New Brunswick data centre debate highlights cross-country tension over AI facilities
Chris Watson says he was very concerned when he reviewed a New Brunswick business development agency's recent correspondence about data centres.
New Brunswick's data centre debate has shed light on the tensions between AI facilities and the concerns of local communities. Chris Watson, a resident of Saint John, N.B., expressed deep disappointment when he discovered another proposal for a data centre in his neighborhood while reviewing correspondence from the New Brunswick business development agency.
The province is currently receiving 10 applications for data centre projects, requiring up to 900 megawatts of power each. However, NB Power, the province's Crown-owned electric utility, is not disclosing all the projects on the list due to confidentiality reasons. The Liberal provincial government sees data centres as a potential avenue for economic growth through tax revenue, private sector investment, job creation, and potential offshoot benefits.
Despite this, a majority of Canadians, according to a recent Angus Reid Institute poll, believe provincial governments should limit the development of large data centres. The New Brunswick government is working on a policy framework for data centre development, which it recently sought public feedback on.
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