The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) completed an assessment of the Mihta Askiy Data Center Project, located in Alberta, and determined that its potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through other means.
To arrive at its section 16 decision under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA), IAAC engaged other jurisdictions, federal experts, stakeholders, the public, and Indigenous Peoples to review the project description and identify potential effects within federal jurisdiction and frameworks to address these potential effects.
IAAC is of the view that the potential adverse effects within federal jurisdiction would be limited or addressed through existing federal and provincial laws and regulations. These include, but are not limited to, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, the Fisheries Act, the Species at Risk Act, and Alberta's Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act, Hydro and Electric Energy Act, Historical Resources Act, Water Act, and Public Lands Act.
As a result, no further assessment under the Impact Assessment Act is required and the federal impact assessment process is now complete. As a next step, Cree Ative Datacenter Corp GP (the proponent) will be required to seek any necessary federal and provincial authorizations and permits for the project.
The documents and list of factors considered can be found in IAAC's Notice of Early Decision with Reasons.
