Rocky Mountain House has been identified as a feasible location for a small data centre.
That’s according to findings in a report from Ballad Group presented to town council on Aug. 19 which identified four sites – two in town limits and two nearby in Clearwater County – as being feasible.
The four sites were deemed as having adequate land, electricity, data capacity and access to labour for a small capacity centre.
The two sites in town were near the new water treatment plant on the north end and the southwest corner just off Hwy. 752.
Small data centres, according to the report, require 30-100 megawatts (MW) of power and 30-100 acres of land, which the region can provide.
Large centres typically require 0.2-0.3 gigawatts (GW) of power and 500-1000 acres of land, well beyond what the region can offer, according to the report.
Earlier in 2025, council allocated $20,000 for the study to determine if the area was a strong candidate for a centre. Nearly $18,000 was spent on the initial study, leaving $2,045 to complete a package designed to attract investors.
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Councillor Dale Shippelt took issue with the word “no” in the report, believing the sky’s the limit when it comes to developing a data centre- even a larger one.
“I want to attract [investors], not chase them away,” he says.”[Power capacity] could be three years down the road, but it’s a possibility.”
While the delegation said they could address the “no” verbiage, Rob Valdes, senior advisor for economic development with Ballad Group cautioned that data centres are a fast-growing industry, and many developers are looking for suitable locations now rather than years down the road.
Several recommendations were made by the delegation from Ballad:
- Proactively market to target data centre companies
- Coordinate land expansion with Clearwater County
- Plan for electrical grid capacity expansion
- Strengthen relationships with key provincial and federal partners
- Leverage municipal grants to support investment activities
Council motioned to review a “tweaked” report with language that leaves the door open to future larger development. It will also commission the remaining $2,000 in the budget to create an information sheet for investors.
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