Bell Canada has unveiled plans to increase the size of its AI data center near Regina, making it the largest private investment in Saskatchewan’s history. The expansion will see the facility grow from 300 megawatts to 1.2 gigawatts, requiring a total investment of $52 billion in the Bell AI Fabric.
During an investment summit in Toronto, Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic praised the Saskatchewan Party government for fostering an attractive investment environment in the province. Premier Scott Moe highlighted the importance of safeguarding Canadian data, likening the data center’s significance to the building of the national railway.
The province estimates that the expansion could lead to the creation of 500 permanent jobs, including 100 managerial roles, along with an additional 3,000 jobs in security and maintenance. Former prime ministers Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper joined the announcement event, where the Opposition NDP criticized the lack of public consultation on the project’s expansion.
Questions have been raised regarding the power source for the increased capacity and the water requirements of the project. Bell Canada and the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, where the data center is located, are yet to provide further details. The RM had approved the data center earlier this year amid protests.
Bell Canada confirmed that it will self-supply power for the expanded project, as was the case for the original data center. The two-day investment summit in Toronto aims to attract significant investments amidst ongoing trade tensions with the United States.
