Bell’s Saskatchewan AI datacenter is about to be acquired manner bigger.
Documents filed with the rural municipality of Sherwood as part of a rezoning application show the telecommunications giant has already entered into conditional agreements to purchase land surrounding the parcel on which the data center sits.
For context, the facility sits on a 160-hectare (65-acre) parcel of land just south of Regina. Currently, the facility is being built at a rapid pace, with two of the six approved data centers coming online in the first half of 2027.
Source: Rural Municipality of Sherwood
According to CBC News, the expansion covers approximately 895 hectares (362 acres), bringing the data center’s total footprint to approximately 1,055 hectares (426 acres). For context, the Los Angeles Chargers play in 298 acres complex in Hollywood Park, California – and we mean it that is incredibly large.
The planned expansion allows for up to nine additional data center buildings and support infrastructure. The buildings will be built in phases, with the first set to be built as early as 2027, according to the documents.
The development cost is estimated at $52 billion and will be the largest private capital investment in Saskatchewan’s history.
Now there is some (very expected) pushback for this nearly 900-acre expansion. Demonstrators have previously disrupted city council meetings, demanding answers under what CBC described as “lack of consultation.” Sherwood’s reeve, Ray Orb, confirmed to CBC news that the disturbances triggered a special virtual meeting, this time with open consultation.
Orb also said CBC that Bell must consult with First Nations about the project.
Header image credit: Shutterstock
Source: CBC News