Meta has announced plans to build its first-ever data center in Canada, marking one of the company's biggest international investments as the race to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure accelerates.The tech giant said it will invest C$13 billion ($9.17 billion) to develop a 1-gigawatt AI data center in Sturgeon County, Alberta. Once operational, the facility is expected to consume roughly the same amount of electricity as 800,000 homes, highlighting the enormous energy demands of next-generation AI systems, according to a report in Reuters. The Alberta project will become Meta's 33rd data center globally and its first in Canada.ALSO READ: Meet 'the next Albert Einstein' Sabrina Gonzalez PasterskiThe data center will consume electricity equal to 800,000 homesOne of the most striking aspects of the announcement is the facility's expected energy demand.Meta said the new AI data center will require enough electricity to power the equivalent of 800,000 homes. Gary Demasi, Meta's vice president for data center development, said the company plans to offset the facility's massive electricity consumption by investing in clean and renewable energy projects.ALSO READ: Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison once sued the city of San Jose to land his private jet at midnight He added that the data center will use a closed-loop liquid cooling system, which is designed to minimize water consumption. According to Demasi, the facility is expected to use less water than a typical golf course.Meta's first Canada AI data center will be built in AlbertaThe announcement was made in Calgary alongside Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and other provincial officials, who have spent years encouraging major technology companies to invest in the province.For Alberta, the project represents one of the largest technology investments in its history, while for Meta it is another step in its aggressive AI expansion strategy.The company has already committed hundreds of billions of dollars toward building AI infrastructure, particularly in the United States, and is now expanding that footprint into Canada.Alberta's ⁠technology minister, Nate Glubish, told reporters there are currently several other gigawatt-scale data center proposals in various stages of development in the province. "This is the first of its kind, the first of its size, the first of its scale, but it won't be the last," Glubish said.Why Meta chose Alberta for its massive AI projectSeveral factors made Alberta an attractive destination for Meta's latest AI investment. The province has abundant natural gas supplies, which are available at prices significantly lower than U.S. benchmarks. Since AI data centers require enormous amounts of electricity, access to relatively affordable energy is a major advantage.Alberta's colder climate also helps reduce cooling costs for servers and other computing equipment, improving overall operational efficiency.Meta partners with Pembina Pipeline for power supplyAs part of the project, Meta has entered into a long-term agreement with Alberta-based Pembina Pipeline.The energy company recently announced plans to move forward with its Greenlight Electricity Centre, a natural gas-fired power generation facility in Sturgeon County.The plant is expected to begin operations in late 2030 and will help provide electricity for Meta's AI data center.According to Pembina, the facility will require approximately 150 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, creating additional demand for natural gas produced in Western Canada.Why AI companies are racing to build more data centersArtificial intelligence has dramatically increased the computing power required by technology companies.Training and operating advanced AI models demands thousands of specialized computer chips running around the clock, making data centers larger and far more energy-intensive than traditional cloud facilities.Meta is one of several major technology companies investing heavily in new AI infrastructure as competition in generative AI continues to intensify.A major milestone for Meta's global AI expansionThe Alberta facility represents another significant milestone in Meta's worldwide AI strategy.As the company's 33rd global data center and its first in Canada, the project underscores just how central large-scale computing infrastructure has become to the future of artificial intelligence.With billions of dollars committed and dedicated power infrastructure already being planned, the project signals that competition among global technology companies is shifting beyond AI software—and increasingly toward securing the massive energy and computing capacity needed to power the next generation of AI.(With Reuters inputs)