Work on data centres will continue to move along in Quinte West.
Council voted on Councillor Egerton Boyce’s motion at the meeting last night.
His motion called on a maximum one-year pause on current and future data centres, citing the need for regulations, guidelines to be in place, as well as solid research and community input.
There are two current data centre projects that are in planning stages with the City – True North Sustainable with the Old Saputo Plan on Riverside Drive, and FirstBlock with the Old Sonoco Paper Mill in Frankford.
True North did tell Council that if the City only wanted one data centre in the end, they would withdraw their application because First Blocks’ plan is farther ahead and outlines having a vertical farm operation as a part of a renewable energy component.
The four-hour meeting brought together over 30 people to the podium to speak with the council. One resident shared that they have collected over 400 signatures across the community, against data centres. While the Quinte West Chamber of Commerce added that 60% of their members support data centres.
In the end, Boyce’s motion failed and work will continue on data centres.
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