Vancouver and Kamloops are set to become a hub for a new cluster of data centers as part of a collaboration between the federal government and Telus. AI Minister Evan Solomon, speaking in Vancouver, highlighted the initiative as a means to bolster Canada’s “sovereign compute capacity” and enhance the competitiveness of domestic interests in the global AI market. The plan involves the expansion of Telus’s current facility in Kamloops and the construction of two additional data centers in Vancouver through the Enabling large-scale sovereign AI data centers initiative.
Solomon emphasized the importance of establishing a strong domestic AI infrastructure to support innovators, researchers, and businesses in Canada while safeguarding Canadian data, intellectual property, and economic interests within the country. Telus confirmed that the Kamloops project and the initial Vancouver facility, situated at the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant, are slated to go live later this year, with a second Vancouver facility at 150 West Georgia Street scheduled for 2029. The project will commence with an 85-megawatt power consumption, expected to scale up to 150 megawatts by 2032.
Telus CEO Darren Entwistle lauded the initiative as an environmentally friendly endeavor, noting that the data centers will operate on 98% clean hydro power and recycle waste energy to heat 150,000 homes. The facilities are projected to utilize 90% less water than traditional data centers, with plans underway to incorporate recycled water from B.C. Place stadium. The B.C. government has endorsed the project, having introduced its own AI data center power policy earlier this year.
While the proposal received praise from political leaders, the prospect of new data centers in B.C. has sparked debate. Plans for a facility in Nanaimo have faced opposition due to concerns about water usage. B.C. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan criticized the approach as a “build-first regulate-later model” and called for a halt on new data center developments until stricter regulations and environmental policies are in place. The City of Vancouver and the B.C. government have expressed support for the project, emphasizing its significance in advancing technological capabilities while upholding environmental standards.
The issue of data center sustainability has become a contentious topic in many regions, with the demand for power and water resources raising environmental concerns. Studies have indicated the substantial water consumption associated with AI operations, emphasizing the need for responsible resource management in the technology sector.
