Canada AI Compute Projects in B.C.
Source: vancouversun.com
Sovereign AI Compute in Canada
Canada is behind in sovereign AI compute, but two projects focused in B.C. are trying to change that. Sovereign AI compute was a popular topic at the Web Summit conference in Vancouver.
It is increasingly essential to Canada’s AI sector, but Canada is behind in this area. Compute is a term for the computer servers and processors that run AI applications. Sovereign refers to the amount of compute capacity a country has within its borders, which has become more important due to trade issues.
Canada's AI Computing Power
Canada has some domestic AI computing power, but not at scale, according to Gail Murphy, vice-president of research at the University of B.C. She noted that Canadian universities have three AI compute sites for research, but more is needed to foster small- and medium-sized enterprises. Murphy stated that it’s important to build solutions at home because of instability in the world.
Bell and Telus Initiatives
Bell Canada and Telus have launched efforts to become bigger players in this area, with a focus on B.C. Bell has unveiled AI Fabric, a network of six data centres in B.C., calling it Canada’s biggest AI compute project. They will provide computing power for research institutes and businesses requiring 500 megawatts of electricity. The first of two seven-megawatt centres is set to open in Kamloops this June, with another in Merritt by the end of the year. They will use data processing technology from Groq. In 2026, Bell plans to open the first of two 26-megawatt data centres in Kamloops at Thompson Rivers University. The second is planned to open in 2027. Bell is in the planning stage for two more AI data centres in B.C., each designed to use 200 megawatts of power. CEO Mirko Bibic said the company is bolstering Canada’s AI compute capacity and growing its AI economy.
Telus announced it will put a NVIDIA supercomputer-powered data centre in Kamloops, calling it a sovereign AI factory, as part of its $15-billion capital spending plan for B.C. Company chief information officer Hesham Fahmy said the AI factory will give customers the computing power needed to grow and compete globally in AI.
Kamloops as a Prime Location
Bell said it picked Kamloops for its first sites because of its stable climate and low risk for natural disasters. The city is also a hub for Canada’s fibre optic cable telecommunication network, which will limit signal delays. Kamloops has access to B.C. Hydro’s grid, ensuring stable connectivity. Bell added that Kamloops is close to Vancouver, Calgary and Seattle, but has a lower cost of living, which will help with recruiting skilled employees.
Clean Energy
Both Bell and Telus touted the clean energy aspects of their B.C. AI facilities. Telus vowed that its AI factory will be powered by 99 per cent renewable energy, while Bell highlighted its hydroelectric powered compute. Bell’s commitments to provide computing power requiring 500 megawatts of power means its new data centres could use almost half of the 1,100-megawatt capacity of B.C. Hydro’s new Site C Dam.
The announcements are being made during a period when droughts have pushed B.C. Hydro to import electricity. Jobs Minister Diana Gibson said the province is rushing to increase its generating capacity and is committed to increasing its renewable energy sector.
Attitudes about the importance of domestic computing power have shifted since Trump took office, according to Handol Kim, CEO of Variational AI. Kim said he didn’t think it likely that the U.S. would restrict Canadian access to computing power, but it’s good to have a sovereign compute strategy.