AI's Canadian Expansion Faces a Skeptical Public
Canadians remain unconvinced that the benefits of AI data centres outweigh the potential costs to households and the environment
New polling from Leger is shedding light on how Canadians feel about data centres and AI as the federal government appears to be stepping up efforts to encourage businesses to establish operations in Canada.
Overall, 46% of Canadians say they have a positive view of supporting AI in Canada through data centres, while 37% believe it is a bad idea.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, older Canadians are more likely to say AI is good for Canada, with 50% holding that view. By comparison, only 41% of Canadians under 34 agree, while a plurality in that age group say it is a bad thing.
This is likely a continuation of a broader trend where older Canadians are either less aware that much of the content they consume is AI generated, or simply do not care, while younger Canadians are far more aware of the growing presence of AI in everyday life and generally have a stronger dislike for that content.
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Overall, 44% of the Canadian population say they support the development of AI data centres in their province, while nearly the same amount (42%) oppose the idea.
Perhaps a little surprisingly, 53% of Quebecers support the move while 33% oppose it. (Perhaps this is because both electricity generation and much of the water infrastructure in Quebec rely on hydroelectric power, leading to less opposition to such projects. Who knows though!)
Opposition was highest in the central Prairies and British Columbia, with 53% of those in Manitoba and Saskatchewan and 49% of those in British Columbia opposing the development of data centres in their province.
When it comes to energy use, Canadians are divided over how AI data centres should operate. Only 14% believe they should pay the same electricity rates as any other large business, while 32% say AI companies should cover the full cost of their electricity consumption, along with any infrastructure required to support it.
Another 12% say AI data centres should not only pay for their own electricity, but also be required to use renewable or low emission energy sources. Meanwhile, 31% of Canadians believe AI data centres should not have access to the public electricity grid for this purpose and should instead be required to develop their own energy supply.
When the results are broken down by age, there is very little difference between the various groups.
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Finally, Canadians remain concerned about the potential electricity demands of data centres and the environmental impacts they are expected to bring.
A total of 81% of Canadians say they are concerned that their household electricity bills will increase if data centres are built in their province. That is not particularly surprising, given that some areas south of the border have seen electricity prices rise following major data centre development.
Another 79% say they are concerned about the environmental impacts data centres could have, whether through electricity use, water consumption, or the greenhouse gas emissions associated with operating these facilities.
Overall, while Canadians are divided over whether more data centres should be developed in their provinces, their concerns continue to outweigh the perceived benefits. Younger Canadians remain more skeptical than their parents about the advantages of these facilities, yet both generations are largely in agreement when it comes to expecting AI data centres to bear the full cost of their electricity use and infrastructure requirements.
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