Powering the Future: Can Saint John Become Canada’s Next Data Centre Hub?

By Don Mills & David Campbell Feb 19, 2026 | 8:58 AM

Our guest on this week’s episode of the Insights Podcast is Nathan Ough, President and CEO of Texas-based VoltaGrid.

Born and raised in Saint John, Ough is now looking to put a large-scale data centre in the port city, bringing several hundred high-paying jobs and millions of dollars in tax revenue to the city and provincial government.

A partnership with Beacon AI Centres, the $2+ billion project involves an innovative ‘behind the meter’ approach to meeting the large electricity needs of the data centre.

Ough claims the project will have no negative impacts on the province’s electricity grid or the city’s water supply.

Data centres are among the fastest-growing industries across North America, as they are necessary to provide the computing power and storage for the emerging artificial intelligence boom.

Will Saint John be at the front end of this industry in Canada? Download and listen to our conversation with Nathan Ough to find out.

This podcast combines the experiences of an economist, David Campbell and a social scientist, Don Mills, to explore the challenges and opportunities facing Atlantic Canada, to promote data-driven decision making among policymakers and to encourage a wider dialogue and debate leading to greater prosperity for the region. Expect to hear interviews with the top influencers, business leaders and decision-makers across Atlantic Canada to inform, educate and expand the conversations on the key issues facing the region.

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