Several Regina city councillors are asking for greater clarity on the city’s role in relation to the Bell AI data centre currently under construction near the city. Ward 5 Coun. Sarah Turnbull has forwarded a motion that requests administration create a report on the data centre — one that would define the city’s role and relationship to the centre and assess its potential impacts. The motion was also signed by councillors Victoria Flores (Ward 6), Shobna Radons (Ward 7) and Shanon Zachidniak (Ward 8). If approved, the motion would also direct administration to request the results of the Government of Saskatchewan’s environmental impact assessment. On Wednesday, city council is also expected to hear from several delegates as they share their views on the data centre, located in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood. “I am concerned that this data centre will have many negative impacts for the health of nearby communities, stress wildlife populations, take away valuable agricultural or residential land that our growing population needs, pollute our finite freshwater supply and further the harm that AI is causing to our youngest generations,” read a submission from Regina resident Julia Janicki. Additionally, council will also hear from Bell AI Fabric executives Dan Rink and Jaethan Reichel as well as Don Ross with George Gordon Developments — a contractor for the project. Ross’ submission touts the centre’s positive benefits for George Gordon Developments as well as for George Gordon First Nation itself. Rink and Reichel are expected to outline the centre’s purpose, address its environmental impacts and detail a proposed 895-acre expansion next to the existing campus. Wednesday’s council meeting is set to begin at 1 p.m. CTV News, CP24 and BNN Bloomberg are divisions of Bell Media, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc.
