The Municipality of Cumberland is set to implement a temporary halt on the establishment of data centers specializing in artificial intelligence. During a recent council meeting, a proposed bylaw suggesting a six-month freeze on development permit applications for such data centers received unanimous approval for its first reading.
Council member Jennifer Houghtaling highlighted concerns raised by residents regarding the potential impact of data centers on water and electricity consumption, both on their daily lives and the environment. She emphasized the need for a well-informed decision-making process before lifting the moratorium, drawing comparisons with the situation in Alberta.
Following in the footsteps of Oakville, Ont., which recently imposed a one-year moratorium on new data centers, Cumberland Mayor Rod Gilroy expressed his council’s pioneering approach in Nova Scotia as they work on formulating regulations for such facilities.
The council’s decision was spurred by public apprehension, initially sparked in June when residents voiced anxieties over a land acquisition in Malagash by a company named 3Sha Infotech Inc. Despite unsuccessful attempts to reach the company for clarity on its land-use intentions, the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer, Greg Herrett, emphasized that the moratorium was a proactive step based on community concerns.
Local resident Kate Dunn supported the pause on AI data centers, citing concerns about noise disturbances and the potential disruption to the rural ambience of Cumberland County. Dunn stressed the need for a thorough evaluation of the value and implications of expanding AI facilities, hinting at possible government interventions to override municipal regulations, as seen in past instances like wind turbine setbacks.
As the proliferation of AI data centers escalates across North America, opposition towards their growth is also on the rise. Recent protests and legal battles in Canada have underscored public apprehensions, with a majority of respondents in a recent Angus Reid poll expressing opposition to the construction of large AI data centers near residential areas.
The Department of Municipal Affairs clarified that there are no immediate plans for a planning framework for data center applications, emphasizing the need to safeguard the province’s infrastructure and resources before proceeding with such development initiatives.
