Rory Nisan
Protecting residents with a common sense data centre framework
City council has adopted clear rules for data centres in Burlington — a 4–2 vote under Ward 3 Councillor and mayoral candidate Rory Nisan's leadership.
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The framework council endorsed
The rules Nisan has championed throughout this debate are simple. Any data centre proposal in Burlington must:
- Protect the community from harm
- Impose no costs on taxpayers
- Fit within local resource capacity
- Provide tangible value for residents
“Under my leadership, we have ensured residents are protected, with clear rules for data centres in Burlington.”
What council decided
Council adopted this framework and defeated a proposal by Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and Councillor Lisa Kearns that would have investigated a costly one-year moratorium on data centre development. The vote was 4–2.
The defeated proposal would have started work on a potential one-year council-led stoppage on data centre development. The President and CEO of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce warned council directly that such a moratorium would lead to businesses treating Burlington as an unreliable partner, cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in studies and legal fees, and result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue and dozens of good local jobs.
Mayor Meed Ward and Councillor Kearns voted for the moratorium motion regardless.
“They heard the consequences and ignored them. Mayor Meed Ward and Councillor Kearns turned their backs on the best interests of this city. That is not leadership.”
The South Service Road proposal
The proposed facility on South Service Road is under review. Burlington Hydro has confirmed sufficient capacity exists, noise concerns are undergoing independent review, and the site plan will only be approved if it meets all safety requirements.
Burlington is unlikely to face another data centre proposal for the foreseeable future. Hydro capacity constraints mean any future facility would require significant infrastructure investment — giving the city time to refine its policy framework with care.
“The reality is simple: we only allow data centres when they work for us. Burlington residents deserve leadership that puts their interests first, every time. I will always protect residents, keeping families healthy, safe, and prosperous.”
What the City has confirmed
Per the City of Burlington's data centres page, staff have received a site plan application — not an Official Plan or Zoning Bylaw amendment — for a data centre on the former Mother Tucker's / Tucker's Marketplace site at 3110 South Service Road.
- A data centre is a permitted use on that property under the current Official Plan designation and Zoning Bylaw (defined as "Information and Data Processing" or "Office").
- The proposal is for a two-storey building with underground and surface parking. It has not been approved; it is in technical review.
- The applicant has indicated about 17 MW of electricity and has been working with Burlington Hydro on servicing.
- Halton Region bylaws say municipal water may not be used as cooling water — so data centres in Burlington must be air-cooled.
- Site plan review still covers setbacks, height, parking, landscaping, grading, driveways, and servicing. Staff also circulate to Burlington Hydro, Halton Region, and Conservation Halton where applicable.
We'll keep this page updated as new information becomes available.