The Ontario government says it’s taking action to power up the digital economy while safeguarding the province’s energy system and data sovereignty.
As part of its Energy for Generations plan, the Ford government has introduced new measures that will prioritize access to electricity for data centres that support Ontario’s long-term economic interests. That includes projects that create high-quality jobs, support domestic data hosting, and enhance the province’s competitiveness in fields like artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
The province says data centres will now need approval before connecting to the electricity grid, ending the automatic connection process that previously allowed high-energy users unrestricted access. Ontario officials say this ensures energy is directed to facilities that deliver strategic value and align with provincial priorities.
According to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, current connection requests from data centres represent nearly 30 per cent of Ontario’s peak electricity demand – roughly equal to the output of Bruce Power. By 2035, the data centre industry is expected to make up 13 per cent of new electricity demand.
The province says these changes are designed to keep Ontario competitive while protecting affordable, clean, and reliable energy for the future. The move is also intended to help secure Canadian data from foreign misuse and privacy risks, as well as boost homegrown innovation.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
