Petition Falls Just Short

A petition designed to force a referendum opposed to the construction and operation of AI Data Centres in the City of Moose Jaw has been deemed as insufficient by the City Clerk’s Department.

The petition took aim at data centres potential or otherwise.

"We, the undersigned, People of Moose Jaw, call upon Moose Jaw City Council assembled to immediately hold a referendum to impose a bylaw calling for the moratorium on the approval, construction, expansion, or operation of data centres in the City of Moose Jaw" the petition stated.

Submitted by a local grassroots citizens group the petition managed to gather 3.367 signatures from Moose Jaw residents. After eliminating 345 signatures that did not meet the legislation’s criteria the city clerk found there was 3,022 valid signatures.

The 2021 Census places Moose Jaw’s population at 33,665 meaning the lowest number of valid signatures to force a referendum vote is 3,367. The 3,022 valid signatures is below the required number of signatures.

In an October 1st, 2026 Facebook post the group behind the petition said it “was submitted today with sufficiency. We would like to thank each and every volunteer who helped us succeed. And thank you to each and every person who signed our petition.”

Under provincial legislation ten percent of Moose Jaw voters have to sign the petition in order to force a referendum vote.

Signatures can be declared invalid for a number of reasons.

Additional entries were not included in the petition’s final valid count where the information required by The Cities Act was incomplete or did not meet the statutory requirements. This included entries with incomplete addresses, missing or incorrect dates, incomplete names, and missing petitioner and witness signatures, a report headed to Council on Tuesday states.

The petition came about as a result of citizen opposition to an announcement by Aztec AI Health Inc to build a 150 megawatt data centre at the former Valleyview Centre on the southern outskirts of the city.

Aztec had to go through the City to get a land use change. After applying for the change Aztec withdrew its application after the provincial government said they would not provide the electricity needed and Council requested additional information about the proposed project.

The city clerk’s report goes to Council this coming Tuesday with a recommendation it be received and filed. If received and filed it means the petition request will not see any further action.