A 64,000-square-foot nuclear bomb shelter in Debert, Nova Scotia, Canada, is being converted into luxury condominiums. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing BBC News.
Canadian crypto mogul Jonathan Baha'i purchased the bunker in 2013 for C$31,300 ($22,000). Initially, he planned to use it for laser tag, historical tours, and a small data centre. However, due to increased global uncertainty in the last two years, the project has been reborn as a 'doomsday bunker'.
The 50-unit project, managed by Fallout Complex Inc., will offer gourmet dining, biometric access, 24/7 surveillance, and onsite medical services. Tenants with private planes can land at the nearby Debert Airport.
Co-owner Paul Mansfield said German firm Bespoke Home and Yacht Security will provide security. The company has previously worked with US Vice President JD Vance and reality star Kim Kardashian. Recommended measures include drone patrols of the perimeter.
Renovation plans include a spa, yoga room, and cigar lounge. Modern OLED lights will replicate natural light, and an adjacent overground bunker will be used to grow food. When owners are away, units will be rented as hotel rooms, with profits shared. Purchase and rental costs are secret.
The bunker was built by former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker between the late 1950s and mid-1960s to shelter government officials in case of nuclear war. It was designed to withstand a near-hit from a nuclear explosion and sustain 329 people for 30 days. However, by the time it was completed, it was already obsolete due to advances in missile targeting and bomb power. It later served as a provincial emergency warning centre before closing in 1996.
Baha'i dislikes the term 'doomsday bunker', saying it is about 'smart, practical storm preparedness'. During Hurricane Fiona in 2022, he opened the bunker to coworkers and their families.
Baha'i emphasizes the project's benefits for Debert's local economy: a tourist destination and 'world-class' data centre. Completion is expected by early next year. Eleven units have already been sold. The project will require over 40 hotel staff and specialists for the expanded data centre.
The fate of other Canadian bunkers shows limited alternatives: the Borden bunker is locked, Shilo is buried, Nanaimo was flooded, and Penhold was demolished over fears of Hells Angels purchase.
Official construction costs for the Debert bunker are unknown, but the similar Nanaimo shelter cost C$2-3 million at the time (about C$30 million today). Current annual operating costs are C$60,000.