06/05/2026
I haven't been at a protest at City Hall that large and well organized in a long time. The mere suggestion of an AI data centre coming to our city had Hamiltonians up in arms. Love it. I'm so proud of my city and the many downtowners who showed up yesterday. I'm glad the Committee listened.
And now that the Committee has weighed in, I can offer up my two cents - I will not support an AI data centre coming to Hamilton. As a lifelong environmentalist, I don't see an ethical upside. And AI is a scourge and the generative slop it spews is making our society worse, not better.
The Federal government's attempt to force AI down our throats under the guise of "good policy" isn't going to fly. They have more important things to do and they should start doing them. I don't hear an outcry from Canadians for more AI data centres. AI is about profits over people.
First Nations across this country need clean drinking water. Markets need to be regulated to bring back affordability for those who are suffering most. Cities need support to address overlapping and mounting crises. This country needs to get its priorities straight. AI data centres aren't it.
And this is the last thing Hamilton needs. We're still suffering from the fallout of the last industrial revolution - we can't swim in our water, too much of the land left to develop downtown is contaminated, and senior governments continue to let big industry and rail pollute our air. Get lost.
