Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward is calling on the federal and provincial governments to create clear rules for data centres, after hundreds of residents raised concerns about a proposed 17-megawatt facility at 3110 South Service Road in Burlington, Ontario. City Council is set to vote July 21, 2026, on two resolutions: one urging higher levels of government to set nationwide regulations, and another directing staff to see how local bylaws can better protect residents.
The proposed data centre site, the former Mother Tucker’s on South Service Road, is in an industrial area away from homes. Under Ontario’s Planning Act, site plan approvals are handled by city staff, not elected officials. That means Burlington City Council has no power to reject the application directly, a sticking point for many neighbours who learned about the project this month.
“We know that demand for data centres is growing across Ontario, and I believe we need standard regulations across the country, rather than piece-meal, case by case responses,” Meed Ward said in a July 15 statement. She added she will work with MPs and MPPs to push for those rules.
The mayor’s call came on the same day that Hamilton City Council voted 10-6 against a one-year pause on data centre development, on July 15. Other cities, including Mississauga and Vancouver, are also debating their approach to such facilities. The Ontario Data Centre Tracker estimates these buildings will account for 13% of the province’s new electricity demand by 2035.
In Burlington, much of the debate centres on local control. Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns has flagged worries that the application is “moving along, potentially unchecked” and said she will push for a municipal framework on data centres.
The proposed facility would be air-cooled rather than water-cooled, a detail that sets it apart from much larger proposals such as Hamilton’s 400-megawatt Steelport project. The applicant, represented by Powell Planning and Associates, has filed for 17 megawatts of electrical capacity, with Burlington Hydro working on servicing plans. City staff remain the approval body.
Council’s July 21 votes come at a pivotal time. Under provincial rules, “lame duck” restrictions will soon limit council’s ability to make binding decisions until after the October municipal election. The resolutions from Meed Ward and Kearns are intended to push for resident protections at both the local and national levels, while staff review existing city bylaws for any needed updates.
