Telus’s plans for two AI data centres in Vancouver could hit a wall, with a city councillor pushing to pause them until the city sorts out some actual rules.
OneCity Vancouver Councillor Lucy Maloney is bringing a motion to council on July 15 called “Addressing the Risks of Digital Infrastructure,” according to CTV News. If it passes, it would freeze rezoning for the proposed Telus data centre in Mount Pleasant and halt permitting for a second one downtown.
The two sites are at 150 West Georgia St. and the former Hootsuite headquarters at 111 East 5th Ave. Vancouver already has 16 data centres, but these two sit close to homes and workplaces, which is where the pushback is coming from.
“Hyperscale data centres bring new risks, and need thorough evaluation,” Maloney said in a statement.
Telus told CTV News it’s committed to being a “transparent, responsible” partner. A spokesperson said both buildings will capture and reuse waste heat, keep noise down, and cut typical water use by 90 per cent using recycled water from BC Place. The company says construction will create 1,000 jobs and deliver $9 billion in economic value to the province.
Experts weren’t kind about the current rules. “Right now, Vancouver’s approach is more like ‘fire, aim, ready’ than ‘ready, aim, fire.’ Without regulation, it kind of goes to the Wild West, in terms of land use,” said Andy Yan, director of SFU’s City Program.
Meanwhile, a group called No AI Vancouver has been running demonstrations since the projects were announced, with the first two drawing hundreds each. A third protest is planned later this month on July 26.
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