Bell AI Fabric to Expand Saskatchewan AI Hub with Up to 900 MW of Additional Power, Targeting 1.2 GW

Bell Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan have announced a non-binding memorandum of understanding to expand Bell AI Fabric in Saskatchewan with the phased development of up to 900 megawatts of additional capacity, creating a pathway to a 1.2 gigawatt Canadian AI infrastructure hub in the province. The project is expected to represent the largest capital investment in Saskatchewan's history and signals a significant escalation in Canada's effort to build sovereign AI compute capacity at scale.

The expansion would be powered by partner-developed natural gas generation, consistent with Bell AI Fabric's commitment to non-grid power solutions. The proposed facilities will use closed-loop cooling technology that requires no municipal water, aligning with the company's environmental stewardship principles. Development would proceed in phases as customer commitments are secured and remain subject to commercial agreements, permits, approvals, and any relevant environmental assessments.

At full buildout, total capital investment associated with the project — including data centre infrastructure, tenant compute, and related power generation — could exceed $50 billion. The initiative is expected to support between 800 and 1,200 construction, engineering, and technical jobs, along with up to 600 permanent operations and management roles. Based on precedents in other markets, as many as 3,000 additional offsite and community jobs could result from a large data centre deployment of this nature.

As part of the expanded partnership, Bell AI Fabric will establish a head office for its national ecosystem in Saskatchewan, placing the province at the centre of Canada's AI economy. The project aligns with the Government of Saskatchewan's Data Centre Framework and reflects Bell's commitments to Canadian control, data sovereignty, local jobs and investment, environmental stewardship, and non-grid power.

Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, said Canada's next generation of economic growth will be built on Canadian infrastructure, adding that by creating a path to 1.2 GW of AI capacity in Saskatchewan, Bell AI Fabric will give governments, businesses, researchers, and innovators the secure, sovereign foundation they need to deploy AI at scale and compete globally. He described AI infrastructure as critical infrastructure and expressed pride in building the additional compute capacity required to power Canada's future economy.

Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan, described the investment as historic, noting it will create thousands of good jobs and new opportunities for Saskatchewan people. He also emphasized that the project will strengthen Canadian data sovereignty by keeping Canadian data at home, stored by a Canadian company and protected under Canadian rules.

By working with Saskatchewan suppliers, Indigenous partners, and post-secondary institutions, Bell aims to build local skills and supply chains while creating infrastructure and expertise that remain in the province for decades. The initiative underscores the growing intersection of AI compute demand, energy development, and regional economic strategy in North America.