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Mississauga’s mayoral race shifted into high gear this weekend, as four of the leading candidates officially kicked off their campaigns, with the issue of AI data centres taking centre stage.
Canada has bet big on artificial intelligence, and part of that push is a boom in planned or proposed AI data centres, which require vast amounts of water and energy. Some Canadians are questioning whether they want the massive buildings that power AI humming away in their backyards.
Speaking about data centres at a news conference Monday, current Ward 7 councillor and mayoral candidate Dipika Damerla pledged to protect Mississauga’s neighbourhoods, power grid and supply should she be elected.
“I will not let our grid, our water and our quality of life be treated as an afterthought,” she said. “Mississauga will decide the terms of how and if a hyperscale data centre comes to our city, not whichever company shows up next.”
WATCH | Mississauga considering 1-year moratorium on data centres:
Why councillors in Mississauga want to pause data centre development
Councillors in Mississauga approved a motion for a bylaw that, if passed in September, would prohibit the approval of data centre development for up to one year. But as CBC’s Naama Weingarten explains, the debate is far from over.
Proponents say the facilities could help secure Canada’s future as an AI leader. But the rapid pace of development has some communities hitting pause. That could include Mississauga.
In July, Mississauga councillors voted in favour of creating a bylaw for a one-year moratorium on data centres after one the size of three football fields was proposed in the city. It goes before council for a final decision Wednesday.
During the moratorium period, the city would study the impact of the facilities, how they would be regulated and consult with the public and the industry.
Damerla specifically says she’d like to see the province define what counts as an AI data centre, outline when new electricity rates kick in, provide real answers about the health impacts and explore the community benefits.
“Wednesday’s vote can’t be the end of this conversation. It has to be the beginning of something stronger,” Damerla said Monday. “We still have homework to do.”
Speaking at a news conference Monday, current Ward 7 councillor and mayoral candidate Dipika Damerla pledged to protect Mississauga’s power grid, supply and neighbourhoods, should she be elected. (Tina Mackenzie/CBC)
Former mayor Bonnie Crombie, who is running for her old position after she resigned as leader of Ontario’s Liberal Party this year, says residents deserve clear answers about what AI data centres could mean for water use, electricity supply and local infrastructure.
“We need to understand the impacts on our neighbourhoods, the costs to our infrastructure and the benefits to Mississauga before making decisions,” she said in a statement.
Crombie is neck and neck in the race with Mayor Carolyn Parrish, according to an August poll from national public opinion research firm Liaison Strategies.
In a statement to CBC Toronto, Parrish said she is looking forward to Wednesday’s meeting.
“We have been responsive to community concerns on this issue,” she said. “We will continue to be responsive.”
Former mayor and Ontario Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie says she’s in favour of a data centre moratorium. In a statement to CBC Toronto, current Mayor Carolyn Parrish said she is looking forward to Wednesday’s meeting. (Patrick Morrell/Evan Mitsui/CBC)
Crombie says she supports the one-year moratorium, but is concerned about the possibility of a U.S. company owning and operating an AI data centre in Mississauga.
“Any development should always be prioritized based on public interest and the highest and best use of the land,” she said.
“Particularly at this time, we need to take Canadian sovereignty and data security seriously. We need clear answers about who would control the data, who could access it and how Canadians’ information would be protected.”
Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo, another leading mayoral candidate, has similar concerns. He told CBC News data centres already exist in Mississauga; the problem is when foreign entities bring in AI-based facilities.
“We should be working on data sovereignty,” he said. “We should be working on enterprise and supporting our local businesses here in Mississauga.”
Ward 2 Coun. Alvin Tedjo, another leading mayoral candidate, has similar concerns. He told CBC News data centres already exist in Mississauga; the problem is when foreign entities bring in AI-based facilities. (Mercedes Gaztambide/CBC)
That’s why Tedjo, who also supports the moratorium, says there need to be stronger guardrails in place.
“If we are going to allow this, then we need to make sure that people are protected, that jobs are protected, that our land is protected, that our environment is protected and that they’re not exploiting the resources,” he said.
The race to be Mississauga’s next mayor features 14 candidates. A full list of mayoral candidates can be found on the city’s website.