Hamilton, Ontario council set to vote on AI data centre moratorium

Hamilton’s Committee of Adjustment rejected a developer’s proposal to carve out part of the Steelport industrial site for a data centre, prompting local activists and residents to push for tighter controls on the AI‑driven data‑centre boom. Psychotherapist Danielle Sheahan, who runs an anti‑data‑centre Instagram account, said she was “shocked” by the committee’s decision and described it as the first time in a decade she felt hope.

The city council will vote on a one‑year moratorium – with the option to extend it for a second year – that would pause new data‑centre projects while the municipality drafts guardrails on energy, noise and water use. Councillor Nrinder Nann, sponsor of the motion, warned, “We’re not buying the hype that this needs to happen so urgently – not going to happen,” adding that Hamiltonians have a tradition of demanding a say when outside interests try to “ram things through.”

Supporters argue the pause is needed to establish transparent, sustainable standards, citing the recent New York statewide moratorium on data centres larger than 50 MW. Critics fear the measure could jeopardize multimillion‑dollar investments in the steel‑focused city. Residents such as Bhavyatta Bhardwaj emphasized, “The only way it’s possible is when we stop participating in a race,” urging deliberate, awareness‑driven governance. Other Canadian cities—including Burlington, Mississauga and Vancouver—are watching the outcome as a possible template for their own deliberations.