Chatham-Kent council has directed administration to bring forward an initial report on artificial intelligence data centres, ahead of completing a broader study on the emerging industry.
The motion, brought forward by Councillor Ryan Doyle and approved at Monday’s council meeting, notes that the rapid growth of AI-driven systems, cloud computing and digital infrastructure has accelerated the development of large-scale data centres. The motion points to the Province of Ontario’s Data Centre Playbook, launched Aug. 13, and the federal government’s Responsible Data Centre Development Principles, launched Sept. 3, but notes that neither framework yet includes regulations or land-use controls for the industry.
The motion states that, like most municipalities, Chatham-Kent has not yet established a comprehensive land-use policy framework to evaluate the impacts of large-scale data centre developments, which present considerations related to energy consumption, infrastructure capacity, water use, noise and compatibility with surrounding land uses.
Administration will now provide an initial report outlining the scope of a potential future study, including consideration of an Interim Control By-law, information on the current regulatory environment for AI data centres at all three levels of government, and financial and staffing considerations. The report is expected to return to council in December.
The motion also directs that a copy be shared with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to express support for AMO’s advocacy position establishing a trilateral siting strategy for large-scale data centres, and requesting a delay in finalizing the province’s playbook to address concerns around legal protections for host communities.
According to a staff response, AMO submitted comments to the provincial consultation on Sept. 11, outlining five recommendations, including giving priority to Canadian-owned companies and community benefit agreements, and committing to maintaining full municipal planning and development approvals.
