In a recent announcement by the federal government and Telus, Vancouver and Kamloops are set to become the new hub for a data centre cluster. The initiative aims to enhance Canada’s “sovereign compute capacity” and empower local commercial and academic sectors to thrive in the global AI market. The plan entails expanding Telus’s current facility in Kamloops and establishing two new data centres in Vancouver as part of Ottawa’s Enabling large-scale sovereign AI data centres program.
Minister of Artificial Intelligence Evan Solomon emphasized the significance of bolstering Canada’s AI capabilities to support innovators, researchers, and businesses while safeguarding Canadian data and economic interests. Telus disclosed that the Kamloops project and the initial Vancouver facility, situated at the former Hootsuite headquarters in Mount Pleasant, will be operational later this year, with a second site at 150 West Georgia Street slated for 2029. The project will commence with an 85-megawatt power usage, scaling up to 150 megawatts by 2032.
Telus’s President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, highlighted the environmentally friendly aspect of the project, noting that the facilities will rely on 98% clean hydro power and recycle waste energy to heat 150,000 homes. The data centres are projected to consume 90% less water than traditional counterparts, with plans to incorporate recycled water from the B.C. Place stadium. The initiative received endorsement from the B.C. government, which introduced its AI data centre power policy earlier this year.
While the proposal garnered praise from political figures at the Vancouver gathering, some discord emerged over plans to construct a new data centre in Nanaimo due to concerns about water consumption. B.C. Green Party Leader Emily Lowan criticized the approach as a “build-first regulate-later model” and advocated for a moratorium on new data centres until robust regulations and environmental policies are established. The City of Vancouver and Mayor Ken Sim voiced support for the project, hailing the data centres as “world-class facilities.”
The debate around data centre development and its environmental impact has spurred discussions globally, with a study revealing the substantial water usage associated with AI operations. The growing power demand of AI technology has ignited concerns about water and energy consumption, prompting calls for comprehensive environmental assessments and regulatory frameworks to ensure sustainable growth in the sector.
