Saskatoon is putting temporary restrictions on new data centres while the city studies their potential benefits and risks. As more artificial intelligence data centres are being proposed across the country, Saskatoon’s Ward 8 Coun. Scott Ford wants the city to be prepared. Before Saskatoon makes any major decisions, Ford asked city administration to examine the risks and rewards, including potential jobs and energy demand. The motion passed unanimously. “I think we’re seeing a lot of noise out there throughout the province, throughout the country on data centres,” Ford said. “This motion is for administration to look into the pros and cons of data centres.” His motion includes an interim bylaw to temporarily restrict data centres in Saskatoon until the review is complete. The call comes as the Saskatchewan NDP criticizes the province’s handling of Bell’s proposed 300-megawatt data centre in the RM of Sherwood. Bell is the parent company of CTV. The Opposition wants the province to release environmental, economic and Crown corporation analyses related to the project. “When we look at the legislation and what triggers an environmental assessment, it is clear that this project should trigger an environmental assessment,” NDP MLA Jared Clarke said. In a statement to CTV News, the Government of Saskatchewan said an environmental impact assessment has not been completed for the proposed Sherwood Data Centre. “Not all projects require assessments; whether an assessment is required depends on the nature, scale, and potential environmental effects of the project,” the statement read. The government says all data centres are required to comply with municipal, provincial and federal legislation, including obtaining permits and approvals. CTV News is a division of Bell Media, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc.
