The provincial government wants to know what you think about data centres setting up shop in New Brunswick. You have until October 2 to share your thoughts on the province’s website. This public consultation comes as a massive proposed project in west Saint John works its way through the approval process. According to a recent report by CBC News, data centres are sparking debate across the province.

A Massive Proposal in Your Backyard

Right now developers are pushing forward with a major data centre project in the Lorneville area of west Saint John. Alberta based Beacon AI and Texas based VoltaGrid want to build a facility that draws 390 megawatts of power. This massive energy requirement means the project needs a brand new natural gas plant to operate. The environmental impact assessment for this facility began in April.

Residents Demand Concrete Rules

Lorneville residents are voicing strong opposition to the project. Chris Watson leads the charge for his community. He worries about the noise pollution a massive data centre brings to a quiet neighborhood.

Watson submitted several comments to the province during this public feedback period. He wants the government to turn its current best practice guidelines into enforceable laws. He also believes the province needs to pause all data centre development until these regulations are firmly in place.

Protecting Ratepayers and Communities

The province already has a set of guidelines for data centre development. These rules state that new facilities must not increase electricity rates for everyday users. They must also use water efficiently and bring clear economic benefits to the host communities.

Minister of Post Secondary Education Training and Labour Jean Claude D’Amours says the province wants the best projects possible. He notes that developers need to provide long term benefits to the communities where they build. This includes supporting local non profit organizations. Once the October 2 deadline passes the government will review your feedback and decide if they need to create stricter rules.

Balancing Growth and Caution

Frank Rudzicz is a computer science professor and AI researcher at Dalhousie University. He supports the public consultation process. He notes that many provincial governments lack deep expertise in artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.

Rudzicz agrees that data centres must not burden local electricity ratepayers. However he warns the province against stalling the development process for too long. He suggests starting with smaller projects to build capacity and understanding before taking on massive facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the deadline to submit feedback on New Brunswick data centres?

You have until October 2 to submit your comments through the provincial government website.

Where is the proposed Saint John data centre located?

Developers want to build the new facility in the Lorneville area of west Saint John.

How much power will the Lorneville data centre use?

The proposed facility requires 390 megawatts of power and needs a new natural gas plant to operate.

Will new data centres increase my electricity bill?

The current provincial guidelines state that data centre development must not increase electricity rates for New Brunswickers.