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KITCHENER, ONT. – The Ontario government has announced it will prioritize and accelerate approvals for data centres that deliver measurable benefits to both local communities and to the province’s long-term competitiveness.

According to a release, the new plan will:

• Ensure data centres that support the province’s economic interests are quickly approved for connection to the grid.
• Ensure Canadian data stays in Canada and is protected from misuse and weaker foreign privacy regimes.
• Explicitly require approval before certain data centres can connect to Ontario’s electricity grid, ending automatic approval for large energy-intensive loads.

The current load of data centres requesting to be connected to Ontario’s grid represents approximately 30 per cent of Ontario’s peak demand in 2024, or the output of a nuclear plant the size of Bruce Power Nuclear Generating Station, the release reads.

With over 6,500 megawatts of data centres requesting to be connected, demand for electricity from the data centre industry is growing. It is anticipated to represent 13 per cent of new electricity demand in Ontario by 2035.

Currently, electricity utilities are required to connect all data centres indiscriminately, regardless of economic impact or energy consumption needs.

This new initiative is part of , the government’s long-term approach to make sure Ontario has the reliable, affordable energy it needs.