The size and scope of the Bell AI data centre near Regina have quadrupled, according to the Government of Saskatchewan.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, Premier Scott Moe and Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic made the announcement at the Canada Investment Summit Monday afternoon.
The project is now expected to bring a total estimated capital investment of more than $50 billion.
Construction of the 300-megawatt facility will continue as planned. However, under the framework of Saskatchewan’s “Bring Your Own Power” policy, the project will now include a phased development of up to 900 megawatts of additional capacity.
According to the province, the expansion creates a pathway to a 1.2 gigawatt Canadian AI infrastructure hub in Saskatchewan.
‘A win for Canada’: Carney
The project is set to create 500 permanent jobs through data centre operations and power generation. An additional 3,000 jobs in areas like security, logistics and maintenance are expected, according to the province.
Bell AI Fabric headquarters, which will be housed at the facility, will host around 100 management positions.
“This is a win for Saskatchewan. It’s a win for Canada and for all Canadians,” Carney said during the announcement. “I’m not going to repeat the facts and figures. I will just note that this is the largest capital investment in Saskatchewan’s history, and there’s been a lot of big investments in Saskatchewan.”
In his remarks, Premier Scott Moe classified the investment as a necessity for Canada’s sovereignty.
“Throughout our history, we have built to secure our sovereignty, to shape our destiny, and to determine our own future,” he said, referencing projects like the Canadian Pacific Railway. “Today, the infrastructure has changed. But the purpose has not.”
“As Canadians, we have a choice: do we build the infrastructure necessary to keep Canadian data in Canada, or do we leave our data sovereignty in the hands of other countries?” Moe continued.
“Well, in Canada and in Saskatchewan, we have made our choice. We will protect what is ours. We will build what we need and determine our destiny on our own terms.”
Speaking during the news conference, Bibic praised Carney and Moe for creating the conditions necessary for what was described by the province as “the single largest capital investment in Canada’s history.”
“The tone and the ambition like this that’s giving us the confidence to put billions in capital in our own country, which is what we ought to do,” Bibic noted.
“And I know the sentiment shared by many Canadian companies across many industrial sectors.”
Officially announced in March, progress on the data centre has been constant, with earthworks underway within weeks of the project’s approval by the province and the Rural Municipality of Sherwood.
While the project received strong support from various organizations, such as the nearby Saskatchewan Polytechnic and University of Regina campuses, approval for the project was not unanimous.
The Saskatchewan NDP has raised concerns over the centre’s approval process and the cost to the province, while demonstrations at the legislative building and RM of Sherwood offices were common during the centre’s approval process.
Those taking part in those demonstrations voiced opposition to AI as a concept, citing its use to spread misinformation, in addition to environmental concerns for the facility itself - mainly increased power and water usage.
Both the province and Bell have repeatedly spoke to address environmental concerns, such as water use, arguing the facility will host a closed system in terms of cooling.
The first portion of the centre, dubbed a “data hall” is expected to become operational in the first half of 2027.
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