Data Centre Expansion Raises GTA Environmental Concerns
Environmental groups are sounding alarms as data centres proliferate across the Greater Toronto Area, citing noise and pollution levels from facilities like the 8-megawatt operation in Scarborough.
A pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Scarborough has been repurposed as a data centre since 2023, one of several across the GTA catching the attention of environmental advocates.
Climate Fast, an environmental group, has raised concerns about the noise and emission levels produced by the 8-megawatt Stack Infrastructure data centre located at 3650 Danforth Avenue. According to the group, the facilities have already self-reported noise and pollution data, but the organization worries that growth in this sector may outpace regulatory oversight.
Data centres are energy-intensive operations that require significant cooling systems and power infrastructure. As artificial intelligence and cloud computing demand accelerates, companies are rapidly establishing these facilities in and around Toronto — often in repurposed industrial or commercial spaces. The shift reflects broader economic trends, but residents and environmental groups are questioning whether the city has adequately assessed the cumulative impact of this expansion.
The issue touches on a fundamental tension: Toronto's need to remain competitive in the digital economy versus concerns about noise, air quality, and energy consumption in increasingly dense neighborhoods. Climate Fast's intervention suggests this conversation is just beginning.