Councillors in Rocky View County have voted to pause the development of any new data centre proposals in their communities.The municipality, which borders Calgary, has voted 5-2 in favour of halting any such developments, while it continues discussing ways to establish specific rules for such developments."This landscape has changed dramatically over the last year," stated Councillor Alison Whiting, during a Rocky View County council meeting last week, as reported by CBC News. "We all know that the rules from above changed. General knowledge and understanding of the impacts of data centres have changed. Public perception and public engagement on it have changed.".Whiting put forward a motion that would direct council to place a "temporary moratorium," a legally authorized pause on new applications requesting land be redesignated for data centre use.This halt is meant to remain in place until the fall, when the county is expected to have completed its Emerging Sector Strategy, which is intended to guide its tech and tourism industries. “This just gives us a moment to pause, get those questions answered and give us an actual framework to make decisions going forward,” Whiting explained."We could deal with them on a case-by-case basis as they come forward, but I think if we don't have any more knowledge when they come forth, we're still on the back foot."."It looks good optically, but I think there's some unintended consequences," commented Councillor Kevin Hanson, who voted against the motion."I think this is a bit of overreaction and I think might be just a little bit too strict ... I like that fact that it wants to make us more accountable but I think it might unintentionally hinder some good smaller business in the county."The municipality has attracted much interest from data centre developers as it borders the northern, eastern, and western limits of Calgary, with farmland and surrounding communities.The county has already approved zoning for the Beacon AI Centers project, which is close to the hamlet of Indus..However, council voted down another project from Kineticor near Balzac last year.The municipality is also still weighing another proposal by Chinook Development LP near Langdon."Before considering additional proposals, Council wants to ensure future decisions are guided by a clear policy and regulatory framework informed by technical analysis and community input," stated Councillor Reeve Sunny Samra.The Alberta government hopes to grow the sector by fast-tracking many of the proposed AI data centre projects, though in Alberta, municipalities have authority over zoning for data centres, and the Alberta Utilities Commission has oversight over associated power operations.
