REGINA — The RM of Sherwood has released an executive summary to address concerns over Bell Canada’s AI Data Centre in the area.
The 90,000-square-foot facility, announced in mid-March, has raised concerns about environmental, noise, water, and other potential impacts.
In a proposed development agreement report signed by Fusion Consulting Ltd., the RM assures “a resilient, safe and regulatory-compliant development that respects the surrounding rural community.”
One key aspect the RM will tackle is noise emissions via an acoustic strategy, incorporating its bylaws.
“This involves the selection of low-noise cooling equipment and the strategic orientation of noise-generating components away from neighbouring property lines. Proactive acoustic assessments, conducted by qualified professionals, will ensure that sound levels at the property boundary remain consistent with existing ambient conditions,” states the report.
Air emissions will also be tackled in accordance with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment’s regulatory standards.
“The development will utilize clean energy solutions and advanced filtration where applicable, ensuring that the project’s environmental footprint is minimized and that all provincial air quality permits and protection plans are in place prior to operation,” mentions the report.
As for water, the municipality assured the data centre’s closed-loop cooling system won’t strain the municipality’s water supply or distribution resources.
“Once the internal closed-loop pipework undergoes a one-time fill during commissioning, the system remains entirely sealed,” states the report.
A water distribution network will also be in place for any fire-related incidents, utilizing the City of Regina’s municipal grid.
“The network will be engineered to meet industrial fire flow requirements. Computerized hydraulic modelling will confirm that the system can deliver the necessary fire volumes for a duration of over three hours while maintaining safe operating pressures across the entire site,” mentions the report.
The data centre’s developer will also implement a plan to mitigate stormwater risks.
“All stormwater leaving the site will be strictly throttled to match historical, pre-development agricultural runoff rates before being safely conveyed north toward Wascana Creek,” states the report.
The RM’s council will review the document on April 20, the first meeting since several councillors resigned from the municipality.
As for the data centre, Bell intends to complete the first stage by mid-2027.
