At the July 7 public hearing on the Goldfinch data centre, Wheatland County council chambers were overflowing. Nearly 100 people had come to speak against the proposal. But with only 25 speaking slots available, most were turned away.
Of the 25 who got to speak: 24 opposed the project. One supported it.
And that one supporter took some finding.
After the 24 opposition speakers had their say, council asked repeatedly for anyone who wanted to speak in favour. Silence. They asked again. Nothing. They took a 10-minute break to give supporters time to come forward. After the break, they asked once more.
Finally, one person stepped up to the microphone — the only speaker in the entire room willing to say a word in support of a 0+ billion development on 576 acres of Tier 2 farmland.
More than 100 written letters were also submitted — the vast majority opposed.
Who Spoke Against
The 24 opposition speakers had names and faces. They were — and are — people with deep roots in this community.
Heidi Pradt, co-owner of Infinity Equine, told council the developer “has not demonstrated enough technical expertise on groundwater impact, environmental impact, noise impact, impact to livestock.” Her horse operation sits directly adjacent to the proposed site. Years of construction and a 24/7 industrial facility next door could put her family business out of commission.
Heather Gagne, who lives 2.6 km from the site, told council she has sunk 15 years of retirement savings into her 30-acre property. She worried she may never see that money again. She originally supported light industrial zoning in 2018 — nobody told her it would become a hyperscale data centre.
Twenty-two other residents stood up to voice their own concerns: about water, about noise, about traffic, about property values, about the future of Wheatland County. None of them stand to gain a dollar from this proposal. Every single one of them stands to lose something.
Who Spoke in Favour
Twenty-four neighbours spoke up to protect their homes, their businesses, their water, and their way of life. Council had to pause the meeting for 10 minutes to find a single person who would speak in favour.
The one person who did step forward does not live next to the proposed site. They do not run a business that would be threatened by construction noise, groundwater drawdown, or years of heavy truck traffic. They are not a concerned neighbour worried about property values or retirement savings.
They stand to profit directly from this deal — as the seller of the land Diode wants to develop.
Here is the math that matters: nearly 100 people came to protect their community. Council spent 10 minutes hunting for someone to balance the scales. They found one person — the one with a financial interest in the outcome.
The Pattern That Matters
This is not a one-sided story where both perspectives carry equal weight. It is a story where one side represents the community, and the other side represents a single financial interest.
When developers pitch data centre projects, they talk about “community support.” But what they really mean is: they found one landowner willing to sell. That is not community support. That is a real estate transaction.
The community has spoken. Twenty-four to one. The question is whether council is listening.
Read the full facts about this proposal — Contact your councillor today