RM OF SHERWOOD, Sask.- The Saskatchewan government has ushered in a new framework policy surrounding AI data centres in the province.
The announcement was made Thursday morning at the site of the Bell AI Data Centre project. At that event Minister of Crown Investments Corporation Jeremy Harrison outlined the principles which would guide the future assessment of data centre projects in the province.
The first will focus on Canadian ownership, which Harrison said would be at the top of the list when it comes to data security.
The second is that the project "must contribute to Canadian data and AI sovereignty," said Harrison.
Harrison emphasized that the key question was where AI infrastructure and data infrastructure is going to be located, and to which laws and regulations that data and AI infrastructure is going to be subject.
"It can be here in Canada, or it can be elsewhere. That is the question that we have in front of us, and elsewhere would likely mean in the United States. We choose Canada, and we had chosen Canada early on in this process, because it will be somewhere. So our principles really reflect the fact that we believe Canada is the right place for AI and data infrastructure."
The third principle outlined is that the project must include significant jobs and investment, with the creation of Saskatchewan jobs and partnerships. Harrison pointed as an example to Bell's partnerships with George Gordon First Nation and the post-secondaries as examples.
A fourth policy is for the project to have "proven and experienced operators in the telecom space," said Harrison.
The fifth item, said Harrison, is a requirement to "bring your own power."
"Any further data center development will be in the context of companies would have to supply their own power," said Harrison. He called the Bell AI Data Centee project unique because "we actually were in a position to supply that power from SaskPower."
"But any further investment into data or AI infrastructure will be a requirement that companies bring their own power and produce that power at their own cost, behind the fence."
The sixth and final consideration is the province is going to have a centralized intake and adjudication process. Harrison said that will be jointly managed by Crown Investments Corporation and the Ministry of Trade and Export Development.
"There will be a process by which companies can formally submit interest in moving forward on any project, and we will be providing a response that will be based on the principles that we just went through," Harrison said.
Harrison particularly emphasized the importance of data sovereignty and having sovereign control over where the data infrastructure should be located.
"You know, there are different views. People have different views on AI, and that is legitimate," Harrison said.
"I think the reality, though, is AI is here to stay. AI is an important part of our lives today, and it's going to become increasingly more important. It's an important part of our economy today, and it's going to become an even more important part of our economy going forward."
Harrison also pointed to the Bell AI Data Centre project as ticking the boxes. He pointed to Bell as one of the icons of the Canadian business establishment, said the project unquestionably contributes to Canadian data and Ai sovereignty, and pointed to the significant jobs and investment.
"There's over 500 workers, I think, on site just today. There will be, over the course of this project, literally thousands of different individuals who will be working on this site, an enormous investment. This alone will be nearly $2 billion just for the physical infrastructure."
Adding to that is $10 billion of investment in the technology that will come, he said, making this "one of the largest private sector investments in the history of the entire country."
"And you can see what that means in practice, and you can see what that means in the city of Regina in practice, with full restaurants, with full hotels, with companies that are very, very busy, local companies, very, very busy. These are all important things."
John Watson, Group President of Bell Canada, pointed to the work already under way at the Bell AI Data Centre site southeast of Regina.
"We purposely chose an all-Canadian team for this build," said Watson. He pointed to the reasons why.
"Because at this time, perhaps more than ever before, we need to build something that's enduring. We need to create jobs here in Canada. We need to create engineering fabrication and permanent construction advantages here, not somewhere else."
Watson also spoke some more about the decision to use a closed loop system for water supply.
"I can tell you 16 months ago, well before we thought about building here, we made the decision that there would be no groundwater used. Zero," said Watson.
"It's a closed-loop system. It's technical water. Zero consumption. Zero, zero, zero. We've just got to get that message out. The heat that we produce will be shared with the George Gordon Band and the university. So a beautiful, positive effect in terms of displacing heating and energy sources they need there. So in the end, this is Saskatchewan built. It'll be Saskatchewan run."
Harrison did admit that there had been "internal guidelines we were operating on" already for this project. But he added "we've worked hard, though, on making sure that we consider and look at all the other jurisdictions that have guidelines around data."
"So we looked at kind of best practice around North America about what that would look like. And there are different models in different areas. But where we landed really is what you're hearing today with regard to a focus really on the importance of Canadian AI and data sovereignty being the overarching objective. And I think important as well, bring your own power, which is going to be the case as we move forward as well."
