The new AI factory from Telus is supported by Nvidia GPUs and infrastructure designed by HPE
In sum – what to know:
Canada’s first sovereign AI factory – TELUS has launched a secure, Canadian-operated facility to provide domestic compute capacity for AI workloads while maintaining data sovereignty.
Backed by Nvidia and HPE tech – The facility uses high-performance GPUs and architecture to support model training, fine-tuning, and deployment, reducing AI rollout time and costs.
Early adopters span healthcare and enterprise – Accenture and OpenText will leverage the platform to run AI solutions in sensitive sectors while ensuring data stays within Canada.
Canadian operator Telus has opened what it claims to be Canada’s first fully sovereign AI factory in Rimouski, Quebec, creating a domestic hub for advanced computing capacity.
In a release, the telco noted that the facility, powered by Nvidia GPUs and infrastructure designed by HPE, will provide Canadian organizations with access to AI computing resources while ensuring data remains within national borders.
The project is designed to address rising concerns over data sovereignty by keeping sensitive information under Canadian control. Telus said the facility is built, owned, and operated in Canada, with multiple layers of security and compliance.
Darren Entwistle, president and CEO of Telus, said: “Businesses, researchers, and governments should not have to rely on foreign-controlled systems to advance their AI ambitions. Today, we are helping to achieve that: by delivering advanced compute power within data centers built, owned, and operated by Canadians.”
The telco also noted that the new site is already operational and serving customers. A second location in Kamloops, British Columbia, is planned as part of a broader national rollout. Telus said the AI factory enables organizations to train new AI models, fine-tune existing ones, and deploy them across applications, with support from Nvidia’s software stack and high-performance architecture.
“Expanding data and compute capacity here at home supports the government’s vision for AI-driven productivity and competitiveness,” said Evan Solomon, minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Several organizations have already signed on to use the new platform. Accenture will deploy sector-specific AI solutions for regulated industries, while OpenText will use the platform to deliver enterprise AI services through its Aviator platform to Canadian customers.
Telus also highlighted that the facility is powered by 99% renewable energy and reduces water use by more than 75% thanks to natural cooling systems.
Earlier this year, Bell Canada and Cohere, a Toronto-based enterprise AI company, had announced a strategic partnership to provide sovereign, end-to-end AI services for government and business clients across Canada.
The partners noted that the collaboration also includes deploying Cohere’s agentic AI platform North within Bell’s operations.
Under the terms of the agreement, Cohere will offer its enterprise-grade AI capabilities through the Bell AI Fabric, giving Canadian customers access to customized, advanced large language models (LLMs) and applications that meet sovereignty and security standards.
