Jenny Kwan, Vancouver East
Linked statement
“The government needs to stop building AI data centres without rules first. People in my riding do not want them near homes because they cause noise, air pollution, and use too much power and water. The government should put people's homes and bills ahead of big tech companies.”
“Mr. Speaker, people in Vancouver East want the federal government to stop the “invest now, regulate later” approach of the Prime Minister’s AI data factory strategy. People are deeply concerned that the proposed AI data centres in dense residential neighbourhoods would bring constant air pollution from on-site diesel generators, 24-7 noise and impacts on water. It makes no sense to have water-intensive AI data centres on valuable land near their homes while historic drought conditions and water restrictions loom. People in Virginia, home to the largest concentration of data centres in the world, learned that industrial-scale data centres are incompatible in residential neighbourhoods. In Ireland, 22% of the power supply is now reportedly used by data centres, adding hundreds of dollars to home hydro bills. In the middle of an affordability and climate crisis, Van East constituents want people’s rights to housing, quality of life, water security and affordable home power supply to come first, ahead of tech giants.”
Mr. Speaker, people in Vancouver East want the federal government to stop the “invest now, regulate later” approach of the Prime Minister’s AI data factory strategy. People are deeply concerned that the proposed AI data centres in dense residential neighbourhoods would bring constant air pollution from on-site diesel generators, 24-7 noise and impacts on water. It makes no sense to have water-intensive AI data centres on valuable land near their homes while historic drought conditions and water restrictions loom. People in Virginia, home to the largest concentration of data centres in the world, learned that industrial-scale data centres are incompatible in residential neighbourhoods. In Ireland, 22% of the power supply is now reportedly used by data centres, adding hundreds of dollars to home hydro bills. In the middle of an affordability and climate crisis, Van East constituents want people’s rights to housing, quality of life, water security and affordable home power supply to come first, ahead of tech giants.