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patatas

@its.small.patatas.ca
564 followers 717 following 4.6K posts

Dan Shannon Craftsperson, artist ... journalist too I guess? writing about data centre stuff: blundervalley.ca #HamOnt Signal: @smallpatatas.01

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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 26/09/2026
"AI Growth Zone", incidentally, is the term used in the UK to describe massive government-supported AI datacentre campuses >500MW. That's what Slate wants for Hamilton's waterfront. @tammyhwang.bsky.social @craigcassar.bsky.social @voteloomis.bsky.social @maureenwilson.bsky.social #HamOnt
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 26/09/2026
Do you support Slate Asset Management building an 800-megawatt hyperscale data centre on our waterfront? Because that's what they want to do blundervalley.ca/blog/slate-8...
blundervalley.ca
Documents: Slate met with feds to discuss 800MW hyperscale plans in November 2025
Presentation by the asset manager pitched Hamilton as an 'AI Growth Zone'
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 26/09/2026
"AI Growth Zone", incidentally, is the term used in the UK to describe massive government-supported AI datacentre campuses >500MW. That's what Slate wants for Hamilton's waterfront. @tammyhwang.bsky.social @craigcassar.bsky.social @voteloomis.bsky.social @maureenwilson.bsky.social #HamOnt
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 25/09/2026
😂
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Reposted by patatas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 25/09/2026
This is what we've warned municipal councils about across the country. A developer can say they're building one thing, but legislatively there is nothing to stop them from building a very different thing. That's the whole banana. Thank you once again @its.small.patatas.ca for reporting this.
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Reposted by patatas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 25/09/2026
Last week Sask. Premier Scott Moe announced the contentious 300MW AI datacentre going up outside of Regina is actually going to be 1,200MW. In #HamOnt, newly-obtained documents show Slate Asset Management has been planning for 800MW of datacentre capacity "at full scale."
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 25/09/2026
Hamilton's Mayor and several councillors deny that Slate Asset Management wants to build hyperscale datacentres. Meanwhile, documents show Slate briefed the feds on their 800MW plans. My latest: blundervalley.ca/blog/slate-8... #HamOnt @mayorandreahorwath.bsky.social
blundervalley.ca
Documents: Slate met with feds to discuss 800MW hyperscale plans in November 2025
Presentation by the asset manager pitched Hamilton as an 'AI Growth Zone'
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Reposted by patatas
Isabella @isabellabandaid.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
As a Hamilton resident I am deeply concerned about the proposed Steelport development on Hamilton’s waterfront, particularly the proposed inclusion of large-scale AI data-centre infrastructure. #HamOnt
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Reposted by patatas
Dylan MacKay @dylanmackayphd.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
This photo should be the basis of a national NDP advertising campaign
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Reposted by patatas
PublicWrx @publicwrx.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Will an AI Brian Mulroney hologram be delivering a speech as well?
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 14/09/2026
💯
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 14/09/2026
congrats Liberals on your hard right PM nationalpost.com/news/politic...
nationalpost.com
Stephen Harper to deliver closing speech at Carney's Investment Summit
Stephen Harper will deliver the closing speech of Prime Minister Mark Carney's first Canada Investment Summit Tuesday.
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Reposted by patatas
Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots. Amazing investigative work by @nationalobserver.com's @rorywh.bsky.social. Please read: www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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Reposted by patatas
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 12/09/2026
I know this'll ruffle feathers but I agree with this Food/Water watch analysis. Diverting renewable energy away from fossil phase-out and climate adaptation and towards melting graphics card to power chatbots is the formal end of moral purpose for clean technology.
Data Centers With Renewables Aren’t the Answer
So all these power plants and “temporary” turbines are raising power prices and polluting our communities. Why don’t we just power data centers with renewables?

Many data center companies are pledging to (eventually) do just that. But even if these pledges weren’t just empty greenwashing promises, powering data centers with clean energy is utterly unrealistic. It also threatens the progress of our already dangerously slow energy transition.

Continuously powering a 1 GW data center would require nearly 20,000 acres of solar panels or 185,000 acres of onshore wind power. We cannot afford to waste the time, space, or money to build renewables for Big Tech’s profit machines. 

Already, data center growth is outstripping available renewable energy supply and redirecting renewables from other industries. It’s drawing urgently needed renewables from existing technologies and resources. We need to focus our renewable energy resources toward thos
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 12/09/2026
Carney's inviting the world's largest asset managers — many of them U.S.-based backers of Trump — to a summit next week to sell off what's left of Canadian resources and industry. He's trying to light as much fossil fuel on fire as possible during a climate crisis. His "war" is against you & me
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Reposted by patatas
Anna Kornbluh @annakornbluh.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
mathematicians in formation! Fields Medalists: "The goals of the AI companies+the goals of the mathematical community are severely misaligned, part of broader alignment issues impacting other scientific+creative professions, as well as the whole of society." mathandai.org?fbclid=IwY2x...
mathandai.org
Declaration — Math and AI
Read the declaration and add your name.
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 12/09/2026
See also KillTheDC.blundervalley.ca #HamOnt
killthedc.blundervalley.ca
KILL THE DATACENTRES
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 10/09/2026
Related, since nearly all of the proposals for US-owned hyperscale datacentres in Alberta would be on-site gas powered: www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/10/n...
nationalobserver.com
Feds quietly exempt oilsands and gas power plants from environmental impact assessments
The change comes as part of a suite of amendments to Canada's impact assessment laws passed by the Carney government early Wednesday morning.
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 09/09/2026
#HamOnt the HCE motion is in the press now. Time to pressure Council, this could stop at least one of the data centres www.thespec.com/news/council...
thespec.com
New motion to pause data centres released by activist group
New motion comes over a month after city council rejected a widely-popular moratorium bylaw — and just weeks before councillors face voters in the October election.
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 09/09/2026
A data centre developer was investigated due to allegations of unregistered lobbying. They were cleared of wrongdoing, but the report seems MIGHTY FISHY #HamOnt blundervalley.ca/blog/drac-lo...
blundervalley.ca
Questions swirl around Hamilton data centre lobbying investigation
DRAC CEO Michael Schull is cleared of wrongdoing. Blunder Valley dives into the Lobbyist Registrar's report
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 09/09/2026
A data centre developer was investigated due to allegations of unregistered lobbying. They were cleared of wrongdoing, but the report seems MIGHTY FISHY #HamOnt blundervalley.ca/blog/drac-lo...
blundervalley.ca
Questions swirl around Hamilton data centre lobbying investigation
DRAC CEO Michael Schull is cleared of wrongdoing. Blunder Valley dives into the Lobbyist Registrar's report
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 09/09/2026
#HamOnt the HCE motion is in the press now. Time to pressure Council, this could stop at least one of the data centres www.thespec.com/news/council...
thespec.com
New motion to pause data centres released by activist group
New motion comes over a month after city council rejected a widely-popular moratorium bylaw — and just weeks before councillors face voters in the October election.
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 06/09/2026
Ypsilanti township in Michigan killed a data centre by cutting off the water. Anyway, #HamOnt could do something kinda similar 👀 hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca/motion
hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca
HCE draft motion · Stop the Datacentre
Hamilton City Council shareholder powers over Hamilton Community Energy — draft motion and supporting documents.
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 06/09/2026
Ypsilanti township in Michigan killed a data centre by cutting off the water. Anyway, #HamOnt could do something kinda similar 👀 hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca/motion
hamilton.stopthedatacentre.ca
HCE draft motion · Stop the Datacentre
Hamilton City Council shareholder powers over Hamilton Community Energy — draft motion and supporting documents.
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Reposted by patatas
Keifer @dannyvegito.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
[guy who can’t fully remember that Gramsci quote] it’s Monster Time
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 05/09/2026
New on Blunder Valley: Canada's AI data centre push isn't about sovereignty, and the feds know it blundervalley.ca/blog/the-fak...
blundervalley.ca
Canada's AI data centre push isn't about sovereignty, and the feds know it
While the Canadian government talks tough on U.S. relations, our dependence on U.S. tech giants grows
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 04/09/2026
#HamOnt needs to dream bigger and demand better www.thespec.com/opinion/cont...
thespec.com
Hamilton needs to dream bigger and demand better
As Hamilton introduces incentives for developers, the implications of AI data centres on local health and infrastructure need to come under scrutiny.
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Reposted by patatas
Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 04/09/2026
This kind of report should be accompanied by a press conference—not with some low-level bureaucrat, but with the prime minister. Flanked by all of his ministers. In prime time, with technical briefings. This report says we're facing unimaginable disaster, yet we didn't even get a briefing.
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 04/09/2026
the trillion-dollar magic eight ball ANSWERED MY QUESTION HOLY SHIT
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 04/09/2026
Ok not permanent yet — but extended for another 5 months. Man, our environmentalist PM keeps doing favours for O&G, so weird www.cbc.ca/news/politic...
cbc.ca
Federal government will extend gas tax holiday into 2027 | CBC News
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced Wednesday that the Liberal government is extending the federal excise tax holiday on gasoline and diesel until Jan. 31, 2027.
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 04/09/2026
#HamOnt needs to dream bigger and demand better www.thespec.com/opinion/cont...
thespec.com
Hamilton needs to dream bigger and demand better
As Hamilton introduces incentives for developers, the implications of AI data centres on local health and infrastructure need to come under scrutiny.
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Reposted by patatas
Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 03/09/2026
Another government agrees that rules are needed for AI datacentres — a new type of facility which did not exist in Canada five years ago.. And that government releases a set of voluntary principals signed off on by Big Tech.
betakit.com
OpenAI, Anthropic sign on to Canada’s new data centre framework as public opinion sours on buildout | BetaKit
Big players agree not to shift electricity costs to consumers and minimize water use when building their data centres.
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 03/09/2026
one of my favourite pieces of Canadian tech regulation trivia is that Palantir signed the feds' non-binding "commitment to support the Government of Canada's effort in leading the way on ethical AI" Lockheed-Martin is listed as "not yet" a signatory. For shame! www.canada.ca/en/governmen...
canada.ca
List of interested Artificial Intelligence (AI) suppliers - Canada.ca
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 31/08/2026
didn't see your message until now — submission deadline was a couple hours ago unfortunately — but if you did end up using the letter as a reference, that's absolutely fine!
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 31/08/2026
Thanks for the heads up Joey. Here's my letter to the Planning Committee on this cryptpad.fr/pad/#/2/pad/...
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 29/08/2026
i love writing, it's the worst
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 28/08/2026
Hey #HamOnt, data centres stand to get some *huge* municipal tax breaks from the City: 1/2
The City of Hamilton could give a 13 YEAR TAX BREAK to datacentre developersHamilton's ERASE Program:

The city gives out massive tax breaks to companies that develop on contaminated industrial sites.

If you own a house, and you build something that makes your property value go up (like an extension), you pay more municipal taxes. 

The City's ERASE program could let data centre developers pay no new taxes for 13 years on redeveloped properties.

https://tinyurl.com/hamilton-eraseThis tax break is meant to encourage development that create jobs, reduce pollution, and beautify the city.

But AI datacentres don't do that.Datacentres are not job creators.

Datacentre-lovers always promise lots of long-term jobs. 

But a $750 million, 90-megawatt data centre near Calgary will employ just 38 people, according to the Globe & Mail (and the company).

shortlink: https://tinyurl.com/globe-dc-jobs
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 28/08/2026
2/2
All a datacentre does is strain our electricity grid, reduce property values, and make noise. 

Developers say their data centres won't strain the grid. But a recent report from Ontario's electricity operator says "urgent actions may be needed" to keep our grid stable.

https://tinyurl.com/ieso-grid-strainSo — should we let datacentres off the hook for paying taxes?
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 28/08/2026
Hey #HamOnt, data centres stand to get some *huge* municipal tax breaks from the City: 1/2
The City of Hamilton could give a 13 YEAR TAX BREAK to datacentre developersHamilton's ERASE Program:

The city gives out massive tax breaks to companies that develop on contaminated industrial sites.

If you own a house, and you build something that makes your property value go up (like an extension), you pay more municipal taxes. 

The City's ERASE program could let data centre developers pay no new taxes for 13 years on redeveloped properties.

https://tinyurl.com/hamilton-eraseThis tax break is meant to encourage development that create jobs, reduce pollution, and beautify the city.

But AI datacentres don't do that.Datacentres are not job creators.

Datacentre-lovers always promise lots of long-term jobs. 

But a $750 million, 90-megawatt data centre near Calgary will employ just 38 people, according to the Globe & Mail (and the company).

shortlink: https://tinyurl.com/globe-dc-jobs
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Reposted by patatas
lauren @lauren.rotatingsandwiches.com · 27/08/2026
Fine, I condemn Bong Bong the Clown. I find his japes perfunctory. His balloon animals strike me as vulgar. The bursts of laughter he evokes from children ring hollow to my ears. Now can we please get this city council meeting back on track
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Reposted by patatas
patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 26/08/2026
"The scale of the proposal is outlandish — only a handful of existing data centres are a twentieth of its supposed size — so the pitch has always seemed like it's aimed more toward producing a reaction than a built product." #CdnPoli #BlunderValley blundervalley.ca/blog/the-won...
blundervalley.ca
The Wonder Valley Files, Part 2: Dinosaurs, past and present
Turning a critical eye toward AI data centres in Canada
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 26/08/2026
"The scale of the proposal is outlandish — only a handful of existing data centres are a twentieth of its supposed size — so the pitch has always seemed like it's aimed more toward producing a reaction than a built product." #CdnPoli #BlunderValley blundervalley.ca/blog/the-won...
blundervalley.ca
The Wonder Valley Files, Part 2: Dinosaurs, past and present
Turning a critical eye toward AI data centres in Canada
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Reposted by patatas
🔥Carrie🔥 @supitscarrie.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Happy anniversary to finding whatever the fuck this vehicle was
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simongood.bsky.social @simongood.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Reminds me of Carney lol: “The playbook of AI data centre proponents follows the familiar pattern of any good high-pressure sales pitch: make a lot of claims that municipalities are under-equipped to verify, while instilling a sense of urgency around the project.”
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Nick Tsergas @nicktsergas.ca · 21/08/2026
According to a Senate of Canada brief, for every gallon of water used to cool US datacentres, 12.4 gallons were used to cool those datacentres’ power plants. Closed-loop can sleight-of-hand water usage away from the datacentres to the power plants. @its.small.patatas.ca @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
canadianaffairs.news
Op-Ed: AI data centres face waves of municipal resistance — for good reason
Responsible municipalities are taking the time to develop guardrails before saying 'yes' to AI data centres
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 21/08/2026
Op-ed from ya bois AI data centres face waves of municipal resistance — for good reason www.canadianaffairs.news/2026/08/21/o... @nicktsergas.ca #CdnPoli
canadianaffairs.news
Op-Ed: AI data centres face waves of municipal resistance — for good reason
Responsible municipalities are taking the time to develop guardrails before saying 'yes' to AI data centres
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Reposted by patatas
kat 🌻 @kataclyst.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Fuck, yeah!
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 21/08/2026
New on Blunder Valley: I break down the Ford Government’s “Framework for a Data Centre Playbook”. Spoiler: I think it’s empty rhetoric! some bonus Hamilton-related content too. blundervalley.ca/blog/doug-fo... #OnPoli #HamOnt
blundervalley.ca
Ontario's Framework for a Data Centre Playbook
Is the Province trying to rein in the industry, or just quiet its critics?
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 20/08/2026
based on the fact that there's both a Winklevoss twin and Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse in frame, I'm guessing this is "good for Bitcoin" @molly.wiki @cascoinfoundation.org @bft.wtf
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patatas @its.small.patatas.ca · 20/08/2026
Find a mirror and look in it. Hamiltonians also told you they wanted a moratorium on data centres. Seems like you're no stranger to overriding the will of the people.
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