Rocky View County councillors vote to pause data centres

Councillors in Rocky View County, a municipality that encircles Calgary, have implemented a temporary pause on new data centre proposals. The motion, passed at a recent council meeting, aims to establish necessary regulations for these developments. This moratorium is expected to be in place for the coming months while the county formulates its regulatory framework.

Coun. Alison Whiting, who introduced the motion, noted the significant changes in the data centre landscape over the past year. The pause will allow the county to address outstanding questions and develop appropriate guidelines. Rocky View County has been a target for data centre developers, with past decisions reflecting a mixed approach to such projects. The council previously approved zoning for a Beacon AI Centers project in Indus but rejected a proposal from Kineticor near Balzac last year.

The decision reflects growing concerns and the need for structured oversight as the demand for data centres increases. Alberta, in general, has been actively encouraging investment in the sector, but local municipalities are grappling with the specific impacts and regulatory needs of these large-scale facilities.

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the data centre landscape has changed dramatically over the last year, and the county can get questions answered during the pause.