IBM project unites politicians, biz leaders

By Laurie Watt Barrie Advance Sep 19, 2012 

BARRIE – The state-of-the-art data centre on Bayview Drive is bringing Ontario’s economic development minister, IBM Canada president and IBM clients to Barrie Friday morning.

Brad Duguid will join Barrie MP Patrick Brown and Mayor Jeff Lehman at 11 a.m. in opening the centre that’s part of a $210-million project that will allow a consortium of seven universities to develop a cloud computing platform and conduct research on smart cities, aging infrastructure and water conservation.

“The federal government’s $20-million investment and IBM’s $175-million investment to create the Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform includes a new LEED-certified 25,000-square foot data centre for Barrie. The new data centre will bring new skilled, high-paying jobs to Barrie as well as about $1.6 million in development charges for Barrie,” said Brown. 

“The type of technology IBM is bringing to Barrie is what we are gong to be seeing in cities across the world for years to come.”

Ontario also injected $15 million into the University of Toronto-led project, which advances the city’s data management cluster, said Barrie’s economic development committee chairperson Coun. John Brassard. 

“It’s a shot in the arm to our growing cluster of data management centres and helps us to better position the city in the new economy and broaden our economic base,” said Brassard. “Friday’s opening will also bring many of IBM’s significant clients and partners to Barrie. Our hope is that those clients and partners will walk away with a better understanding of just how easy it is to do business in Barrie and look at Barrie as a terrific place to invest.”