Telus and feds announce AI data cluster in B.C. to boost 'sovereign' computing power

The federal government and Telus have announced plans for a large-scale AI data centre project in British Columbia they say will boost Canada's sovereign computing and artificial-intelligence infrastructure.

The project announced by AI Minister Evan Solomon and Telus in Vancouver will involve three facilities in B.C. which Telus says will deliver "one of the world’s most powerful and sustainable AI infrastructure clusters."

It's part of a federal initiative announced last year to identify and boost large-scale sovereign data centres.

Telus says it will expand its existing Kamloops data centre and develop two new Vancouver facilities in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood and in the city's downtown.

The Kamloops expansion and the Mount Pleasant facility will open later this year, while the downtown facility will come online in 2029.

The government says the project will support domestic innovation involving both academia and industry.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby