Item - 2026.MM39.47

City Council on March 25 and 26, 2026, adopted the following:

1. City Council direct the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, the Executive Director, Development Review and the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, along with other relevant divisions and in consultation with Toronto Hydro, to report to the Planning and Housing Committee in the first half of 2027, on the subject of new Artificial Intelligence data centres in the City of Toronto, addressing the following:

a. a general overview of the land-use compatibility considerations and zoning by-law requirements that apply to such projects; 

b. processes in place to address impacts relating to grid capacity and water usage, among other environmental, energy and affordability impacts, resulting from their existence within the City of Toronto;

c. information on the current regulatory environment for Artificial Intelligence data centres at the federal, provincial and municipal orders of government, as well as any updates following recent legislative changes; and

d. recommendations for improvements, if any, to municipal review processes and regulatory frameworks around Artificial Intelligence data centres to ensure Toronto’s environmental, climate, infrastructural, energy and affordability priorities are protected.