Will Hamilton hit pause on data centres? Council set to vote on moratorium

Hamilton is expected to vote Wednesday on whether to become the first city in Canada to put a temporary pause on new data centres.

The moratorium vote comes as local lawmakers across the country wrestle with the noise, energy and water concerns around a new wave of data centres powering the boom in artificial intelligence.

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Backers of Hamilton’s proposal say it will ensure the city can establish proper guardrails around the new facilities and guarantee public benefits.

Critics say the pause could jeopardize investment in a city hit hard by steel tariffs and risks sweeping up smaller research-focused data centres in its net.

A developer’s plan to include a data centre campus in its overhaul of a portion of the city’s industrial waterfront prompted backlash and fuelled the push for a moratorium in recent weeks.

Mississauga, Burlington and Vancouver are expected to debate their own moratorium proposals this month.