Nanaimo mayor and city staff respond to data centre water use concerns
A conceptual site plan submitted to the City of Nanaimo for the data centre on East Wellington Road, next to Cavalotti Lodge. (Townsite Planning)
Plans for a data centre in Nanaimo have generated significant attention in recent weeks. The centre is proposed for 2090 East Wellington Road, and the area was rezoned in 2023. A CBC article about data centres and water use published in October made reference to Nanaimo, which has generated renewed interest and concern from members of the public. A data centre is a building that houses computer servers and other infrastructure, and there are different types of data centres with different resource requirements.
The company looking to build the centre in Nanaimo was incorporated in Ontario in 2020. In 2024, it registered the business name MAPLECOLO. A website for MAPLECOLO describes itself as a leader in Canadian data centres, specializing in Quantum-Safe Colocation and Symmetric-Key Distribution via DSKE technology. The site references a new facility in Nanaimo which it notes “enhances protection against quantum threats, combining traditional expertise with innovative solutions to revolutionize data security.” Our newsroom spoke with one of the company’s directors but was unable to arrange an interview ahead of broadcast. Midcoast Morning explores recent community concerns with Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, and shares information revealed at a Nanaimo city council meeting about potential water use at the site.
Guests:
Leonard Krog — Mayor, City of Nanaimo.
Program Team:
Joe Pugh — Host and Producer.
Jesse Woodward — Executive Producer.
Arbie Fru — Technical Assistance.
Podcast Photo:
Architectural Rendering of Nanaimo Data Centre (dHKarchitects).
Theme Music:
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Transcript:
Incoming.
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Funding:
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