If you live in Saint John, you likely heard the crowds at Kings Square this weekend. According to CTV News Atlantic, more than 200 people gathered on Saturday to protest a massive industrial data centre proposed for the Spruce Lake Industrial Park.

Timing the Protest

Organizers planned the rally to happen just days before the Monday municipal election. They want voters to remember the project when heading to the polls.

“We wanted to do this before the election because we want people to think about what they’re voting for, think about who they’re voting for, and get informed on the data centre,” says Sarah Nelson, an organizer with the newly formed group Resist Data Centre NB.

The group plans to take their message to the provincial legislature in Fredericton next.

The Proposed Project

Texas based VoltaGrid LLC and Calgary based Beacon AI Centres are pitching the facility. The project requires a 120 hectare parcel of land inside the expanded Spruce Lake Industrial Park. The site already received municipal zoning approval last year.

Project developers highlight the economic boost the facility brings. They estimate the project requires 1,300 construction workers and creates 210 operational jobs.

“This is a $2 billion investment for the region that, assuming all the stars aligned, we’ll start putting capital to the ground here over the next 12 months,” said Nathan Ough, president and CEO of VoltaGrid, during a public meeting last November.

Environmental Concerns

An environmental impact assessment report filed in April is currently under provincial review. The report shows the data centre produces roughly 6.6 per cent of New Brunswick annual emissions.

The facility needs 390 megawatts to operate. It draws this power from the NB Power grid and an on site natural gas generator. The initial system infill also requires an estimated 3.5 million litres of water.

Chris Watson helps organize the Save Lorneville group. He notes the data centre announcement brought more attention to the industrial park expansion.

“We’ve seen this growth in ‘Save Lorneville’ by a significant amount ever since this data centre was announced,” says Watson. “It’s kind of ramped up opposition to this industrial park expansion.”

If the project receives final approval, the data centre becomes operational by 2028.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is building the data centre?

VoltaGrid LLC out of Texas and Beacon AI Centres out of Calgary are proposing the project.

Where will the facility be located?

The companies plan to build the data centre on a 120 hectare parcel of land in the expanded Spruce Lake Industrial Park in Saint John.

What are the environmental impacts?

The facility requires 390 megawatts of power and 3.5 million litres of water for its initial infill. An environmental assessment indicates it produces about 6.6 per cent of the province annual emissions.

How many jobs does the project create?

Developers estimate the project creates 1,300 construction jobs and 210 permanent operational jobs.