# Protesters Oppose Proposed AI Data Centres in Vancouver > Source: > Published: 2026-06-28 21:48:32+00:00 Industry context: Local backlash against AI infrastructure can affect permitting timelines and public perception of AI deployments, a practical risk for engineers and planners working on on-premises or regional cloud capacity. CityNews reported that hundreds of protesters gathered near the Vancouver Art Gallery on June 27, 2026, in a second demonstration within a month opposing proposed AI data centres; CityNews says a related petition has gathered **15,000** signatures. CBC reports the projects are a partnership between **Telus** and the federal government and that one site, the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant, is slated to come online by the end of 2026 while a second facility at **150 West Georgia St.** is planned for **2029**. Protesters quoted by CBC and CityNews cited concerns about water use, energy demand and lack of public consultation, and CBC cited an International Energy Agency figure that data centres used **140 billion litres** of water globally in 2023.