This backgrounder supports the Government of Ontario’s response to rapid growth in data centre development.
The Draft Data Centre Playbook is anchored in three core principles to guide decisions on approving data centre connections to Ontario’s electricity grid:

  • Data centres must invest substantially, both financial and non-financial, in Ontario and local communities.
  •  Data centres pay the full cost of electricity.
  •  Ontario will only offer non-financial support to attract data centre investments.

A strategic priority assessment to assess the economic development and strategic considerations related to data centres examines three pillars:

  1. Advance Economic Development.
  2. Protect Data Security and Digital Sovereignty.
  3.  Invest in Communities and Earn Public Confidence. This pillar states that data centres should minimize environmental impacts, e.g. through modern data centre technology such as close-loop cooling to limit water use. Environmental impacts may also include noise (from cooling fans and backup generators), water use and potential contamination, heat emissions and air pollution from energy use (including back-up generators), and electronic waste

Published By: Government of Ontario

Publication Date: August 13, 2026

Click here to access Data Centre Playbook