By Gazette Staff
July 18th, 2026
BURLINGTON, ON
A data Centre proposed for the South Service Road.
A two-storey, 17-megawatt facility to the former Tucker’s Marketplace site at 3110 South Service Rd. near the Queen Elizabeth Way, east of Guelph Line.
Candidate for Mayor Lisa Kearns made the issue public when she spoke out, saying the city needed more detailed information on the proposed Data Centre planned for the South Service Road.
She announced that she would be bringing a Motion forward at Council on Tuesday.
Kearns said the issue extends beyond the recent application, which, if approved, would bring a two-storey, 17-megawatt facility to the former Tucker’s Marketplace site at 3110 South Service Rd. near the Queen Elizabeth Way, east of Guelph Line. That energy usage would be a fraction of the amount that would used by the proposed AI data centre on Hamilton’s former Stelco lands, which would draw up to 400 megawatts of power.
Under Burlington’s current zoning bylaws, data centres are permitted in employment zones but must undergo a site plan review.
Because provincial rules delegate these reviews to city staff rather than council, and no bylaw amendments are needed, no public meeting around data centre applications is currently required. City planning staff can approve the project directly.
“There is a very wide footprint of Burlington’s land use that this would be a permitted use for, and I don’t think the public is aware of that or how we will manage it appropriately,” Kearns said. “It’s not about one application.”
I don’t think the public is aware of that or how we will manage it appropriately.
Kearns claimed that, until now, her fellow council members have shown little concern over data centres.
“I am the sole voice on this on Burlington council, and everyone else is reacting,” she said.
Mayor Meed Ward had something to say once the issue was public.
I have heard and share the concerns that residents have about the potential impact of data centres on power supply, noise and other considerations, at a time we want to ensure sufficient power for community priorities like housing, economic growth and shifting to clean energy sources.
We also recognize data centres respond to the growing use of data, online services, cloud computing and more digital applications. That is why we need a provincial and national strategy, because the growing demand for data centres has the potential to consume significant power capacity. Municipal groups like the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, on which I sit as a board member, have recognized this growing demand and are similarly calling for standardized regulations.
I am committed to a balanced, fact based approach to this specific proposal, and to the issue of data centres in general. Our zoning bylaw contemplates industrial uses, including data centres, subject to the appropriate reviews and conditions. Like any industrial use, this proposal needs to go through a thorough review, which staff will undertake. Any assessment for or against the centre is premature at this time.
Meed Ward has seconded Kearns’ motion, but was clear that the motion does not direct staff to implement an interim control bylaw, nor does it represent a decision to ban data centres.
“We’re not going to prejudge or preclude without getting the information from staff.
“Our community is asking really good questions … I’m really hoping that information can help answer the concerns that residents have raised.”
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The question is: when did the current mayor first learn of this project?