Bell AI data centre in Sask. expanding, set to bring in over $50B in investment

Bell Canada has announced plans to quadruple the size of its data centre project in Saskatchewan, with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announcing at the country's first-ever investment summit on Monday. The project is expected to bring in over $50 billion in capital investment, making it the largest in Saskatchewan's history and the largest sovereign AI infrastructure network in Canada.

The expansion will increase the data centre's capacity to 1.2 gigawatts, with construction already underway. Bell CEO Mirko Bibic stated that when the initial 300 megawatt data centre was announced in March, it was already the largest data centre announced in Canada. The Saskatchewan government has agreed that 300 megawatts will be sourced from the provincial grid, with the remaining capacity being developed through Bell's Bring Your Own Power principle.

The project is projected to create up to 500 permanent jobs and an estimated 3,000 additional positions in various sectors. Premier Moe emphasized the importance of data sovereignty, stating that Canadians should have control over their personal, financial, and commercial information. The government is working with tech companies worldwide to develop additional data centers and ensure projects align with Canadian values.

The project has faced opposition from some municipalities, but the Saskatchewan government approved it under its data centre framework, emphasizing Canadian ownership, support for Canadian data and AI sovereignty, and the creation of local jobs. The Canada Investment Summit, where the news was announced, aimed to attract foreign investment in various sectors, including energy, critical minerals, and defence.