BCE Unveils Canada's Largest AI Compute Project: A Network of Six Data Centers

Canadian Telecom BCE to Build Large Network of AI Data Centers

BCE Inc., Canada's largest telecom company by revenue, will set up a network of artificial intelligence data centers across the country, mirroring the aggressive AI infrastructure build-out happening in the US and abroad. Bell Canada plans to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to build data centers in six Canadian cities, said Chief Executive Officer Mirko Bibic in an interview. The first site, in Kamloops, British Columbia, is expected to come online in June, with US-based AI chip startup Groq as an anchor tenant. Other facilities are planned in the province, as well as in Manitoba and Quebec in the coming years, Bell said.

Bell announces plans to open six AI data centres in B.C. as part of Bell AI Fabric

Bell Canada has announced it will open six artificial intelligence data centres in B.C. as part of a plan to create the largest AI compute project in Canada. The Montreal-based telecom company, which has in recent years touted its intent to become more tech-focused, said the facilities will provide around 500 megawatts of hydroelectric-powered AI compute capacity. AI compute refers to the technology that enables artificial intelligence systems to perform tasks, such as processing data and training machine-learning models. The project, called Bell AI Fabric, will help support Canadian businesses and governments' AI needs, ranging from strategy and applications development to infrastructure deployment, the company said. Bell AI Fabric's first seven-megawatt data centre is slated to open next month in Kamloops, in partnership with American AI inference provider Groq. The company said Groq's technology is designed to accelerate AI inference tasks, particularly for large language models -- algorithms that use massive data sets to recognize, translate, predict or generate text and other content. "Groq's advanced LPU technology, combined with Bell's extensive fibre infrastructure, is setting a new standard in AI inference," Groq founder and CEO Jonathan Ross said in a press release. "We're excited to bring these capabilities to Canada, significantly enhancing performance and affordability for AI-driven applications." A second facility is planned to open in Merritt, B.C., by the end of this year. Bell said an additional 26-megawatt data centre, being built in partnership with Thompson Rivers University, will open by the end of 2026, followed by another in 2027. Two more AI data centres are in advanced planning stages, which will be designed for high-density AI workloads, with a total capacity of more than 400 megawatts. The company said future facilities planned across the country will take advantage of Bell's real estate assets to add further capacity. "Bell's AI Fabric will ensure that Canadian businesses, researchers, and public institutions can access high-performance, sovereign and environmentally responsible AI computing services," Bell president and CEO Mirko Bibic said in a press release. "Through this investment, Bell is immediately bolstering Canada's sovereign AI compute capacity, while laying the groundwork to continue growing our AI economy." Earlier this month, Bell launched a new tech services brand called Ateko, which unifies recently acquired tech companies FX Innovation, HGC Technologies and CloudKettle under a single umbrella. The company said Ateko will help businesses streamline operations, cut costs and boost productivity using AI, and serves as a cornerstone of Bell's ambition to build a $1-billion tech services business. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 28, 2025.

BCE unveils Canada's largest AI compute project with six-data center network By Investing.com

Investing.com -- Bell Canada, or BCE Inc (TSX:BCE), has unveiled a multibillion-dollar initiative to create the nation's largest artificial intelligence computing network, establishing a strategic foothold in an increasingly competitive global AI landscape. The new project, dubbed Bell AI Fabric, will provide up to 500 megawatts of capacity across six data centers, all powered by hydroelectric energy in British Columbia. The first data center in the network will be operational in June 2025 in Kamloops, marking the beginning of a nationwide rollout aimed at supporting Canadian companies, academic institutions, and public bodies. In its announcement, Bell positioned the initiative as a long-term commitment to enabling secure, sovereign, and sustainable AI development. "Bell's AI Fabric will ensure that Canadian businesses, researchers, and public institutions can access high-performance, sovereign and environmentally responsible AI computing services," said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada. "This is transformational for our customers, for Canada and for Bell." Partnerships are central to the infrastructure buildout, with U.S.-based chipmaker Groq selected as Bell's technology partner. Groq's Language Processing Units (LPUs) are expected to provide faster, more cost-effective inference performance for applications involving large language models, the engine behind generative AI. "Groq's advanced LPU technology, combined with Bell's extensive fibre infrastructure, is setting a new standard in AI inference," said Jonathan Ross, CEO and Founder of Groq. "We're excited to bring these capabilities to Canada, significantly enhancing performance and affordability for AI-driven applications." The initiative also includes a major academic collaboration with Thompson Rivers University, where a 26-megawatt facility will be integrated with the campus district energy system to recycle waste heat. The university says the partnership will give students and faculty access to world-class computing capabilities and real-world AI training environments. "Thompson Rivers University is proud to partner in this groundbreaking initiative, positioning Kamloops and British Columbia at the forefront of sustainable AI innovation," said Shannon Wagner, Interim Provost and VP Academic at TRU. Future data centers are in advanced planning and are expected to bring more than 400 megawatts of capacity, further solidifying Canada's position in the high-density AI compute space.