Thank you to everyone who has reached out with questions about a proposed data centre in Burlington. In order to ensure accurate and complete information for residents on this proposal and on data centres in general, I’ve worked with staff to share information with the community. The city has now created a dedicated webpage at Burlington.ca/DataCentres to provide information and updates as we receive them. They have also created a project specific page for this data centre proposal which you can find here: 3110 South Service Rd. – City of Burlington You can subscribe to both pages to receive updates as new information is posted. I have heard and share the concerns that residents have about the potential impact of data centres on power supply, noise and other considerations, at a time we want to ensure sufficient power for community priorities like housing, economic growth and shifting to clean energy sources. We also recognize data centres respond to the growing use of data, online services, cloud computing and more digital applications. That is why we need a provincial and national strategy, because the growing demand for data centres has the potential to consume significant power capacity. Municipal groups like the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, on which I sit as a board member, have recognized this growing demand and are similarly calling for standardized regulations. I am committed to a balanced, fact based approach to this specific proposal, and to the issue of data centres in general. Our zoning bylaw contemplates industrial uses, including data centres, subject to the appropriate reviews and conditions. Like any industrial use, this proposal needs to go through a thorough review, which staff will undertake. Any assessment for or against the centre is premature at this time. I’m committed to ensuring that community interests are protected in all that we do, and that we provide transparent, balanced and accurate information, while planning for our future. Here is what we know so far: What is proposed: The City of Burlington has received an application for a data centre on the former Mother Tucker’s/Tucker’s Marketplace site at 3110 South Service Road. This is an industrial area of the city. It is proposed for 17 megawatts. For comparison, the Hamilton proposal was for 400 megawatts of power. It will be air-cooled not use water. The use is permitted in our Official Plan and Zoning bylaw for this industrial area. Halton Region also permits data centres. However, these are dependent on zoning, servicing capability and provincial electricity grid evaluations. Halton Region bylaws state that municipal water may not be used as “cooling water” so any data centre in the region must be air-cooled, as this proposal is. Burlington Hydro is reviewing the application to determine energy capacity.’ The applicant was required to submit 20 studies including environmental standards, noise and vibration, letter of use, cooling system, and servicing plan. These studies are currently being reviewed by staff. Supporting Documents: Arborist Report Architectural Plans Comment Matrix Cover Letter Electrical Drawings and Photometric ESA PH 1 Update ESC and CMMP FSSWM Geo tech and ESA Reliance Letter Geotechnical Report Grading Plan Landscape Cost Estimate Landscape Plans TPP Letter of Use Mech Design Brief Cooling System Noise and Vibration Study Photometric Plans Servicing Plan Storm Drainage Plan Swept Path Analysis Turning Plan Review process: The applicant only requires site plan approval. As part of city staff’s review process, they will assess the application for conformity to our own bylaws, and will review noise and other impacts according to provincial environmental standards and other regulations. Burlington Hydro, Halton Region, Conservation Halton and other agencies will have an opportunity to provide input. Any comments, concerns or conditions from these agencies will inform staff’s review and any conditions of the proposal. Staff will assess the proposal and supporting technical reviews before making any decisions. That review is underway, and it is premature to determine the outcome. Role of Council: of Ontario through the Planning Act has mandated that planning staff are the approval body for site plan, not council. Therefore council has no ability to “undelegate” this approval from staff to make a council decision. As a result, Council is not the decision-maker regarding this proposal. However, we can establish appropriate regulations, and I’m committed to supporting a review of that. We can also advocate to other levels of government for matters outside our jurisdiction, to ensure appropriate and consistent standards. If planning staff do not make a decision on this matter within a provincially prescribed time frame, the applicant can appeal on the grounds of “non-decision” to the independent Ontario Land Tribunal. Similarly, if city council considered an Interim Control Bylaw to temporarily delay issuing a permit, that can be appealed for “non-decision” to the Ontario Land Tribunal. The Tribunal is an independent provincial agency, and an appeal takes the matter completely out of staff’s hands. It is in the best interests of our community to support staff to continue their review of this application with input from relevant agencies, understand the impacts and provide a response that protects the interests of everyone in our community. Transparency and public input: Site plan review is typically not a public process, but a matter between staff and an applicant. However given the community interest, questions and concerns regarding data centres, I have worked with our staff to ensure that the public is informed and a dedicated source of information has been created to provide accurate information as this proposal is reviewed. Additionally, I will be sharing all community feedback I receive from residents with staff, so your questions and concerns can be considered in this process. Need for standard federal and provincial regulations: On the larger issue of data centres as a whole, I recognize and share the concerns around excessive use of power and where these are located to keep potential noise or other impacts away from residential neighbourhoods. We know that demand for data centres is growing across Ontario, and the country, especially in response to the federal government’s strategy to control our own data and use these centres to foster technical and digital innovation. I support the call from AMO for standard regulations at the federal and provincial level to govern this use across the country to protect communities, rather than a patchwork of solutions with each municipality having to assess these matters on a case by case basis. We know that our power supply is shared among municipalities and the regions, so what happens in one community has the potential to affect us all. To that end, I am working with staff, council and local MPs and MPPs to create consistent standards that will protect all members of our community. City Council meets next Tuesday, July 21 beginning at 9:30am. During that meeting, I will be co-presenting a resolution to City Council seeking the federal and provincial governments regulate data centres in a consistent manner. I will also be co-moving a motion to receive an information report back from staff on options to review our bylaws relative to data centres and ensure residents are informed as this proposal is reviewed through the site plan process. Residents can submit written correspondence to the clerk, or request a delegation to speak on these matters. Once the agenda is posted I will share it with the community. You can reach out to the clerks here [email protected] Thank you for your interest in the matter and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions to [email protected]. Sincerely, Marianne Meed Ward
Mayor of Burlington
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