Partnering for precision: National expertise is powering Canada’s next generation of data centers

As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates nationwide, data centers in Ontario and British Columbia have emerged as some of the most complex and mission-critical facilities being built today. From power continuity and advanced electromechanical systems to security, commissioning, and uptime requirements, delivering these projects successfully leaves no margin for error.

In this environment, collaboration isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a prerequisite.

That reality is shaping how Pomerleau approaches data center construction in Canada. Drawing on national-scale experience, Progressive Design-Build, and sector-specific expertise, the company serves as a collaborative partner for data center projects in Ontario and BC (with further national expansion currently in progress), capable of delivering high-performance infrastructure that’s built to last.

Proven Expertise to Power the Digital Age

Data centers underpin the modern economy. They support everything from cloud computing and financial systems to healthcare operations and digital communications, housing the servers, networking equipment, and storage systems that keep businesses and communities running — particularly in Canada’s growing tech and finance sectors.

Building these facilities requires seamless coordination between civil works, structure, architecture, advanced electromechanical systems, and precision project management. Pomerleau brings that coordination together through full value-chain expertise — preconstruction, design support, planning, construction, commissioning, operation, and eventual deconstruction — supported by dedicated and specialized internal teams. Early involvement allows teams to anticipate site and design challenges, optimizing schedules and budgets before construction even begins.

With more than 5,000 employees and over 200 active projects nationwide, Pomerleau’s experience includes industrial projects with particularly high health and safety standards, supported by more than 100 dedicated occupational health and safety specialists across its sites. The company holds COR™ certification, ContractorCheck accreditation, and maintains industry-leading safety performance, reinforced through advanced tools such as digital risk analysis, VR training, and mobile accident simulation units developed in partnership with 3M.

It’s this depth of expertise that allows Pomerleau to manage the intricate systems that define data center construction — including projects for hyperscalers with extremely demanding requirements — ensuring every component operates in harmony, today and into the future.

Built on Collaboration, From Design to Delivery

At the core of Pomerleau’s approach to Canada’s data center builds is a collaborative lens that, from a baseline of project complexity, brings clarity to the forefront. From early design stages through to final handover, the company works closely with clients, engineers, and local partners to align expectations, manage risk, and maintain transparency throughout the process.

This approach is supported by advanced digital platforms such as CMiC, Procore, PlaniPOM, OpenSpace and Textura, enabling real-time project control, budget tracking, logistics coordination, and accelerated payments. BIM and VDC technologies are used to optimize schedules, cost control, and ensure seamless coordination among stakeholders.

Data centers demand rigorous commissioning processes, and Pomerleau’s approach includes documented verification, system testing, and comprehensive training to support smooth handover. Redundancy is built into electrical and mechanical systems to mitigate operational risk, while in-house expertise in MEP processes allows teams to develop and train specialized skills internally. The company also manages owner-furnished, contractor-installed (OFCI) equipment, including items with long delivery timelines supplied by clients.

“True collaboration means transparency at every step,” says Benoît Dalinval, Project Director, Data Centers at Pomerleau. “In data center construction, where precision and reliability are critical, we work closely with our clients to ensure every system, especially in mechanical and electrical until the end of commissioning, meets the highest standards.”

Innovation With Responsibility

Innovation plays an integral role in Pomerleau’s ability to deliver resilient data center infrastructure, but this innovation is grounded by responsibility. Sustainability and safety are engineered into projects from the outset (rather than layered on after the fact).

Pomerleau has been an early adopter of BIM and VDC technologies, now used on approximately 75% of its projects, and maintains a strong track record in sustainable construction, including LEED, Zero Carbon, Envision, and ISO 14001 certifications. 

Using data-driven tools, Pomerleau focuses on maximizing energy efficiency through smart energy management, optimized cooling systems, IoT sensors, and renewable energy integration. Sustainability efforts extend further, too, reaching material selection, water and carbon footprint reduction, and advanced waste management practices.

Through all this innovation, safety remains paramount, and is reinforced through an industry-leading health and safety system. Every project incorporates proactive risk analysis, continuous inspections, real-time monitoring, audits, and a strong prevention culture. Specialized approaches, such as dust-free construction for cleanroom environments, are complemented by comprehensive training programs and safety-focused operational standards. For hyperscalers, where reliability is non-negotiable, safety is a differentiator — ensuring quality, speed, and safety are seamlessly integrated.

“Simply put: We care about people,” Dalinval says. “Health and safety are embedded in everything we do, enabling us to deliver secure, high-performance environments our clients can count on.” 

An Internal Edge

​Another way Pomerleau sets itself apart is through its internal Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team​. 

​With many team members having previously worked with large M&E contractors, this internal support offers a unique edge that contributes to project precision and reliability across mechanical, electrical, and environmental systems. ​The M&E team​’s early involvement in design and preconstruction​ translates to early catches of potential operational ​o​r technical challenges, ​resulting in smoother project delivery. 

Results That Endure

Ultimately, data center construction demands more than technical execution — it requires trust, coordination, wisdom, and the ability to adapt as demands evolve. By uniting proven expertise, a deeply collaborative process, and innovation anchored in safety and sustainability, Pomerleau delivers infrastructure designed to perform — reliably — over the long term.

With multiple projects underway across Ontario and BC, Pomerleau brings its expertise to the national scale, ensuring reliable, high-performance data centers that set a precedent for Canada at large.

Learn more about Pomerleau’s data center expertise here.