Bell Canada has launched a major initiative to bolster the country’s artificial intelligence capabilities through the establishment of a nationwide network of high-performance, hydroelectric-powered data centres. Dubbed Bell AI Fabric, the project aims to provide 500 megawatts of AI computing capacity, marking a significant step in enhancing Canada’s sovereign AI infrastructure.
The first facility, a 7-megawatt data centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, is set to commence operations this month. This centre is developed in partnership with Groq, an AI inference provider and chip designer. A second 7-megawatt facility in Merritt, British Columbia, is scheduled to open by the end of the year. Additionally, two larger 26-megawatt data centres are planned for Kamloops, with the first expected to open in 2026 at Thompson Rivers University and the second in 2027. Two more data centres, with a combined capacity exceeding 400 megawatts, are in advanced planning stages.
Groq’s advanced Language Processing Units will power these centres, offering faster inference performance at lower costs compared to existing market alternatives. This technology is particularly suited for large language models, enhancing the efficiency of AI workloads.
The initiative also includes an academic partnership with Thompson Rivers University. The data centre at the university will support AI training and inference, providing students and faculty with access to cutting-edge computing capabilities. Moreover, the facility will integrate into the district energy system, repurposing waste heat to supply energy to the university’s buildings.
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