Telus, Ottawa announce AI data centre expansion in B.C. to strengthen Canadian computing capacity

The federal government and Telus announced plans Monday for a multi-site artificial intelligence data infrastructure project in British Columbia that officials say is intended to expand Canada’s domestic computing capacity and support what they described as “sovereign” AI infrastructure.

Federal AI Minister Evan Solomon joined Telus representatives in Vancouver to outline the project, which includes an expansion of Telus’ existing data centre in Kamloops and two new facilities planned for Vancouver – one in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood and another in the downtown core.

According to Telus, the facilities together are expected to form “one of the world’s most powerful and sustainable AI infrastructure clusters.” The company said the Kamloops expansion and the Mount Pleasant site are scheduled to open later this year, while the downtown Vancouver facility is expected to begin operations in 2029.

The announcement is tied to a federal initiative launched last year aimed at identifying and supporting large-scale Canadian-owned data infrastructure projects as governments and companies increase investment in artificial intelligence systems and computing power.

Federal officials said the project is intended to support domestic AI research and commercial development involving universities, researchers, and private industry. The government did not disclose financial details or the value of federal support during Monday’s announcement.

Governments and technology firms are increasing investment in domestic AI computing infrastructure amid concerns about data sovereignty, foreign dependence, and access to high-performance computing resources.

Construction and expansion work on the Kamloops and Mount Pleasant facilities is expected to continue through 2026, while the downtown Vancouver data centre is planned to open in 2029.