After a 90-minute debate on Monday evening, members of the city council in Sault Ste. Marie decided against a proposal to pause new data center projects in the northern Ontario city. The discussion centered around contentious artificial intelligence facilities following a local petition opposing a cybersecurity monitoring and training center, including a data center, approved in December 2025 for the city’s west end by the council.
The project, a collaboration between cybersecurity firm Protexxa and the Missanabie Cree First Nation, aims to utilize AI technology to address cyber issues for organizations and governments. During the council meeting, Ward 3 Coun. Angela Caputo suggested an interim control bylaw to halt new data center proposals until additional policies and protocols were established, emphasizing community-informed decision-making.
However, Mayor Matthew Shoemaker and several council members expressed reservations about certain aspects of the proposed moratorium, leading Caputo to retract the motion. Instead, a new motion is anticipated to be introduced at the upcoming meeting on Aug. 31, tasking city staff with formulating specific guidelines for data centers in Sault Ste. Marie, including provisions for public input.
The decision on the new motion is unlikely to affect the previously approved Protexxa data center project in the city’s industrial park on Yates Avenue, pending the completion of the property sale. During the debate, Mayor Shoemaker emphasized the importance of distinguishing between different types of data centers, cautioning against equating all facilities with large-scale energy consumption.
Protexxa assured that their project would only require five megawatts of power, a fraction compared to hyperscale data centers elsewhere. The city’s electricity utility, PUC, confirmed the capacity to accommodate this demand. The city’s planning director, Peter Tonazzo, highlighted existing uses that align with the proposed data center size, underscoring the need for council approval for any rezoning.
In conclusion, Mayor Shoemaker defended the existing approval processes, emphasizing the thorough review undertaken for the Protexxa site and the consideration of infrastructure and environmental factors. He advocated for process improvements without undermining the previous decision-making framework.