Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful, to build $70B AI data centre in Alberta

What is happening?

Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank star Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary is looking to build the world’s largest artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in northwest Alberta.

The project—known as “Wonder Valley”—will be located in the Municipal District of Greenview, which encompasses areas to the south and east of Grande Prairie.

“The unique project is expected to attract attention from global investors and industry leaders, setting a new benchmark for large-scale data infrastructure projects worldwide,” O’Leary Ventures said in a news release.

“Beyond jobs and financial benefits, this venture promises to establish Alberta and Canada as world leaders and as a centre of excellence in this emerging industry.”

Currently, O’Leary Ventures has signed a letter of intent to purchase thousands of acres in and south of the Greenview Industrial Gateway (GIG).

Wonder Valley, which will be completed in phases, comes with an estimated $70-billion price tag.

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With the AI project expected to create a variety of jobs in Alberta, it’s crucial for non-unionized employees to understand their workplace rights.

Carefully review your employment contract

Before starting a new job in Alberta, it’s very likely that you will be asked to sign an employment contract.

In many cases, these agreements take away key protections that would otherwise be available to non-unionized workers in the province.

Your employer might attempt to limit your severance package to a few weeks’ pay, or add a clause that gives them the ability to make significant changes to your job.

WATCH: Employment lawyer Lior Samfiru explains the five things workers need to know about employment contracts on an episode of the Employment Law Show.

Once you receive an employment contract, take the time to carefully review it. Your boss can’t legally force you to accept it immediately or a few days after receiving it.

If you are unsure about anything in the agreement, contact an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

We can review the contract and ensure that your workplace rights are properly protected.

LEARN MORE
• Starting a new job? Here’s how an employment contract could limit your rights
• ’60 days or more’: Is it an enforceable termination clause?
• Employment Law Show: Things to never do before seeking legal counsel

You might have to complete a probationary period

In Alberta, employment contracts often contain a “probation clause” that requires non-unionized employees to complete a probationary period when they start working for a new company.

If your employer doesn’t indicate the existence of a probationary period in your agreement, it won’t be considered “valid” or “in effect.”

While employees are usually put on probation for three months, it’s not uncommon for probationary periods to remain in effect for six months or more.

Fired during your probationary period?

If you are fired or let go before the probationary period ends, the company may still owe you a severance package.

Your entitlements depend on what you agreed to in the employment contract.

However, if you are terminated after a legitimate three-month probationary period, your employer is required to provide you with working notice or pay in lieu of notice (i.e. severance pay).

LEARN MORE
• Employment Law Show: Probationary periods and termination
• Car dealership fires worker during probation for violating office dress code
• Wrongful dismissal in Alberta: Employee rights

Severance pay considerations

Before changing jobs, you need to consider future severance possibilities.

While a severance package in Alberta can be as much as 24 months’ pay, compensation for non-unionized employees is calculated using several factors, including:

If you quit your current job, you may not be owed severance

In most cases, non-unionized workers in Alberta don’t get a severance package if they resign from their position voluntarily to take up employment elsewhere.

Severance is designed to provide employees with financial support while they look for new work after being fired without cause or let go.

However, if you are forced to leave because of unwanted changes to your job, it’s very likely that you could treat it as a constructive dismissal.

In this situation, the law allows you to resign and pursue full severance pay.

If you believe that you have been constructively dismissed, don’t quit your job until you speak with an experienced employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Should I negotiate my own severance package in Alberta?
• Employment Law Show: Things to never do before seeking legal counsel

Your length of service affects your severance entitlements

If you are fired without cause or let go, a key factor in determining how much severance pay you are owed is your length of service.

• Example: If you worked for a company in Calgary for 14 years and decide to take a new job in Grande Prairie that you sought out on your own, you forfeit the severance entitlements you built up with your current employer. As a result, if you are fired without cause or let go shortly after joining the new business, you could receive very little compensation.

However, there are situations where short-service employees are owed significantly more severance pay than they realize.

If your employer fires you without cause, and you have only been with the company for three years or less, don’t accept your severance offer before contacting our firm.

As long as you didn’t sign the offer and send it back to your boss, you have two years from the date of your dismissal to pursue full severance pay.

We can review the offer and help you secure the compensation that you are legally entitled to.

SEE ALSO 
• I already accepted a severance package, what should I do?
• Do I have to look for a new job after getting fired?
• Employment Law Show: Facts about the termination process

Recruited by another company?

In some cases, non-unionized workers in Alberta leave their current job after being actively recruited by another company.

If your new employer took documented steps to entice you to take up employment with them, this is known as inducement.

In the event that the company decides to terminate you shortly after pulling you away from your previous employer, the inducement should be taken into consideration when determining your severance entitlements.

• Example: A business entices you to leave your current job in Edmonton to come work at its facility in Red Deer. If you’re terminated shortly after making the switch, the company may be on the hook for enhanced severance pay because of the pressure it placed on you to leave your previous employer.

If this situation applies to you, don’t sign your severance offer until it’s been reviewed by a member of our team.

We can confirm that the inducement has been properly factored into your severance package and help you secure the compensation you deserve if it isn’t.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• Inducement in B.C.: What employees need to know
• Recruited by another company in Ontario: Employee rights

Workplace issue? Contact us

Since 2007, the experienced employment law team at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP has helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals resolve their workplace issues.

Whether you’re in Alberta, B.C., or Ontario, our lawyers can review your situation, enforce your rights, and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is NOT specific to any one company and should NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.