The Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc is advising residents that a zoning bylaw amendment application for a property at 700 Adair Boulevard has been revised, with the applicant removing “Data Centre” as a proposed permitted use. The amended application will now be considered by council to rezone the land from Future Development (FD) to General Industrial (M2), without the specific inclusion of data centres. A public meeting to discuss the revised application, ZBA19-2026, is still scheduled to take place during the Strathroy-Caradoc Council Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 4, commencing at 6 p.m. The initial application, submitted by 2752894 Ontario Inc. c/o Asma Ayub, sought to add ‘Data Centre’ as a permitted use for the approximately 20.55-hectare (50.8-acre) parcel located at the southwest corner of Wright Street and Adair Boulevard. The property is currently designated ‘Employment’ within the ‘Future Development (FD)’ zone. The applicant had stated no specific development was currently proposed, but the amendment would have opened the door for such a designation. The mere possibility of a data centre being established in Strathroy-Caradoc triggered a swift and vocal public backlash. Nicole Miller launched a petition opposing the zoning change, reporting over a thousand signatures collected within hours. The petition urges council to vote “NO” on the proposed amendment, arguing that a zoning change is a critical first step that makes future data centre development easier. Residents expressed concerns that a large-scale data centre would jeopardize the township’s small-town character, farmland, natural environment, and quality of life. Specific worries cited include potential impacts on the environment, local infrastructure, water resources, energy demand, traffic, and noise. Mayor Colin Grantham commented on the intense community response. “My phone is blowing up from this,” he said. While he committed to listening to all sides, Mayor Grantham firmly stated, “I’m against the data centre,” emphasizing that approving a zoning change without more information about intended uses would be a mistake. He cautioned against setting a precedent, drawing a parallel to housing development where allowing a large building can pave the way for future larger developments. While acknowledging that specific issues like electricity costs or water use concerns plaguing U.S. data centre projects might not directly apply locally, Mayor Grantham highlighted the need for clearer provincial and federal guidelines on data centre construction. The public participation meeting will be held in the Strathroy-Caradoc city hall council chambers, located at 52 Frank Street, second floor. The meeting will be hybrid, allowing for both in-person attendance and participation via Microsoft Teams. No decisions will be made at the Aug. 4 meeting.
