Manitoba’s green future depends on energy and AI will test it MORE POWER, MORE POSSIBILITY
Christa Rust
BY CHRISTA RUST, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, MANITOBA CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
W hen people think about Manitoba energy, they think clean, green and abundant. That reputation has helped attract businesses and investment. But as electrification accelerates across buildings, transportation, agriculture and manufacturing — on top of the explosive growth of artificial intelligence and other energy-hungry sectors — the question is no longer whether Manitoba has clean energy; it is whether we will have enough to meet the demand. The economic stakes are clear. Manitoba Hydro has
warned it cannot accommodate future large industrial or technology customers without building significant new generation. That means jobs, investment and entire industries could pass us by if we do not move quickly. What was once a utility issue is now one of the biggest economic development challenges facing Manitoba today. And the quickest acceleration of demand? Artificial intelligence. From agriculture and finance to health care and logistics, AI is transforming industries here at home — and it runs on electricity. If Manitoba pursues AI innovation, part of that future could include local data centres, which are among the most energy-intensive facilities in the world. Traditional data centres typically draw five to 10 megawatts of power. By contrast, AI-driven facilities can exceed 100 megawatts, representing large, steady demand unlike anything Manitoba has hosted before. Having them here would mean significant investment and economic activity, but it would also increase the strain on our electrical grid. Even without AI data centres, the technology is accelerating electrification across sectors — from smart manufacturing to precision agriculture, which still results in higher demand for energy. In early 2025, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce released Our Time Is Now: Manitoba’s Roadmap for a Green Economy . The report highlighted the urgency of clean energy development and the growing demand
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WINTER 2025
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