Data centre debate continues at Hamilton city hall

Hamilton councillor Nrinder Nann is set to put forward a motion before the city’s planning committee today asking for guaranteed due diligence when it comes to building data centres.

The motion would prohibit all new data centres in the city for up to two years while it updates its zoning regulations.

It is seconded by Ward 2 councillor Cameron Kroetsch, and the meeting is expected to have dozens of delegates take part in the conversation. There have been over 390 written submissions in relation to the motion.

The motion asks for a few different things — mainly for the city to prepare an interim control bylaw to restrict the use of lands pending completion of studies that evaluate energy use and impacts to power grids, water use and impacts to local bodies of water, noise and heat impacts and the negative affects to local biodiversity and human health.

The motion pertains to all data centres in general.

READ MORE: AI data centres: why a land severance ignited a massive Hamilton protest

If passed, it would put a halt to any plans of developing a data centre in the former Stelco property along Hamilton’s harbourfront, which has received heavy opposition from members of the public.

Just a few weeks ago, the land owner’s application to sever the land was denied by the city’s Committee of Adjustment, putting a pause on the development of a data centre.

Nann says Hamilton’s steel industrial boom, although beneficial in many ways, brought with it environmental and health side-effects. The Ward 3 councillor wants to make sure the city does not repeat history when tackling what she calls a precipice of change.

The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m.