After a 90-minute debate on Monday night, city council members in Sault Ste. Marie rejected a proposal to stop new data center projects in the northern Ontario city. The discussion arose following a local petition opposing a cybersecurity monitoring and training center, including a data center, approved by the city council in December 2025. This initiative, led by cybersecurity firm Protexxa and Missanabie Cree First Nation, aims to utilize artificial intelligence to address cyber challenges for various organizations and governments.
During the council meeting, Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo suggested an interim control bylaw to pause any new data center proposals in Sault Ste. Marie until additional policies and protocols were established. Despite initial hesitancy from Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and several council members, Caputo eventually withdrew the motion due to differing perspectives.
Instead, a new motion is anticipated to be presented at the upcoming meeting on Aug. 31, tasking city staff with developing a specific municipal framework for data centers in the city, along with opportunities for public input. The decision on this motion is unlikely to impact the Protexxa data center project already approved in the city’s industrial park on Yates Avenue, pending the finalization of the property sale.
Mayor Shoemaker emphasized the distinction between different types of data centers, cautioning against treating them all similarly. While some facilities in North America require extensive resources and power, Protexxa’s project in Sault Ste. Marie is projected to consume a modest amount of power, comparable to what the local hospital uses. The city’s electricity utility, PUC, confirmed the capacity to accommodate the demand for a five-megawatt facility as proposed by Protexxa.
City officials highlighted that existing zoning and approval processes ensure the suitability of proposed data center projects in Sault Ste. Marie. Mayor Shoemaker emphasized that scrutinizing future data center applications is essential for practicality but reiterated the importance of respecting the decision-making process that led to the approval of the Protexxa project.