moratorium

Ontario’s Green Party is trying to put the brakes on new data centres.

It is calling for a moratorium on new centres until the provincial government has properly conducted studies on their effects on the environment, energy, health and jobs.

Most new centres are planned for southern Ontario, but some northwestern Ontario communities are being considered for possible sites in the future.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner says they are popping up with little to no community consultation.

“Municipalities are on their own trying to protect their communities,” says Schreiner.

“The Ford government has not yet put proper safeguards in place to ensure that these data centers will not harm our communities, and that any benefits are for community members and workers.”

He adds there are serious concerns about the centres and the risks they pose to the air and water and the amount of energy they consume.

Schreiner points out that many are built by American technology firms.

“We need to ensure that people are not on the hook for higher energy bills and that these facilities do not increase the use of fossil fuels and increase toxic air pollution,” says Schreiner.

“And we need to protect the people and places we love from air, water, and noise pollution.”

Energy Minister Stephen Lecce stated last month that the province already has safeguards in place to ensure that ratepayers are protected from higher electricity costs caused by the high-consuming centres.

He also indicated that projects would be rejected if they were not in the best interests of the province.

Schreiner says until he sees the regulations, new centres need to be stopped.

Because the bottom line is, if we don’t do it now, then the horse will have left the barn, the train will have left the station, and it’ll be too late to act.”