The Ontario Green Party is pressing the provincial government for a moratorium on all new artificial intelligence data centres. Party leader Mike Schreiner argues that facilities are being approved without proper environmental safeguards or community consultation, drawing support from municipal pushbacks across the province.
A mounting wave of local resistance against heavy digital infrastructure is driving calls for province-wide rules in Ontario.
Green Party Calls for a Provincial Moratorium
Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, who is also the MPP for Guelph, held a news conference at Queen’s Park on Thursday and demanded that the provincial government pause all new artificial intelligence (AI) data centres until more is known about their impact on the environment, energy grid, people’s health and jobs. Schreiner argued that current projects advance without adequate safeguards, stating that new data centres are being approved across the province without community consultation or safeguards to keep people and the environment safe.
Schreiner also raised concerns regarding corporate beneficiaries, asking who actually benefits from the construction of these AI data centres and adding that he believes corporations are benefiting from local water meant for communities.
Environmental and community advocates joined the push for a freeze, pointing to the immense physical toll these facilities take on local resources. Ilham Abdulkadir, who is with the group Wellington Water Watchers, joined Schreiner in his call for a moratorium and noted the heavy footprint of these operations.
“These facilities may power our digital world, but the infrastructure behind them is deeply physical. It uses land, consumes energy and has an enormous thirst for water.”
Ilham Abdulkadir, Wellington Water Watchers
Municipal Pushback and Local Moratoriums
Cities across Ontario are taking matters into their own hands as anxiety grows over local energy grids and water consumption. Shelly Agius, co-chair of the Toronto chapter of the Council of Canadians, supported the Green Party’s call for a moratorium as well as a decision by Mississauga councillors to pause any approvals on AI data centres for one year, stating that the rest of Ontario should be following that lead, not racing ahead of it.
Other Ontario municipalities are facing similar decisions and community friction. In Hamilton, a data centre moratorium vote drew protesters, with a council vote taking place on Wednesday regarding whether to pause the development of new data centres. Shion Guha, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, stated that the vote highlights the growing tension between the government’s technology promises and how communities feel about it. In Sault Ste. In Armour Township, southeast of Sudbury, a developer withdrew plans to build a two-megawatt AI data centre in June after public opposition.
Provincial Defense of Digital Infrastructure Frameworks
In response to the growing backlash, provincial officials defended Ontario’s oversight of the sector. Evan Robinson is the senior issues manager and press secretary for Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli.
In a statement to CBC News, Robinson said the Ontario government ensures that no digital infrastructure project will proceed unless it contributes to the local economy and the company commits to paying the full cost of energy.
Robinson noted that the province passed legislation that gives them the authority to prevent projects from connecting to the power grid if the companies fail to meet expectations. He added that the government will continue to work with municipalities, companies, and communities as they finalize a digital infrastructure framework that supports job creation, ensures data security, and protects ratepayers.
