That’s the problem. There are plenty of suitable sites with ample water and energy. Big companies want prestigious places, not ones which involve intelligent compromises or building more than minimal infrastructure.
I fully agree with your second paragraph. One thing to keep in mind is that “data center” is not necessarily synonymous with “AI data center” as many of them are general purpose and serve important outsourced business needs that have nothing to do with AI.
That aside, I think Carney rightfully sees AI as an important resource in the future, and this is part of his overall strategy to wean Canada away from our historical dependence on the US. While Trump was obviously the precipitating factor for this, and it’s unlikely that there will be another US president as stupid, aggressive, and viciously malevolent as he is, the same sort of right-wing populism will continue to thrive in the US long after he’s gone.
If Canada is planning on renationalizing some components of Big Tech, which seems unlikely, perhaps they are waiting for open bridges and trade deals signed (again) by Individual One.
Yes, if only we had ways to transport fluids efficiently. But there would be years of environmental studies and native complaints on the dangerous effects of hydrogen dioxide leaks such that it would never be built.
Plus, as noted above, Liberals would not be content with current regulations and will change them mid-stream. This will likely include data access requirements as they are currently trying in other areas making it non-competitive with other DC in more rational jurisdictions.
Dihydrogen Oxide please and thank you.
Sorry, trying to be clever and lost accuracy (or both)!
I thought it was dihydrogen monoxide
Seems like it would be much easier to run wires to lakes than to run pipes from a lake.
If you had land and the other conditions you may care about available near the specific lake you are permitted to take water from, then sure that would be ideal.
And yet, they are not planning on putting many of these data centers anywhere near where there is sufficient water resources, pipes or no pipes.