A group of seven families in Saskatchewan is voicing their concerns about the potential impact of a new AI data centre proposed by telecommunications giant Bell. Despite their proximity to the site, the families have found themselves struggling to obtain satisfactory answers from local authorities, leading to frustrations and calls for transparency.
Local Residents Seek Answers
Living adjacent to the planned development in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Sherwood, these landowners have been vocal about their apprehensions regarding the project. In a letter addressed to the RM council, they expressed that their worries have been “deferred, reduced, or ignored” throughout the consultation process. While they do not oppose the initiative outright, they seek assurances on how the data centre will affect their quality of life and the value of their properties.
Doug McKell, whose family has resided in the area for nearly 150 years, likened the process of obtaining information from the RM to “pulling teeth.” He commented, “We have the governance system in place so that these kinds of concerns should be able to be handled through their regular process. For them to ignore that and not deal with us in their normal fashion has left everyone in the area very frustrated.”
Documented Concerns Go Unanswered
Between January and March 2026, the families submitted four formal requests to the RM of Sherwood, detailing essential issues such as noise levels, lighting, drainage, storm-water management, groundwater protection, and roadway upgrades. Unfortunately, only their first submission, made on January 29, was recorded on the RM’s public website. The subsequent requests, submitted on February 8, 17, and March 4, were never acknowledged in public records.
When their initial attempts yielded no response, the group escalated their concerns by filing a formal complaint with the Ombudsman on February 25. The RM’s agenda for a council meeting on March 16 included discussions about the Ombudsman Complaint and the Code of Ethics. However, just two days later, four out of seven council members, including the Reeve and Deputy-Reeve, resigned unexpectedly, leaving their positions vacant.
New Council, New Hope
In light of the council’s abrupt turnover, the province’s Ministry of Government Relations appointed former SARM president Ray Orb as the new Reeve, along with Mitch Huber, Donna Strudwick, and Judy Harwood to fill the other vacant council seats. On March 25, the group submitted another letter to the RM, urging for a formal resolution that would include specific binding conditions in the development agreement. They requested a reply within a week.
By April 2, an executive summary of a proposed development agreement was posted online, seemingly addressing some of the residents’ concerns. The document promised to maintain noise levels consistent with existing ambient conditions, ensure roadway upgrades at the developer’s expense, and utilise lighting fixtures that comply with dark-sky initiatives. However, McKell pointed out that while these promises are a step in the right direction, they lack the enforceability that the residents seek.
In their communication to the RM, the group stated, “A good faith process is not the same as a binding obligation, and we cannot accept one in place of the other.” They are advocating for measurable commitments with enforceable penalties for any non-compliance in the final development agreement.
A Positive Meeting with New Leadership
On April 14, the group met with the newly appointed RM council to articulate their concerns further. Feedback from the meeting suggests that the residents left with a renewed sense of optimism. They were encouraged by the engagement from the new councillors and were particularly impressed by the presentation made by Dan Rink, President of Bell AI Fabric. McKell remarked, “I think moving forward, we’ll be able to work with this… I think they heard our issues and concerns, so that was positive.”
Despite the hopeful tone, no commitments were made during the meeting, and it remains to be seen if the binding conditions the residents are seeking will be integrated into the development agreement, which is scheduled for review on April 20.
Why it Matters
The concerns raised by these Saskatchewan landowners highlight the broader issue of community engagement in major development projects, particularly those involving technology and infrastructure. As the demand for data centres increases, the balance between technological advancement and environmental stewardship becomes critical. Ensuring that local residents are heard and that their quality of life is preserved is essential not only for the success of such projects but also for fostering trust between corporations and communities.