One of my top priorities is better communication from Town Hall.
Big decisions need more than a quick headline. Residents deserve to know what was proposed, how Council voted, what it means, and what questions still need answers.
At the September 21 Committee of the Whole meeting, Whitby Council debated how it should prepare for potential AI data-centre development.
This wasn’t about a small office server room. The discussion was about large, electricity-intensive facilities used for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
The topic matters. An AI data centre could bring major private investment and skilled construction work. But it can also place major long-term demands on electricity, cooling, land, and infrastructure. Communities around the world are debating whether the promised benefits are worth those impacts.
What did Council vote on?
Council did not approve a data-centre project. Whitby doesn’t currently have a formal data-centre application before it.
Councillor Chris Leahy brought forward a motion asking staff to report on whether Whitby should consider an Interim Control By-law while it studies the issue. An Interim Control By-law is a temporary planning tool. It can pause or restrict certain uses in a defined area while a municipality studies the rules it needs.
The proposed report would have looked at issues including:
- Electricity supply and grid capacity
- Water, wastewater, and stormwater needs
- Noise, heat, emissions, and backup generators
- Environmental and climate impacts
- Employment lands, nearby neighbourhoods, and local infrastructure
- Possible tax, assessment, and community benefits
Council voted that motion down 6-3.
How did Council vote?
In favour of asking staff for the Interim Control By-law report:
- Councillor Chris Leahy
- Councillor Niki Lundquist
- Councillor Steve Yamada
Against:
- Mayor Elizabeth Roy
- Councillor Victoria Bozinovski
- Councillor Matt Cardwell
- Councillor Steve Lee
- Councillor Rhonda Mulcahy
- Councillor Maleeha Shahid
After that vote, Council referred the broader data-centre discussion to the next term of Council for an education and training session.
So this wasn’t a final yes or no to data centres in Whitby. It was a decision not to order that specific staff report or consider a temporary planning control at this time.
Why the Mayor called the proposal premature
Mayor Roy mentioned that Whitby doesn’t expect to have enough available electricity capacity to host an AI data centre until at least 2032.
That’s an important fact for residents to know. It means Whitby isn’t deciding whether to approve a project tomorrow.
But I see a different lesson in that timeline. If Whitby may have several years before it can host this kind of project, that’s time to prepare properly. Council can get clear information from utilities, residents, businesses, labour, environmental experts, and emergency services before an application creates pressure to make a quick decision.
The Town should confirm the 2032 capacity estimate directly with Elexicon and explain what upgrades would be needed, who would pay for them, and what that could mean for other local power needs.
Why are data centres worth talking about?
Data centres are the buildings that store, process, and move digital information. AI data centres use very powerful computer servers and need constant power and cooling to run them.
Ontario is actively trying to attract projects that deliver real economic and community benefits. The Province says its draft Data Centre Playbook is meant to focus on investment, jobs, Canadian data security, and benefits for host communities. It also says projects should pay the full cost of their electricity use and that the Province won’t offer financial incentives to attract them.
That can create real opportunities. But it also raises real local questions. The Independent Electricity System Operator says AI service-providing data centres are a major and uncertain driver of Ontario’s future electricity demand.
The possible benefits for Whitby
If the right AI data-centre project is in the right location, it could:
- Bring private investment and construction work
- Create skilled jobs in building trades, electrical work, security, information technology, and operations
- Support local suppliers and other technology businesses
- Add commercial assessment and tax revenue
- Help keep Canadian data hosted in Canada
- Support upgrades that are fully paid for by the project
Those benefits can’t just be assumed. Construction work and long-term operating jobs aren’t the same thing. Whitby should ask for clear, public commitments about the number, quality, and length of local jobs before deciding what incentives or approvals make sense.
The risks Whitby needs to understand
The other side of the conversation matters just as much.
Before approving a major AI data centre, Whitby needs clear answers about:
- Whether the electricity system can handle the load, and who pays for needed upgrades
- Water use, wastewater, cooling, and stormwater impacts. Cooling designs vary, so the Town needs project-specific numbers, not general promises.
- Noise from cooling systems and backup generators
- Air-quality, heat, and environmental impacts
- Where the project belongs and how nearby homes and businesses will be protected
- How much infrastructure is needed for roads, servicing, fire protection, and emergency response
- The actual number and quality of permanent local jobs
- Whether the project will put any cost pressure on Town taxpayers or planned infrastructure
The Town shouldn’t use residents’ property taxes or infrastructure reserves to subsidize a private project without a clear, public case for the return.
My view
I’m not against AI, technology, or private investment. I spent more than 30 years working as a software engineer and founded a Whitby software company for 16 years. I understand that AI and modern digital infrastructure can support good jobs and innovation.
But Whitby needs to do its homework before a major proposal arrives. If the power timeline is really 2032 or later, we have time to do that work properly. Once an application is in front of Council, residents and staff are under pressure to react quickly.
If elected, I’d push for a plain-English AI Data Centre Readiness Review before Whitby considers incentives or major approvals. It should be public, fact-based, and include residents, local businesses, utilities, labour, environmental experts, and emergency services.
I’d support a project only if it can show that:
- The developer pays its fair share of the infrastructure it needs
- The site is appropriate and protects nearby neighbourhoods
- Electricity, water, and environmental impacts are properly assessed
- The project brings measurable local benefits, including good long term jobs and opportunities for local workers and businesses
- The public can see the commitments, costs, and trade-offs before Council votes
That isn’t anti-development. It’s responsible planning.
How I’ll communicate with Ward 4
If I’m elected, I’ll keep sharing plain-English updates on major Council decisions like this one.
I’ll explain what was proposed, how the vote went, what it could mean for residents, and the questions I believe deserve clear answers.
You shouldn’t have to search through long reports or watch hours of meetings to understand decisions that could shape Whitby’s future.
Sources
- September 21, 2026 Committee of the Whole minutes
- DurhamRegion.com coverage: Whitby data-centre report proposal nixed by Council
- Ontario’s Data Centre Playbook framework
- IESO 2026 Annual Planning Outlook
- IESO 2026 demand forecast module
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research on AI infrastructure energy and water use