Send a letter to your local MPP and municipal councillor about your concerns on AI data centres! This is a two-in-one letter to both your provincial and municipal representative.
Link to the Action Letter can be found here.
This is urgent because the Ontario Legislature opens up soon on March 23rd and so it’s important to have our voices heard NOW while bills are getting drafted on AI and data centres.
You might be wondering, how big of a problem are AI data centres? In December 2025, the total amount of electricity demand from data centres hoping to connect to Ontario’s grid was equivalent to powering over 6.5 million homes. This is about a three times increase in just 6 months and mostly due to AI.
We need to protect our Great Lakes and air quality from AI data centres because they demand an enormous amount of water and electricity and lead to higher bills or taxes. AI data centres are also really bad for the environment because they have on-site diesel and gas generators. These generators release harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide, which is really bad for our health.
That’s why we need immediate transparency and action on AI data centres to protect our air, water supply, affordability, and public health.
Please read and send the action letter to let your elected officials know your concerns and help spread the word!
You can also directly read and copy-paste the letter below to send to politians:
Dear x_person,
I am writing to you because I am greatly concerned about the impact AI data centres will have on my bills, human health, the environment, and data sovereignty. It’s important to recognize AI data centres for what they are: mini energy-intensive factories popping up in people’s backyards without their knowledge. As we currently understand the AI data centre development, we see benefits accruing to wealthy corporate entities (many of them American), rather than to the residents of Ontario.
As a resident, ratepayer, and voter, I would like to make my expectations of this government very clear to you:
- Under no circumstances should I pay for AI data centre connection costs. Life in Ontario is expensive enough. I cannot afford to, and do not want to, pay for any aspect of these centres. Data centre companies can and should pay the full direct and indirect costs themselves. I ask that you take the necessary legislative action and exercise all policy levers to ensure that Ontario ratepayers and taxpayers do not pay for the connection costs of AI data centres.
- When creating the criteria for selecting data centres, please prioritize energy efficiency, affordability, and human health. Please reword Bill 40 to clearly require and codify the objective of the Ontario Energy Board and Independent Electricity Systems Operator to prioritize energy efficiency, affordability, and human health, instead of “economic growth”.
- Do not permit any U.S. or other large global tech companies to build AI data centres in Ontario. This includes any company owned and/or affiliated commercially with Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Sam Altman, Alex Karp, Larry Ellison, Donald Trump, the IDF, and ICE. The U.S. tech oligarchs represent a serious threat to our environment and social well-being. Do not let them come here and use up our precious water and electricity resources, only to help them get richer and do more harm.
- Effective immediately, the Ontario government must put in place a mechanism to provide public access to the corporate information of any organization proposing to connect one or more data centres to our electricity grid. The public information profile must include information about the entity requesting connection, as well as the amount of electricity and water they are requesting. Public transparency on data centres is essential and requires political leadership.
- Currently, there is no real way for the people of Ontario to have their voices heard and be part of the energy decision-making process regarding AI data centres. This stands in contrast to the access given to corporations such as Enbridge. The Ministry of Energy and Mines, Independent Electricity Systems Operator, and the Ontario Energy Board’s consultation processes currently in place are insufficient and confusing. In order to ensure accountability, we demand the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Ontario Energy Board, and the Independent Electricity Systems Operator make their rate-setting and consultation on AI connection more accessible, transparent, and timely to the public. Specific notice to community groups and social justice organizations regarding data centre connection requests should be provided at the time of application, and there must be mechanisms for input at each step of the application process.
- I am very worried about the emission impacts of data centres. AI data centre expansion will very likely increase the burning of oil and gas in Ontario, further polluting the air and harming the environment. My health and the health of my family, friends, and future generations are at risk of being impacted by emissions from fossil gas electricity generation and on-site gas and diesel generators at data centres. Please have the Ministry of Energy and Mines work with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks to set a stringent Nitrogen Oxide limit on AI data centres, and have timely monitoring and enforcement.
There needs to be transparency about the role of Enbridge and other oil and gas companies in the decision to expand AI data centres. Oil and gas companies are supporting AI data centre development because it benefits them greatly. We also know that Enbridge is politically involved in the energy decision-making process in the Ontario government, and there is cause for concern on its role in energy planning for AI data centres.
To conclude, I join the many residents of this province in asking this government to take the immediate actions listed above. I would also like to know what real actions will ensure that AI data centre connections do NOT hurt ratepayers, the environment, and human health.
Thank you for taking time to read my letter and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Your_name
