Will Hamilton hit pause on data centres? Council set to vote on moratorium

Hamilton is expected to vote today on whether to become the first city in Canada to put a temporary pause on new data centres.

The moratorium vote comes as local lawmakers across the country wrestle with the noise, energy and water concerns around a new wave of data centres powering the boom in artificial intelligence.

Backers of Hamilton’s proposal say it will ensure the city can establish proper guardrails around the new facilities and guarantee public benefits.

Critics say the pause could jeopardize investment in a city hit hard by steel tariffs and risks sweeping up smaller research-focused data centres in its net.