The data centre plan for 700 Adair Blvd

Full title: The Strathroy Data Centre Proposal · Written by John Farrugia

First publishedOctober 25, 2026

Last updatedOctober 26, 2026

Records checked up toOctober 25, 2026

Full report14 pages, with every source

This report explains how a request to rezone an empty industrial field in Strathroy briefly included a data centre, why that part was dropped, and where the request stands now.

What happened

In July 2026 the owner of empty industrial land at 700 Adair Blvd asked to change its zoning. The list of new uses included 'Data Centre'. No building was proposed.
Many residents objected. An online petition, as reported, passed 1,000 signatures in about a day, and Mayor Colin Grantham told reporters he was against the rezoning.
On July 30-31 the applicant dropped the data centre from the request, according to news reports. The revised application has not been posted.
At the August 4 public meeting, the County planner said no zone in the town currently allows a data centre. A motion asking staff for the pros and cons of defining 'Data Centre' was lost. None of the votes was a recorded vote.
As of October 25, 2026, Council had made no decision on the rezoning. The report's reading is that any decision now appears likely to fall to the next Council.

Why it matters to you

Residents raised worries about power, water, noise and traffic, and the planner said no zone in town currently allows a data centre. The rezoning is still open, and any decision appears likely to fall to the next Council.

Words with a dotted underline: tap them to see what they mean.

What the evidence shows

Shown in recordsTown documents, minutes or other official records show this.Reported, not provenSaid in the news, by a person, or claimed in court. Not proven by records.Still unansweredA question the records do not answer yet.

Shown in recordsThe July 2026 application asked to rezone about 20.3 hectares at 700 Adair Blvd to a special industrial zone that would add four uses, one of them 'Data Centre'; no building was proposed. page 1
Reported, not provenA resident's online petition, as reported, passed 1,000 signatures within about a day; the petition page showed 2,795 on October 25, but these counts cannot be independently checked. page 1
Reported, not provenThe applicant dropped 'Data Centre' from the request on July 30-31, according to news reports and the planner at the public meeting, but no revised application has been posted. page 2
Reported, not provenAt the August 4 public meeting the County planner said no zone in the town currently allows a data centre (from automatic captions). page 2
Shown in recordsThe motion asking staff for the pros and cons of defining 'Data Centre' (moved by McGuire, seconded by Grantham) was lost; the minutes give no counts, so how each member voted is not in the record. page 5
Shown in recordsStaff called a decision 'premature' until the natural areas on the site are mapped, and no follow-up report reached Council through the October 19, 2026 agenda. page 2
Shown in recordsThe province's August 13, 2026 notice proposes that new large data centres need provincial approval before connecting to the power grid; it is a proposal and describes no formal approval role for towns. page 9
Reported, not provenOn October 19 Council removed the general zoning clean-up item from its agenda with no reason stated (as heard in automatic captions; minutes not yet posted). page 10
Still unansweredThe application says pre-consultation with the town was not completed, and the records do not show whether it was done later. page 3
Still unansweredWhether Councillor Willsie voted on the definition motion, and whether his apparent online disconnection affected the result, cannot be told from the record. page 5

Key numbers

Size of the site (staff report)Approximately 20.3 ha (50.14 ac) page 2

Petition signatures shown on October 25, 2026 (not independently checked)2,795 page 8

Still unanswered

When staff's follow-up report will come to Council, and whether the revised application will be posted.
Whether 'office' is still one of the uses being requested.
How each member voted on the motion about defining 'Data Centre', and whether Councillor Willsie, attending online, voted at all.
Whether the files named '700 Adair Blvd' in the October 5 package belong to this application.

What's in the full report

What you need to know page 1
1. The site and the application page 2
2. Timeline page 4
3. What Council did page 5
4. What was said page 5
5. The provincial picture page 9
6. Where it stands now page 10
7. What the public has not been shown page 11
Notes page 11
References - clickable links page 12
Updates and corrections page 13

Words used in this report

Rezoning / zoning by-law amendment (ZBA): A change to the town's rules about what a piece of land can be used for.
Future Development (FD) zone: The zone this land has now, before it is rezoned for a specific use.
General Industrial (M2) zone: An industrial zone; the request was for a site-specific version with extra uses added.
Statutory public meeting: The public meeting required by law before Council decides a zoning change, where residents can speak.
Natural heritage: Natural areas that planning rules protect; the northern part of this site is mapped this way.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): A study of how a project could affect the natural features on a site.
Pre-consultation: Talking with town planners before filing an application; a town by-law requires it.
Housekeeping by-law: A general clean-up and update of the town's zoning rules.
Bill 40: A 2025 Ontario energy law; as summarized in the report, a data centre cannot be connected to the grid unless rules set by regulation are met.
Recorded vote: A vote where the minutes list how each member voted.

Updates and corrections

Every change to this report is listed here. An Update adds new information. A Correction fixes a mistake. A Minor change is wording, layout or branding only.

Update October 26, 2026
Added that on October 19, 2026 Council removed the housekeeping zoning item from its agenda with no reason stated and left By-law 100-26 out of the by-laws motion (as heard; minutes not yet posted), and that data centres and 700 Adair were not mentioned.
Original publication October 25, 2026
First release.

This page is a short guide to the full report. If they ever seem to differ, the full report is the record. Questions or corrections: john.v.farrugia@gmail.com.