CENTRE WELLINGTON – Centre Wellington Council has passed a motion which pauses data centre development within the Township for one year, effective as of Sept. 28 ,2026.
This includes artificial intelligence (AI) data centres which have been a trendy topic in Centre Wellington as SPUR Innovation, a tech venture company based in Waterloo, have announced their ambition to turn the derelict property located at 865 Gartshore St. into an “ecological AI campus.”
The interim by-law was brought forward for council endorsement by Ward 5 councillor, Bronwynne Wilton, at a council meeting last month.
Ward 4 councillor Jennifer Adams said this by-law means Centre Wellington can get ahead of the game on figuring out what industry best fits the area and to ensure proper framework can be put in-place.
The proposal presented to Council on Sept. 28 has been updated to consider data centres “more broadly” since staff research has determined AI processing can be used on a multitude of sites.
Data centres which are technically permitted to host AI processing could be a “computer establishment” or “research establishment” in the M1, M2 and M2.BP industrial development zones.
The interim by-law now controls data centre development in those highlighted zones which includes the Fergus Business Park.
SPUR has not yet filed an application for development, as of Sept. 29, 2026, but some residents in the community have expressed their concern about the project.
As part of the council meeting’s delegations, local resident and artist Carolyn Sharp referred to her online petition with just under 2,400 signatures as of the night of the meeting.
SPUR CEO Sharif Virani was also a delegate and said his vision for 865 Gartshore does not align with the stereotypes associated with large-scale data centres.
Virani also referred to American AI software holding a significant market share and said Canadian businesses need to be using Canadian tech.
However, Centre Wellington seems to be rejecting AI as a whole.
Third delegate and local resident, Robert Berry, expressed a concern about SPUR’s lack of commitment in regards to making their project goals public.
Berry wants hard answers and listed 12 focus points for SPUR to respond to.
The interim by-law gives town staff at least a year to study, costing no more than $49,999, 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.
The interim by-law can be extended by a year so long as the total by-law period does not exceed two years, and the by-law can be appealed by the Ontario Land Tribunal.
If an appeal were to happen a Township report, presented by Brett Salmon, said additional costs may be incurred.
