Do you know that Canadian firms are among the many world’s greatest gamers in AI infrastructure?
Not many individuals understand it, nevertheless it’s true.
Canadian firms are among the many greatest suppliers of power to U.S. AI firms, in addition to a number of the greatest operators of AI information centres. On this article, I discover just some of the various Canadian firms constructing AI infrastructure, beginning with one that will shock you.
Supply: Getty Pictures
BCE Inc
BCE (TSX:BCE) is a Canadian telecommunications firm that’s finest identified for operating media retailers and offering mobile/web service to Canadians. Few ever noticed this firm branching out into AI, however now that’s what’s taking place.
BCE made statements to the impact that it was engaged on AI way back; extra lately, it made its plans clear. Final week, the corporate introduced its plan to construct an AI information centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. The plan will see Bell assemble a 160-acre big of a facility, with an intention to create a nationwide AI computing community.
What is going to BCE’s AI information centre be used for?
For now, this system’s objectives are imprecise, however BCE is thought to be partnering with universities to fund analysis initiatives, and promoting computing to different firms. So, this venture might be an enormous income driver for BCE.
Brookfield
A number of of Brookfield Company’s (TSX: BN) subsidiaries are concerned in constructing out Canadian and international AI infrastructure.
Most clearly, Brookfield Infrastructure Companions (TSX:BIP.UN) is constructing out a community of AI information centres throughout Canada and the USA. The corporate indicators long-term “take or pay” offers with “hyperscalers,” the place the large firms pay for the actual property, energy grids and cooling programs, whereas bringing in their very own servers. It is a intelligent enterprise mannequin as a result of it leaves BIP.UN with out the accountability of paying for dear NVIDIA GPUs whose ROI is questionable in the meanwhile. As an alternative, BIP.UN merely collects hire from the businesses doing the large spending.
Much less clearly, Brookfield Renewable Companions (TSX:BEP.UN) is supplying clear power to the large American AI giants. The corporate signed an settlement to provide Microsoft with 10 gigawatts of fresh energy in 2024; it adopted that up by signing an identical take care of Alphabet in 2025. These offers are projected to generate billions in income. They’ll additionally possible elevate Brookfield’s profile.
So, Brookfield Corp is one firm that, by means of its partially-owned subsidiaries, is powering the AI revolution.
Granite
Granite REIT (TSX:GRT.UN) is a Canadian industrial actual property funding belief that’s at present exploring the potential of changing a few of its properties into information centres. It already owns a portfolio of warehouse, multi-purpose and specialised amenities serving industrial tenants. AI information centres are much like warehouses in that they require a number of area to accommodate largely issues relatively than individuals. Granite REIT shouldn’t be straight creating wealth off AI but, however the plans and the potential are each there.
Silly takeaway
The underside line on Canadian infrastructure builders is that they’re doing massive issues in AI. Generative AI requires energy, information centres and telco tools, and Canada has all three of those key belongings in spades. This benefit positions the businesses above completely within the age of AI, whether or not or not massive tech ever sees a return on its GPU spending.