CRD to discuss direction on AI data centres within capital region

In light of Canada’s “AI for All” National Artificial Intelligence Strategy being announced in early June, two Capital Regional District (CRD) directors are seeking direction for what this could mean for the region. 

Jeremy Caradonna and Dave Thompson, who both sit as CRD directors and Victoria city councillors, put forth a motion which seeks a report back from CRD staff on the potential for AI data centres within the capital region. 

This motion would see an analysis of their potential environmental, utility and land-use impacts in this region. It would also see staff look at potential policy options for regulating any future data centres. 

According to Caradonna and Thompson, the new national AI strategy includes no new protections for water or climate, and includes very little about the environmental, land-use or water impacts of data centres. 

In many regions where AI data centres have been built across North America, nearby residents have seen significant impacts on utility bills as the data centres use a considerable amount of water. 

For this reason and more, many jurisdictions in the United States and United Kingdom have limited or banned AI data centres. 

While no AI data centre has been proposed within the CRD, some have been proposed in areas of BC and up island in Nanaimo. 

“It is likely only a matter of time before one is proposed in this region, given our relatively abundant water resources,” reads the motion. 

“The purpose of this motion is to get a better sense of the impacts of these facilities and to learn more about local governments’ jurisdiction in regulating or limiting the development of AI data centres.”

The CRD motion brought forth by Caradonna and Thompson will first be considered in their Environmental Services Committee meeting on Wednesday, June 15th. If approved, the motion will be debated at the next CRD board meeting.

Caradonna has also brought forth a motion to the Victoria city council on the matter to submit a resolution to both the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) on the matter of AI data centres. Both will be considered later this year. 

In these resolutions, Caradonna wrote that AI should be considered a national security threat that presents risks to all levels of government and the principles that uphold democratic society. 

Because of AI’s rapid development and the lack of regulation around it, it has been used in some cases to sow social discord by generating false and misleading information.

He calls on the members of the UBCM and FCM to request that provincial and federal governments work with local governments in creating regulations for AI that safeguard democracy and national sovereignty, mitigate social and political divisions and proactively combat mis- and disinformation.