Key Takeaways
- Saint John, New Brunswick, is being touted as a "hidden gem" and "gold mine" for artificial intelligence projects due to its abundance of unused fibre-optic cable, known as dark fibre.
- The city’s dark fibre resource is a result of NBTel’s progressive approach to wiring the province in the past.
- A data centre proposed for the expanded Spruce Lake Industrial Park has sparked concerns among residents and the Green Party Leader David Coon.
- The project’s proponents argue that it will bring economic benefits and have a lower environmental footprint, but critics are worried about emissions and the potential for the AI bubble to burst.
- The province’s history and resources make it an attractive location for data centre projects, with its dark fibre and low round-trip times for data transmission.
Introduction to Saint John’s Hidden Gem
The city of Saint John, New Brunswick, is being hailed as a "hidden gem" and "gold mine" for artificial intelligence projects. This is due to the city’s abundance of unused fibre-optic cable, known as dark fibre, which can be used to transmit data at high speeds. According to Frank McKenna, a businessman and former premier, "NBTel was extraordinarily progressive in terms of wiring New Brunswick and of making sure that we had ample amounts of dark fibre available for whatever use came along." This foresight has left New Brunswick with an "extraordinary resource" for creating data centres.
The History of NBTel and Dark Fibre
NBTel, the Saint John-based telephone company, was a pioneer in telecommunications in the province. As noted in a provincial government report from 2012, NBTel was the first Canadian telephone company to provide internet services and the first granted permission by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to provide television services. The company’s legacy includes a province rich in unused fibre-optic cable, which is now being seen as a valuable resource for data centre projects. McKenna credits the "historical relationship" between the provincial government and NBTel for the city’s current advantage in the AI industry.
The Proposed Data Centre and Community Concerns
In October, Nathan Ough, CEO of Texas-based VoltaGrid, announced plans to develop a data centre in the expanded Spruce Lake Industrial Park. The project has sparked concerns among residents and the Green Party Leader David Coon, who worries about the environmental impact and the potential for the AI bubble to burst. Coon notes that Saint John is not the only city with dark fibre, and that other cities, such as Calgary, Toronto, and Edmonton, also have this resource. However, Uri Litvenenko, CEO of the Fibre Centre in Moncton, argues that New Brunswick is set apart from other jurisdictions due to its unique combination of fibre system availability, lower costs, and infrastructure.
The Economic and Environmental Benefits
Proponents of the project argue that it will bring economic benefits to the city and have a lower environmental footprint. Ough has previously stated that the plan will be fuelled by an on-site, natural-gas generating system and will use a reactive catalyst to abate emissions. However, Coon remains skeptical, citing concerns about emissions and the potential for the AI bubble to burst. As he notes, "I just don’t see that sustaining itself. It’s really a gold rush mentality we’ve got right now, and it’s not going to last." The project needs to undergo an environmental impact assessment before moving forward, but has not yet been registered for review.
The Province’s Opportunity
McKenna argues that the province cannot afford to do nothing with a deficit to tackle and changed Canada-U.S. relations. As he notes, "I think we’re going to need to wake up and smell the coffee. We have a lot of challenges in front of us and we’re going to have to take advantage of every single opportunity that we have in front of us." The city’s dark fibre resource and low round-trip times for data transmission make it an attractive location for data centre projects. Ian MacKinnon, head of Saint John Industrial Parks, notes that dark fibre has been one of the main selling points as the city tries to attract businesses. With the right approach, Saint John and New Brunswick can capitalize on their unique advantage and become a hub for AI projects.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/saint-john-touted-hidden-gem-100000988.html
