New framework commits data centres to protecting electricity ratepayers, limiting water use and delivering lasting benefits for Canadians
TORONTO, Sept. 3, 2026 /CNW/ -- Data centres are critical infrastructure for Canada. They support the health care system, financial services, scientific research and secure government systems that Canadians rely on, and they power the digital economy and artificial intelligence (AI).
Canada currently relies significantly on infrastructure and services based outside the country for the compute, cloud and data storage that power AI. Building more capacity here at home will give Canada greater resilience and choice, while helping Canadian researchers, innovators and businesses build, deploy and scale.
Today, the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, joined by Tim Tierney, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), announced Canada's Responsible Data Centre Development Principles.
The principles establish a common national framework for how Canada builds the data centre capacity it needs. The framework sets five clear expectations for data centre projects:
- Data centres must create lasting local benefits.
- Data centres must not shift electricity costs to Canadians.
- Data centres must minimize water use and environmental impacts.
- Data centres must be transparent about local impacts.
- Data centres must bring strategic value to Canada.
The principles are supported by a broad cross-section of Canada's data centre, cloud, AI and technology sectors. Signatories' commitments will help grow Canada's digital infrastructure responsibly and promote a consistent, community-centred approach to data centre development across Canada.
Data centre development decisions are fundamentally local, shaped by regional priorities, regulatory approvals and unique community needs. These national principles are intended to complement existing provincial, territorial, municipal and Indigenous regulatory processes by setting a nationally recognized baseline that communities can use when considering major projects. Together, these principles will support responsible investment, give communities greater clarity and help Canada build the digital infrastructure it needs for the future.
List of signatories
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Anthropic
- Beacon Data Centers
- Bell Canada (BCE)
- BUZZ High Performance Computing (BUZZ HPC)
- Cohere
- Cologix
- Denvr Dataworks
- Equinix
- eStruxture
- Hypertec Group
- Meta
- Micrologic
- Microsoft
- OpenAI
- OVHcloud
- Prologis
- QScale
- Sovereign Digital Infrastructure
- TELUS
- ThinkOn
- Urbacon Data Centre Solutions
Quotes
"Canada is building the digital infrastructure we need to lead in the age of AI, grow our economy and strengthen our sovereignty. But how we build matters. Data centres must protect ratepayers, respect water and energy resources, and create lasting benefits for the communities that host them. These principles set a clear national standard: If you build in Canada, you must build responsibly and transparently and you must build for Canadians."
– The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
"As demand for AI grows, municipalities are increasingly being asked to review complex data centre proposals that will have significant impacts on local communities. Today's announcement is an important first step in helping municipalities better understand and assess projects being proposed in their regions. No two data centre projects are alike, nor will they have the same impact. Municipal leaders need clear and complete information to make informed decisions. FCM welcomes today's commitment by industry leaders to work closely with local governments, mitigate local impacts and ensure local benefits. We look forward to continuing to work with the federal government and industry to improve transparency, strengthen accountability and provide municipalities with the resources they need to protect local interests."
– Tim Tierney, President, Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Quick facts
- Data centres are part of daily life for Canadians, supporting activities such as online banking and government services, as well as fields such as health care, finance, scientific research, cloud computing and AI.
- The principles advance the Government of Canada's national AI strategy, AI for All, and its commitment to supporting sovereign AI infrastructure, ensuring Canada has the compute capacity it needs to support research, innovation and adoption at home.
- The framework is designed to provide greater clarity and certainty for municipalities, helping ensure they have the tools needed to assess projects and make informed local decisions.
Associated links
- Canada's Responsible Data Centre Development Principles
- Artificial intelligence ecosystem
- Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, AI for All
- Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy
- Enabling large-scale sovereign AI data centres
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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Contacts: Peter Wall, Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, [email protected], 343-543-5391; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]
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