Thousands of Sherbrooke, Quebec, locals have expressed their opposition to a proposed large-scale data center, alleging lack of transparency in its advancement by the municipal council. Concerns raised by residents include environmental repercussions and potential noise disturbances associated with the project. They are advocating for comprehensive environmental assessments, inclusive public discussions, and questioning the decision to permit a U.S.-backed corporation to construct a massive data center in their vicinity.
Jayson Roy, a key figure behind the petition garnering over 4,500 signatures, highlighted the city’s selective promotion of the project’s benefits while disregarding specific worries and overlooking the broader implications. Emphasizing the need for a holistic approach, Roy emphasized that the issues at hand surpass individual concerns.
The City of Sherbrooke is moving forward with the agreement with Keel Infrastructure, an American entity previously known as Bitfarms. This move has sparked memories of past cryptocurrency ventures by the same company, which faced criticism over noise levels and energy consumption, leaving many residents wary of potential repercussions.
Roy, who is employed in the technology sector, voiced apprehensions about digital sovereignty, hinting that having a Quebec or Canadian entity backing the project might have been more acceptable than foreign business involvement. Expressing discontent with the lack of public engagement, Roy criticized the secretive nature of the process and the unavailability of essential documents for scrutiny.
In response to the backlash, Sherbrooke officials clarified that the deal is not yet finalized. Mayor Marie-Claude Bibeau clarified that the conditional approval merely signifies an agreement to negotiate the sale of a specific lot in an industrial zone, not an endorsement for immediate construction. The city’s leaders underscored the financial benefits, pointing out that Hydro-Sherbrooke’s electricity sales generate a substantial annual revenue, equivalent to a considerable tax increase for local residents.
Addressing concerns about environmental impacts, Mayor Bibeau assured that the proposed data center would employ advanced closed-circuit cooling systems to minimize water wastage and situated in an industrial area to mitigate noise disturbances. She emphasized that stringent studies and conditions must be met by the company within a specified timeframe before the project can proceed.
While some city officials have raised objections to the project’s initial steps, Keel Infrastructure responded by acknowledging the residents’ queries and assuring them of minimal water consumption due to the data center’s closed-loop cooling system. The company refuted claims of increased electricity usage, stating its plan to consolidate existing electrical capacity at the new site rather than requesting additional power generation.
Keel Infrastructure announced plans for a public information session in the upcoming months to address residents’ concerns and emphasized that the proposed data center should be evaluated independently based on forthcoming information, distancing it from previous cryptocurrency mining operations in Sherbrooke.