From the Facts Hub · Category: Council Process & Timeline
Wheatland County is at a crossroads. Right now, council is deliberating on three bylaws that will determine whether a massive hyperscale data centre campus can be built on 576 acres of Tier 2 farmland in our community. Here is what each bylaw does, where things stand, and why the next council meeting matters more than ever.
The Three Bylaws at the Heart of This Decision
Bylaw 2025-32 — The ASP Amendment
This is the big one. Bylaw 2025-32 would amend our Area Structure Plan to allow data centres as a permitted land use in agricultural areas. Think about what that means: a zoning change that opens the door to industrial development on some of Alberta’s best farmland. Council has passed 1st and 2nd reading of this bylaw, but 3rd reading has been deferred. That is our window to make our voices heard.
Source: StrathmoreNow coverage of council vote
Bylaw 2025-34 — Land Use Redesignation
This bylaw would re-designate the Goldfinch site from agricultural to direct control district, effectively rezoning it for industrial use. It advanced alongside Bylaw 2025-32 — 1st and 2nd reading approved, 3rd deferred. Together, these two bylaws form the legal foundation for the data centre.
Bylaw 2025-25 — Road Closure (Range Road 264)
This one hits close to home for neighbours of the proposed site. The road closure bylaw would partially shut down Range Road 264 — a primary access route for multiple properties. It has only passed 1st reading, making it the furthest from final approval. That is no comfort if you are one of the families whose daily commute would be upended.
Source: Full application (81-page PDF)
Where Things Stand Right Now
On July 7, 2026, 24 residents spoke in opposition at the public hearing. Only 1 spoke in favour. More than 100 written letters were submitted, the vast majority opposed. Global News covered the hearing. The message from this community could not be clearer.
Yet council approved 1st and 2nd reading and punted the final decision. Here is the thing: 3rd reading is not guaranteed. In Diode Ventures’ own track record, communities that organize win. In Peculiar, Missouri, the city council removed data centres from their zoning ordinance entirely after residents pushed back. In Charles City, Virginia, Diode withdrew altogether.
What This Means for You
Council is waiting to see how this plays out. Every phone call, every letter, every neighbour you bring into this conversation moves the needle. The developer has not named an end user. They have completed zero independent groundwater, noise, or traffic studies. And they are asking us to trust them with our land, our roads, and our way of life.
We do not have to accept that. Not in Wheatland County.
Next step: Contact your councillor before the next council meeting. Read the full facts, check the timeline, and if you can, support the campaign to help us keep fighting.