No AI Data Centres in Guelph

No AI Data Centres in Guelph

On August 14, Morgan Dandie Ward2 Councillor Candidate, joined a group of individuals who are concerned about the impacts of the Government of Ontario's Provincial Data Centre Playbook.

Announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a local Guelph data centre, Entitled the Economic and Strategic Assessment Framework for New Data Centres, the proposal states that ' with the increase of prospective data centres looking to locate in Ontario' the province states that it plans to 'assess economic development, digital sovereignty, community benefits, and environmental considerations in relation to data centre proposals.'

This statement has come from a Provincial government that has prioritized Ontario Open for Business, and has railroaded highway and housing development with kickbacks from their cronies, removed Greenbelt land, ignored Indigenous sovereignty and environmentally protected species.

Residents of the The City of Guelph enjoy water that is drawn from it's supply of ground water in an aquifer. In periods of low rain and high heat, the volume of water in the aquifer drops. When a significant drought or heat event happens, Guelph residents must follow the Water Restrictions laid out for outdoor water use. No watering grass or ornamental gardens. No washing your car. No filling your pool. With the addition of another data centre on this aquifer, these instances would increase. The City of Guelph would be unable to approve new developments for families to live in the area. We might even have to ration water for bathing, cooking, cleaning, and drinking.

Morgan asked an important question in a recent video (August 14, 2026): whether the Province's playbook is "really intended to protect our local resources. Our electricity, our water, our environment."

She invites you to read ERO 0260853 and to submit a comment about your concerns about the development of more AI data centres in Ontario to the province. Join the Moratorium on Data Centres at Grassroots Against Data Centres and Say No to Datacentres. More than anything, Morgan wants to hear from you about your concerns and questions about Data Centres in Guelph. Contact her at dandieforward2@gmail.com