A growing number of Mississauga city councillors contacted by Canada’s National Observer are concerned by the proposal to build a 229,000-square-foot data centre in Meadowvale Business Park, with at least half of council prepared to support a pause in data-centre applications for one year. 

The issue could come to a head on July 29 when councillors debate a motion proposed by Ward 9 Coun. Martin Reid to delay any decisions on data centres until the city conducts additional research into potential safety concerns. The data centre would be located in his ward. 

Reid now feels that approving the facility would deliver no benefits to the community, particularly because it will support only 50 to 75 permanent jobs once operational, a number he says is too low considering the size of the development.

He’s also concerned that Prologis has neglected to disclose what company would be operating the data centre. Developments without a confirmed operator are an emerging category across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), according to Ontario Data Centre Tracker. The amount of energy demand generated by the data centre could fluctuate greatly depending on which company moves onto the site.

Ward 7 Coun. Dipika Damerla said she will be supporting Reid’s motion “because right now our zoning rules leave Mississauga exposed,” she said in an emailed statement.

Zoning and site plan applications are two methods municipalities can use to exercise control over data centre developments. 

Damerla is worried that approving Prologis’ application would open the door to other data centres. “That’s unacceptable.” 

When the issue goes before council later this month, Mayor Carolyn Parrish could be the deciding vote: “I believe Council should await the staff report and the conclusion of its regular review process — so that council members can make a sound decision based on facts,” she told CNO in an emailed statement.

Reid’s motion would pause data centre applications in Mississauga for at least one year, giving council an opportunity to create a new zoning class for data centres and examine their costs or benefits for the city. 

To gauge council’s position on the issue, CNO contacted each council member to ask whether they’d support a one-year interim control bylaw to pause similar developments. 

According to the responses obtained by CNO, six of the 11 councillors are ready to support the motion. The vote could still be very close, particularly considering Mayor Parrish’s wait-and-see position. She’s the 12th city council member. 

Development application under review by city staff

Industrial real estate giant Prologis filed a planning application to the City of Mississauga last December, seeking zoning approval for a 229,000-square-foot data centre and two single-storey distribution centres at 0 Tenth Line W, located in the Meadowvale Business Park in Ward 9. If built, it would be one of the largest data centres in the GTA, according to Reid. 

In a March 30 planning meeting, council appeared to support the application, with Reid enthusiastic about the data centre’s potential to create jobs in the area. Council voted unanimously to work with Prologis and city staff to seek more information about the proposal, particularly related to engineering and technical information such as the facility’s estimated water consumption.

Despite Prologis fulfilling many of these requests, residents and council members are still concerned about the potential impact of such a large data centre on nearby residential areas and the environment. For example, Prologis’s noise impact study found that the data centre would not exceed decibel limits — but people living near data centres in other jurisdictions often complain about constant, low-frequency humming that isn’t measured on a decibel study.  

Community backlash at data centre town hall 

Reid was one of the first to turn against the development after hosting a standing-room-only town hall for his ward on June 25. More than 300 attended to hear from city staff, Region of Peel planners and three Prologis representatives about the project. In a community centre, residents shouted questions about the data centre’s estimated water usage, environmental impact, noise generation, heat emission and energy demand.

A standing-room only town hall on June 25, 2026 saw more than 300 residents attend to share their concerns about the data center proposal. Video clips provided by Alvin Tedjo. Video edited by Emmerson Jull / Canada’s National Observer. 

“As the meeting went on, I realized that there were a lot of questions that were unanswered,” Reid said. “When they didn’t have a definitive answer on the energy usage, the water usage, the decibel levels, that didn’t sit well with me.”

In an email to Canada’s National Observer, Prologis spokesperson Mattie Walker Sorrento said, “We take seriously the questions and concerns raised at the recent meeting.” 

Sorrento confirmed that Prologis intends to work through the City of Mississauga’s planning process and provide clear answers about the facility. “We aim to be a trusted partner to the Mississauga community and will continue the dialogue about how this project can best support local needs and priorities,” she said. 

Councillors calling for pause on mega data centre proposals

Reid said he will introduce an interim control bylaw motion similar to a moratorium introduced by Hamilton Coun. Nrinder Nann and approved 15-1 by Hamilton’s council on June 24, the day before Mississauga’s town hall. Hamilton’s interim control bylaw will go back to council for a final vote on July 15. Reid said he has been in contact with Nann’s office since the town hall. Her motion will help inform the one he is bringing to council later this month. 

During the moratorium period, Mississauga’s council would work to design a land-use designation specific to data centres, since they are currently classified as warehouses. It would compel the city to consult utility companies, Indigenous communities, environmental experts, labour organizations, academics and community members to understand the city-wide impact of hosting data centres. 

Reid said he isn’t opposed to data centres, but he believes they should deliver real benefits to the city’s economy and residents. If data centres are to be built, their consequences for energy demand, water consumption and neighbourhood wellbeing shouldn’t outweigh their ability to create jobs and economic returns for the city. “You know, the moratorium at this point is one year. But if I see no community impact, I’m not afraid to make it a permanent no.”