CENTRE WELLINGTON: Township Council are considering a temporary pause on AI data centre construction until a municipal study has been completed.
Monday’s Centre Wellington Council meeting heard a presentation from Courtney Pamela who expressed a concern that unregulated AI data centres could strain the local environment, water supply, power grid and economic interests.
Pamela called on Centre Wellington Council to outright ban the development of these controversial data centres.
Later in the meeting Councillor Bronwynne Wilton brought forward a motion to be considered in September.
The motion proposes town staff to undertake a review and study of “the Township’s land use planning policies in relation to artificial intelligence (AI) data centres, pursuant to section 38 of the Planning Act,” costing no more than $49,999.
The interim by-law would stop AI data centre construction within the Township until at least the third quarter of 2027 when staff would bring their report to Council.
Council voted unanimously in-favour for the motion to be considered in a Council meeting on Sept. 24, 2026.
Councillor Jennifer Adams said taking a step back to further evaluate data centres in Centre Wellington will give staff and Council the appropriate time to consider all possible factors.
Councillor Lisa MacDonald brought to light a local petition with over 1,800 online signatures as of Aug. 25, 2026.
The petition, prepared by Carolyn Sharp, said “I am deeply concerned about the rapid growth of data centres and the new pressures these facilities will place on our local water sources, electrical grids, households, ecosystems, and our community.”
Sharp expressed concern over the SPUR Innovation “ecological campus” which is proposed to be built over the former Wolverine Tube copper-tubing plant located at 865 Gartshore St.
Herself, along with more than 1,800 supporters, have called for a moratorium on data centre development in Centre Wellington.
Oakville and Mississauga are the only two Ontario municipalities to enact a one-year moratorium on AI data centre development so far, as of Aug. 25, 2026.
Wilton’s motion said a Township study on land-use relating to data centres would consider, but is not limited to; existing planning policies and zoning by-laws, energy use and the impacts to power grids, water use and impacts to long term drinking water quality and quantity as well as noise and light pollution.
