Canadian telecoms operator Bell and Queen’s University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction and operation of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) supercomputing facility.

Bell will oversee the design, construction, financing, and maintenance of the facility, while Kingston, Ontario-based Queen’s will lead the development of the supercomputer and take responsibility for its operation, in addition to semiconductor procurement and the system architecture.

In a statement, the partners said the facility will be built with “high efficiency standards” and will include a heat recapture design. Once deployed, the supercomputer will support academic research and enable Canadian AI companies to build AI applications for business and government.

As a Canadian-owned and governed initiative, the new supercomputer will also help to safeguard sensitive data and intellectual property from foreign government ownership and oversight, the statement added.

No information about the expected compute capacity or when the site will be operational has been provided.

"Our collaboration with Queen's University is a key step in building a strong, independent AI ecosystem right here in Canada,” Dan Rink, president, Bell AI Fabric. “This facility will empower our country's top talent to turn breakthrough research into real-world solutions and economic growth. By giving our innovators more resources, we are building a more competitive and resilient future for Canadian technology."

Nancy Ross, VP research, Queen's University, added: "Queen's University is proud to partner with Bell on this transformative project. Our researchers are global leaders in supercomputing, having contributed to the development of seven of the world's top ten systems. Our researchers are also at the forefront of innovation in green supercomputing to help move the field toward more sustainable operations. This new facility will serve as a national testbed for Canadian technology and significantly strengthen our capacity to advance AI innovation, support research and discovery, attract top talent, and ensure that critical AI development remains in Canada."

Bell launched its 'Bell AI Fabric’ initiative in May 2025 with the aim of building multiple AI data centers across Canada.

At launch, Bell said that long-term, it plans to make the program 'nationwide,' but would start with six data centers in British Columbia, supported by 500MW of hydroelectric power.