Regina council expecting updates from Bell on expanded AI data centre

Representatives from Bell Canada have offered to meet with Regina City Council and answer questions about the company’s expanded AI data centre project, according to Ward 5’s Sarah Turnbull.

Turnbull says since she made a social media post listing questions she had about the centre, she has learned that Mayor Chad Bachynski and members of the city administration “have been consulted by Bell.”

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Last week, the company announced that its data centre project, which is being built just outside Regina’s city limits in the R.M. of Sherwood, will be four times the originally planned size.

That prompted Turnbull and council colleagues Victoria Flores, Shobna Radons and Shanon Zachidniak to submit notice of a motion calling for an administration report defining the city’s role in the project and an assessment of its impact, as well as continued consultation with the province and a full report on the results of an environmental impact assessment.

Turnbull said she’s concerned about the strength of environmental regulations around the project.

“Some regulations have been removed, especially as it relates to natural gas plants,” she said. “You don’t need to have reports for some emission levels and things, which we should care about as citizens.”

City Councillor Sarah Turnbull in July of 2025. (980 CJME file photo)

Turnbull said one big question is where a natural gas power plant that’s required for the expanded project will be built.

“If you look at the history of the regulations, a new power plant was built in Moose Jaw that didn’t get an environmental impact assessment because the Ministry of Environment said it wasn’t necessary,” she said.

In 2019, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency determined a federal assessment of a 366 MW natural gas power plant at Moose Jaw wasn’t necessary because the environmental effects were well understood and were described adequately.

Speaking after Wednesday’s council meeting, Deputy Mayor David Froh said he expects the power source will likely be “quite a distance” from Regina.

“What does that natural gas plant look like? How is it designed?” he asked. “I think these are really healthy questions, and I think people of Regina deserve answers.”

Froh said he hopes the province and Bell will be forthcoming with answers and engagement.

“Just because people are concerned and have questions, doesn’t mean they don’t support progress or investment,” Froh said.

“We’ve got to be careful not to demonize those who might have some serious concerns and questions. We do have limited jurisdiction, but of course our governance is open and our councillors are probably closest to the residents.”

Turnbull said that while the investment is being made outside the city, Regina will see positive and negative impacts from the data centre project.

“We will get the collateral jobs that may come here, but we will also have the collateral infrastructure effects,” she said. “We will also have more people on our roads. We’ll have more people using our recreational facilities.”

The motion is expected to be debated at the next regular council meeting on Oct. 14.