Should Data Centres Pay a New Levy in Alberta?
Official title: Data centre levy engagement
Alberta wants to tax data centres but doesn't have a sales tax to do it. The province is asking how to collect revenue from these facilities—either by taxing their computing equipment or their electricity use. There's also a 'compute-in-kind' option where companies could donate AI resources instead of paying.
Why This Matters
Big tech companies are eyeing Alberta for data centres. These facilities use massive amounts of electricity—and right now, they don't pay the same taxes other businesses do. How Alberta handles this could affect your power bills and whether tech jobs come to your community.
What Could Change
Alberta could introduce a new levy on data centres—either based on equipment value or electricity consumption. Companies might be able to reduce their levy by donating computing resources to Alberta organizations. A decision is expected by fall 2025.
Key Issues
- Should data centres be taxed on their computing equipment value?
- Should data centres be taxed on their electricity consumption?
- Should companies be able to donate computing resources instead of paying the levy?
How to Participate
- This consultation is limited to select stakeholders including data centre operators, municipal governments, and the electricity industry. Written submissions are being accepted from July to August 2025.
- Review Alberta's AI Data Centre Strategy to understand the government's approach.