Saint John's Brick Park an ICT Hot Spot
Saint John, New Brunswick boasts a knowledge park that is drawing information and communication technology (ICT) firms from all over North America.
Saint John’s Heritage Knowledge Cluster, in the heart of the uptown core, is a vibrant network of 34 ICT companies and startups located within a three-block radius. It’s also affectionately known as Brick Park, because the knowledge park is housed within many buildings with historic sandstone brick-and-beam architecture.
Cardinal Path is the latest IT firm to call the area home. The marketing analytics consulting firm is expected to create 100 jobs over the next five years.
Other companies in Brick Park include Cirrus9, RevJet, Synoptek, Innovatia, Mariner, DealerMine, Appnovation, and InnoCare Software.
Saint John has the largest IT workforce in the province, access to worldclass ICT infrastructure, and a fully connected ultra-high-speed fibre network, with cost-competitive and geographical redundancy options. It has three data centres, as well as Atlantic Canada’s only Tier III data centre nearby.
Along with IT, all kinds of businesses have been attracted to the area, including law and accounting firms, architects and creative services, art galleries, restaurants, and luxury condos.
The growing IT sector was one of the driving forces behind the recently announced Smart & Connected Community Data Strategy.The regional economic development agency, Enterprise Saint John, gathered thought leaders in the area, including data experts from Cisco, Bell Aliant, T4G, Rogers, the University of New Brunswick, EY, and the City of Saint John. They’re also collaborating with Discover Saint John and the Saint John Hotel Association.
Over the next three years, three projects will use data from the industry, business, and tourism sectors to develop new technologies to improve efficiencies and increase the competitiveness of local businesses.
“Our world is about to be rocked by overwhelming access torea l-time data and its smart application in solving problems, creating opportunities, and transforming our communities. Saint John is perfectly positioned, with its industrial base, IT infrastructure, and connected communities, to be a global leader.We have the potential to transform how we live, how we work, and how we prosper,” says Andy McGill iv ray, Community Data Strategy Advisory Board Chair.
The communities that embrace data today will be the job creators of tomorrow.