Overview
- The city council voted 10–6 on July 15, 2026 to defeat an interim control bylaw that would have halted new data-centre approvals for one year.
- Councillors reported that lawyers told them a proposed data centre linked to McMaster University would likely be exempt from the ban, which shaped opposition to the moratorium.
- Supporters said the pause was needed to write local rules and public-benefit requirements to limit noise, water use, energy demand and neighborhood impacts.
- Opponents warned the moratorium could scare off major investment and research projects and that the bylaw might not survive legal challenges if contested.
- The vote leaves Canada without a municipal moratorium for now while other North American cities pursue temporary pauses and municipalities consider measures such as reporting requirements, special utility rates and community benefit agreements.