IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AUGUST 13, 2026
KINGSTON, ON — Ontario Liberal Critic for Energy, Agriculture, Rural Affairs, Natural Resources, Mining & Forestry, MPP Ted Hsu has issued the following statement in response to the Ford government’s announcement of its Data Centre Playbook:
Ontarians have a lot of questions about data centres and what they mean for the environment, their energy bills, and their communities. High-level documents alone won’t answer those questions. We have to have a serious and frank conversation about how we approach data centres, and today’s release made it clear that Doug Ford is going to move forward with data centres. Ontario should be competing for the jobs, investment and opportunities that come with AI and data centres. But growth must work for the people and communities who live here.
Data centres can put enormous demands on local electricity, water and infrastructure. Municipalities and residents deserve a real say in decisions that could have lasting impacts on their communities. A 30-day consultation cannot simply be a box-checking exercise before decisions are made at Queen’s Park.
Doug Ford’s government does not have a good track record when it comes to listening to communities before making major decisions. We’ve seen too many examples of decisions being made behind closed doors, with Ontarians left to deal with the consequences afterward. Simply stating the potential good doesn’t tell the whole story.
If the government says data centres will pay their own way, protect ratepayers and deliver meaningful benefits to host communities, then it needs to show Ontarians how it will guarantee that. Families and businesses should not be subsidizing some of the largest technology companies in the world, and communities should not be left carrying the costs of new demands on local infrastructure.
Ontario can attract investment and build the economy of the future while respecting the that make our province strong. That means listening before decisions are made, being transparent about who benefits, protecting our resources and ratepayers, and making sure Ontarians get a fair deal.