Bell Canada to expand Saskatchewan AI data centre to 1.2 gigawatts

Bell Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan have announced a memorandum of understanding to significantly expand an AI data centre project near Regina. The expansion aims to increase the facility's capacity from 300 megawatts to a total of 1.2 gigawatts, effectively quadrupling its scale. The provincial government estimates the project could represent more than $50 billion in capital investment.

As part of the agreement, Regina is expected to become the headquarters for Bell AI Fabric. The project is projected to create between 280 and 500 operational jobs, approximately 100 management positions, and up to 1,200 construction jobs. Additionally, the province anticipates up to 3,000 secondary jobs in sectors such as security, logistics, and maintenance.

Due to the scale of the expansion, Bell indicated that additional land acquisition will be necessary as the current site footprint cannot accommodate the full capacity and required power infrastructure. While the project promises economic growth, Saskatchewan’s NDP Leader of the Official Opposition, Carla Beck, has called for a moratorium on new AI data centres until further details are provided.