Saskatoon council sends data-centre rule options to budget talks

A Saskatoon city council committee voted unanimously on Nov. 10 to send options for tighter control of large data centres to budget talks at the end of November. A report it endorsed says a full study would take 18 months, with any new rules to follow, at an estimated cost of $500,000. A temporary measure requiring council approval for large data centres stays in effect until August 2028 and cannot be extended. City planning staff called a large data centre within Saskatoon unlikely, and none has applied. Coun. Scott Ford said he is unlikely to support spending on the restrictions.