Mississauga Councillors Seek Year-long Delay on Data Centres

As data centre construction becomes a significant issue in Ontario, several councillors in Mississauga are worried about the potential impacts on the community and environment. 

This Wednesday, councillors voted to establish a bylaw for a one-year pause on data centre projects. During this time, the city plans to investigate how these centres would affect the area, explore regulatory measures, and engage with both the public and industry stakeholders. 

Martin Reid, councillor for Mississauga Ward 9, introduced the motion for this moratorium. A large site designated for a proposed data centre is located next to a highway and a farmhouse, close to the boundary between his ward and Ward 10. 

Sue Mc Fadden, who represents Ward 10, mentioned that while there are existing data centres in the region, this new one would be much larger – roughly equivalent to three football fields in size.

“There’s a lot to be afraid of,” Mc Fadden said. “First of all, the unknown. We don’t know the environmental effects of this.”

She expressed worries about water usage and electricity demand as well as potential consequences for birds and other wildlife nearby. 

Company’s use of planned centre remains unclear: councillor

Reid pointed out that Prologis, the company behind the construction, has not revealed which business will occupy the centre or its intended purpose; therefore it’s hard to assess its impact on nearby areas.

“With a new data centre of this massive size, we have questions about water, hydro, noise,” Reid told CBC Toronto in an interview on Friday. 

“If we have none of those questions answered, then we can’t really move forward,” he said.

Prologis has shared “detailed technical information” with city officials during their review process according to Anna Criddle, spokesperson for Prologis. 

“The project is still at an early stage, and we are not in a position to identify a prospective customer,” Criddle wrote. She added that Prologis followed municipal regulations by informing the public and took part in a town hall meeting in June.

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Mc Fadden lives near where the proposed centre will be built. She stated that applicants only need to notify residents living within 600 meters of their sites; many people living around her were left uninformed.

“The residents are 800 meters away so they weren’t notified of this,” she told CBC Toronto.

Cities divided on future actions

Both Mc Fadden and Reid indicated they aren’t entirely opposed to having data centres in Mississauga.

“There’s a lot of pressure to build these quickly,” Reid said. “And we want to make sure that we have the right safeguards in place so that we can build it well.”

This week’s decision means council will draft a bylaw enforcing the moratorium which will go before them for final approval come September according to Reid.

“Wednesday’s win really is September’s fight,” he stated. “We have to continue advocating and ensure we see this through.”

Mississauga is among numerous municipalities across Ontario trying to figure out how best to regulate data centres moving forward.

This Thursday saw Toronto’s city council request that Ontario’s government develop an overarching framework addressing concerns tied up with data centres; some advocates think this action doesn’t go far enough pushing instead for Toronto itself implement its own moratorium.

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The YTO 40 project-a new facility being constructed in Etobicoke-was allowed access up-to thirty-nine point seventy-five liters per second solely dedicated towards cooling based off planning documents submitted previously too city authorities.

Earlier just recently Hamilton’s city councillors denied implementing temporary pauses relating towards any new Data Centers stating such restrictions might threaten potential investment coming into their industrial sectors along jeopardizing smaller proposals incorporating research aspects.

The ongoing debate over these issues has also found its way into Mississauga’s mayoral race.

After passing Reid’s motion last week , former mayor Bonnie Crombie who now runs again criticized current Mayor Carolyn Parrish publicly via social media platform X explaining why she abstained from voting regarding aforementioned proposal.

In response , Parrish explained her reasoning was simply meant either break ties if necessary rather than support any particular side arguing further sympathizing toward local citizen worries while adding she requires full factual reporting ahead forming definitive opinions.

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