estimated that continuous on-site generation and use of 9 GW of electricity would ultimately release roughly 16–18 GW of energy as heat at the site, including generation losses. This is a first-order estimate for one disputed full-build capacity scenario, not an approved design, measured heat release, or prediction of local temperature rise. The project website separately says 7.5 GW. [22][13][11] ADCW context

Licensed annual diversion: Up to 6 million m³ (6 billion L). Greenview's Water Act licence authorizes industrial and commercial use within the Greenview Industrial Gateway. The licence expires April 1, 2035. [15] Public record

Maximum diversion rate: 0.56 m³/second (560 L/second). The licence requires reduced or stopped withdrawals when Smoky River flows fall below specified thresholds. [15] Public record

Estimated project demand: Less than 6 million m³/year (6 billion L/year). The Spring 2026 update says full-build demand is expected to remain below the licensed volume, though its summary table rounds the estimate to 6 million m³/year (6 billion L/year). [8] Proponent projection

Future regional allocation: Up to 24 million m³/year (24 billion L/year) is not licensed. Greenview has taken an early regulatory step toward a possible future allocation of this larger amount, but it cannot withdraw it under the preliminary certificate. Its current licence allows up to 6 million m³/year (6 billion L/year). A separate licence would be needed before the larger volume could be diverted. [8][13][16] ADCW context

Permanent intake works: Application identified. The consultation filing says Greenview submitted Water Act Application DAPP0128310 for permanent Smoky River intake infrastructure. [13] Public record

Water system design: Reuse and recirculation under study. The project update describes storage ponds, treatment, potential reuse and recirculation, stormwater controls and wastewater infrastructure. Final designs and operating balances are not public. [8][13] Proponent projection

Connected waterways: McMillan Creek and Smoky River. The filing maps creeks, wetlands and drainage channels in the project area that connect to McMillan Creek and the Smoky River. It reports 23 fish species in this wider connected water system. [13] Proponent statement

Noise-impact study: Still in preparation. The March 2026 consultation filing says project-specific noise work is being prepared alongside air, aquatic, wildlife, and vegetation studies. No final noise-impact assessment, predicted receptor level, or mitigation plan was found in the reviewed record. [13][8] Proponent statement

Cooling-system sound and wildlife: Site-specific modelling needed. Davies's June 2026 preliminary assessment flags possible continuous fan and low-frequency sound effects on birds, other wildlife, and traditional land use, drawing on an assumed full-build cooling system and studies from other industrial sites. It does not establish Wonder Valley equipment specifications, receptor sound levels, or actual effects. [22] ADCW context

Project area: 64.17 km² (6,417 ha) in filing. The March 2026 consultation filing describes about 15,850 acres. The current project website instead says 13,000 acres. [13][11] ADCW context

Land agreement: Council authorization on March 25, 2025. Greenview authorized a Wonder Valley purchase and sale agreement with 2664755 Alberta Ltd. and the purchase of 1,650 acres of Crown land for resale to that company. The public motion does not establish that either land transaction has closed. [5] Public record

Wetland disturbance: Up to 0.91 km² (91 ha) estimated. The consultation filing identifies temporary and permanent disturbance across all phases. It says final impact areas will be determined through later wetland assessments. [13] Proponent projection

Environmental studies: Ongoing. The consultation filing identifies grizzly bear, sensitive bird species, wetlands and other habitat in the broader project area. Project-specific air, noise, aquatic, wildlife and vegetation work is still being prepared. [13][8] Proponent statement

Treaty geography: Treaty 8 territory. The federal historical treaty-boundary dataset places the project area within Treaty 8. Treaty geography does not by itself identify which communities are affected or establish consultation outcomes. [18] ADCW context

Communities named for consultation: Four communities identified. The Aboriginal Consultation Office recommendation names Gift Lake Métis Settlement, Horse Lake First Nation, Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation and Sucker Creek First Nation for Level 1 consultation. [13] Public record

Water-licence appeal: Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation appeal dismissed on standing. The Environmental Appeals Board did not decide the constitutional consultation questions raised or determine whether consultation was adequate. [16] Public record

Water-licence judicial review: SLCN's challenge will proceed. On August 13, 2026, Alberta Court of King's Bench Justice P.K. Johal dismissed O'Leary Digital's application to strike SLCN's judicial review and refused its alternative requests to participate as an intervener or respondent. This procedural ruling did not overturn Greenview's water licence or decide whether Alberta met its duty to consult. [17] Public record

Environmental assessment judicial review: Filed September 29, 2026. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation's originating application, Court of King's Bench file 2603-21528, challenges Alberta's March 31, 2026 decision not to require an environmental impact assessment report. The allegations are not findings, and the filing does not reverse the province's decision. [20][14] Public record

Consultation classification judicial review: Filed October 15, 2026. A separate originating application, Court of King's Bench file 2603-22650, challenges the April 15, 2026 decision to classify consultation as Level 1. The application alleges inadequate consultation; no merits ruling was verified. [21][13] Public record

Potential cumulative effects: Independent assessment calls for further study. Davies's June 2026 assessment, prepared for the Nation's legal counsel, calls for site-specific modelling of heat, sound, air emissions, water, and combined effects on existing industrial activity and traditional land use. This preliminary opinion is not a completed environmental impact assessment or a regulator finding. [22][13] ADCW context

Potential effects: Treaty-rights questions remain unresolved. The consultation filing identifies possible effects on wetlands, wildlife, access and Treaty rights. Final findings, mitigation commitments and consultation outcomes have not been published. [13] ADCW context

Current stage: Planning and regulatory preparation. The Spring 2026 project update says technical studies, consultation, design work and regulatory preparation are underway. Required approvals are not complete. [8] Proponent statement

Earlier commercial arrangement: LOI preceded the land-use hearing. Greenview's October 22 minutes show that council told staff to proceed with a letter of intent involving potential Greenview Industrial Gateway customers. The public minutes do not name the customer. Canada's National Observer later connected the letter of intent to an O'Leary company. The linked court filing includes the related land agreement. The November 12 hearing and final adoption of Bylaw 24-979 came three weeks later. [3][6][4][2] ADCW context

Data-centre land-use amendment: Six-minute hearing on November 12, 2024. Greenview first read Bylaw 24-979 on October 8 with data-processing centres proposed as a discretionary use in the industrial gateway. No one spoke at the November 12 hearing. Council then made the use permitted and passed second and third readings. A permitted land use is not approval for Wonder Valley, and project-specific requirements still apply. [1][2][4] Public record

Provincial environmental impact assessment: Not required under March 2026 decision; challenged. Alberta Environment and Protected Areas decided not to require an environmental impact assessment report. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation's September 29, 2026 application seeks judicial review. The decision has not been overturned; other EPEA, Water Act, Public Lands Act, historical-resource, and consultation requirements may apply. [14][20] Public record

Consultation level: Level 1 classification challenged. The Aboriginal Consultation Office recommended Level 1 consultation on April 15, 2026. Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation filed a separate judicial review on October 15, 2026. The filed allegations are not a court finding that consultation was inadequate. [13][21] Public record

Industrial and water-treatment approvals: Applications being prepared. The consultation filing describes two planned EPEA applications, one for the industrial facility and one for centralized water treatment and distribution. [13] Proponent statement

Area structure plan: High-level planning framework in place. Greenview says an approved area structure plan guides future land use but does not replace rezoning, subdivision, development permits or detailed engineering for individual parcels. [19] Public record

Public engagement: Open house held June 4, 2026. The project update describes ongoing Indigenous and stakeholder engagement, information sessions, open houses and technical working sessions. [8][9] Proponent statement

Phase 1 estimated cost: $12 billion. The provincial Major Projects database estimate does not label the currency on the project page. The original announcement separately described about US$2 billion for the first-phase power system. [10][7] ADCW context

Full-build investment: More than $70 billion claimed. The 2024 announcement does not identify the currency in the quoted total. No final investment decision was found in the reviewed record. [7][10] Proponent projection

Target construction start: 2027, subject to approvals. The project update and consultation filing describe a target, not an authorized construction date. [8][13] Proponent projection