Saskatchewan mandates Canadian builders for data centres

Key Takeaways:

• The Government of Saskatchewan has released a new Data Centre Framework requiring all future AI and computing infrastructure projects to be Canadian-owned and headquartered.
• New data centre developments must supply their own off-grid power generation to avoid putting additional demand on SaskPower’s grid or rising utility rates for existing customers.
• The province is currently evaluating more than 30 data centre applications under the new framework, anchored by Bell Canada’s ongoing $1.7-billion, 300-megawatt build in the RM of Sherwood.

The Whole Story:

The Government of Saskatchewan has released a new provincial Data Centre Framework to guide future artificial intelligence and high-performance computing infrastructure investments across the province. Developed following consultations with industry, labor groups, municipal leaders, and Indigenous partners, the policy establishes a centralized evaluation process aimed at protecting Canadian data sovereignty and safeguarding the domestic power grid.

Under the framework, all future data centre proponents must be Canadian-owned and headquartered, ensuring that domestic AI computing infrastructure remains subject to Canadian privacy laws and regulatory oversight. To protect local ratepayers and prevent displacement of SaskPower’s existing utility capacity, the province is mandating that all new facilities self-supply their own off-grid power generation. Proponents must also demonstrate local job creation, offer equity or employment opportunities to Indigenous communities, and utilize environmentally sustainable technologies—such as closed-loop cooling systems that eliminate water draw from regional supplies.

“The reality is that AI is here, and it will play a significant role in our lives and our economy,” said Jeremy Harrison, Minister of Crown Investments Corporation. “The real question is where the infrastructure that powers AI will be built and whose laws will govern it. We can build that infrastructure here in Canada, create Canadian jobs, attract billions of dollars in investment and ensure Canadian data is protected by Canadian laws and regulations… Our government chooses Canada.”

Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding added that the clear guidelines will give institutional investors regulatory certainty while ensuring local communities benefit directly from upcoming builds. Municipal organizations—including the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM)—welcomed the framework, noting that it maintains rural planning authorities while providing a standardized intake process for local project reviews.

The policy release comes as construction continues on Bell Canada’s $1.7-billion, 300-megawatt data centre campus in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood. Developed in partnership with George Gordon First Nation, the Bell project is expected to generate $12 billion in total economic output, $720 million in direct provincial revenue, and more than 1,600 jobs. Saskatchewan currently has more than 30 active data centre applications in its review queue that will now be evaluated against the newly established framework.