Bell Canada is proposing to quadruple the power capacity of its Saskatchewan AI infrastructure project to 1.2 gigawatts, but the bulk of the expansion would depend on new natural gas generation built outside the provincial power grid.
Bell and the Saskatchewan government signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding Monday for up to 900 MW of additional data-centre capacity, on top of the 300 MW facility already under construction outside Regina. Bell estimates the combined infrastructure, tenant computing equipment, and associated power generation could represent more than $50 billion in capital investment at full buildout.
The additional 900 MW would be powered by partner-developed natural gas generation rather than drawing the electricity from SaskPower. Saskatchewan’s recently adopted data-centre framework requires new proponents to supply their own power so large projects do not add pressure to the provincial grid or displace electricity exports.
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That would leave the original 300 MW project connected to the provincial grid while the proposed expansion follows Saskatchewan’s “Bring Your Own Power” model. If all 900 MW is built, roughly 75% of the 1.2 GW hub’s stated capacity would come from the additional gas-powered development.
The scale remains conditional. Bell said the expansion would be developed in phases as customers are secured and remains subject to commercial agreements, permits, approvals, and any required environmental assessments.
The headline investment figure also extends beyond Bell’s direct data-centre construction. Bell said total capital associated with the project includes the data-centre infrastructure itself, compute equipment deployed by tenants, and power-generation infrastructure. Its release put the potential figure above $50 billion.
Government estimates are somewhat higher. Saskatchewan Crown Investments Corporation Minister Jeremy Harrison referred to a $52 billion expansion, while the federal government said total investment could reach $52.5 billion.
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Saskatchewan described the announcement as the largest private-sector capital investment in Canadian history in the title of its release. Bell itself said the project would represent the largest capital investment in Saskatchewan’s history, a characterization also used by the federal government.
Bell projects the full development would support 800 to 1,200 construction, engineering, and technical jobs, as well as up to 600 permanent operations and management positions. It estimates as many as 3,000 additional community and offsite jobs could follow based on other large data-centre deployments.
Bell AI Fabric would also establish the headquarters of its national ecosystem in Saskatchewan.
The proposal expands a project Bell announced in March rather than creating a new development from scratch.
Bell’s original 300 MW facility is being built in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood outside Regina. Early site work began April 21, and Bell has said the first data hall is expected to enter service in the first half of 2027.
The original facility was projected to generate up to $12 billion in economic value for Saskatchewan and support at least 800 construction, engineering, and technical jobs.
The new proposal would add three times that project’s electrical capacity, but unlike the initial 300 MW development, its expansion would largely rely on independently developed gas-fired generation.
Bell said the proposed facilities would use closed-loop cooling systems that require no municipal water.
