Bell Canada has revealed its intention to increase the scale of a planned AI data center near Regina, making it the largest private investment in the history of Saskatchewan. During an investment summit in Toronto led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic announced the expansion of the data center from 300 megawatts to a capacity requiring 1.2 gigawatts of power. This expansion will involve a boosted investment of $52 billion in the Bell AI Fabric project.
Acknowledging the conducive investment climate in Saskatchewan, Bibic commended the government of Premier Scott Moe for fostering such an environment. Moe likened the significance of the data center to the historic construction of the Canadian railway in safeguarding national sovereignty, emphasizing the importance of protecting the data of Canadians in today’s digital age.
The province anticipates that the expansion could generate around 500 permanent jobs, including managerial roles, as well as an additional 3,000 jobs in security and maintenance sectors. Prime Minister Carney hailed this investment as a prime example of projects being supported by the government.
Former prime ministers Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper were present at the announcement, joining Bibic and Moe on stage for photo opportunities. Details on whether the expansion would necessitate further approval from the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, where the data center is situated, have not yet been disclosed by the provincial government or the RM authorities.
The RM of Sherwood approved the data center back in April amid some controversy, with protests outside the RM office during the approval process. Bell Canada will be responsible for supplying power for the expanded project, a requirement similar to the original data center initiative.
The two-day investment summit in Toronto aims to attract significant investments amidst ongoing trade tensions with the United States.