Bell Canada to Invest $53 Billion in Saskatchewan AI Hub

During the Canada Investment Summit, Bell Canada announced plans to quadruple the capacity of its artificial intelligence data centre operations in Saskatchewan. The company will expand its Bell AI Fabric project from 300 megawatts to 1.2 gigawatts across three facilities, with total capital investment estimated at approximately $53 billion. This represents the largest private enterprise project in the province's history.

To prevent straining the provincial power grid, Bell will utilize a bring-your-own-power model, partnering with natural gas providers to generate energy behind the meter. The facilities will employ closed-loop cooling technology to avoid using municipal groundwater. The project is expected to create up to 600 permanent roles and 3,000 secondary positions in logistics and maintenance, while establishing a national head office for Bell AI Fabric in Regina.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Scott Moe endorsed the expansion as a critical step for Canadian data sovereignty. However, the project has faced sharp criticism from the Saskatchewan NDP. Opposition leader Carla Beck called for a moratorium on large-scale data centre construction, arguing that the government bypassed public consultations and failed to provide transparency regarding environmental impacts and energy costs.