North Bay 2026 Candidate Answers

In the first two years, I would prioritize an EV fleet and charging transition for City operations, starting with electrifying more of the City’s fleet.

On AI data centres: I would only support attracting one under strict conditions, including:

• Power use: must align with grid capacity and climate goals, preferably using non-emitting or low-carbon power, with efficiency standards and demand-management commitments.
• Trout Lake water: any water use must avoid impacts on our drinking water and be subject to transparent environmental review.
• Land: located in appropriate industrial/commercial zones, with clear community benefits (jobs, training, tax revenue) and binding agreements on noise, visual impact, and future expansion.

If those conditions can’t be met, we should focus instead on smaller-scale digital and tech growth that fits our infrastructure and environmental responsibilities.

Heavy electric fleet vehicles pose challenges due to wear and tear on roads and infrastructure and elevated fire risks from battery systems. We must take a measured approach, exploring hybrid options while battery technology matures. However, the City should lead by example by pursuing renewable "green" energy power for municipal public buildings.

I believe that the technology behind data centres has evolved, and modern facilities can be designed without heavy water consumption. Regarding power usage, any new facility must never compromise our grid capacity or increase energy costs for local residents. Given our immediate community priorities, attracting an AI data centre is not a priority for my first two years in office.