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 will quadruple in size, and is now projected 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. “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.” CTV News is a division of Bell Media, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of BCE Inc.
