The Canadian Companies Building AI Infrastructure (and Why They Matter)
Alex Smith
8 hours ago
Did you know that Canadian companies are among the worldâs biggest players in AI infrastructure?
Not many people know it, but itâs true.
Canadian companies are among the biggest suppliers of energy to U.S. AI companies, as well as some of the biggest operators of AI data centres. In this article, I explore just a few of the many Canadian companies building AI infrastructure, starting with one that may surprise you.
BCE Inc
BCE (TSX:BCE) is a Canadian telecommunications company that is best known for running media outlets and providing cellular/internet service to Canadians. Few ever saw this company branching out into AI, but now thatâs whatâs happening.
BCE made statements to the effect that it was working on AI long ago; more recently, it made its plans clear. Last week, the company announced its plan to build an AI data centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. The plan will see Bell construct a 160-acre giant of a facility, with an aim to create a national AI computing network.
What will BCEâs AI data centre be used for?
For now, the programâs goals are vague, but BCE is known to be partnering with universities to fund research projects, and selling computing to other companies. So, this project could be a massive revenue driver for BCE.
Brookfield
Several of Brookfield Corporationâs (TSX:BN) subsidiaries are involved in building out Canadian and global AI infrastructure.
Most obviously, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (TSX:BIP.UN) is building out a network of AI data centres across Canada and the United States. The company signs long-term âtake or payâ deals with âhyperscalers,â where the big companies pay for the real estate, power grids and cooling systems, while bringing in their own servers. This is a clever business model because it leaves BIP.UN without the responsibility of paying for pricey NVIDIA GPUs whose ROI is questionable at the moment. Instead, BIP.UN simply collects rent from the companies doing the big spending.
Less obviously, Brookfield Renewable Partners (TSX:BEP.UN) is supplying clean energy to the big American AI giants. The company signed an agreement to supply Microsoft with 10 gigawatts of clean power in 2024; it followed that up by signing a similar deal with Alphabet in 2025. These deals are projected to generate billions in revenue. Theyâll also likely raise Brookfieldâs profile.
So, Brookfield Corp is one company that, through its partially-owned subsidiaries, is powering the AI revolution.
Granite
Granite REIT (TSX:GRT.UN) is a Canadian industrial real estate investment trust that is currently exploring the possibility of converting some of its properties into data centres. It already owns a portfolio of warehouse, multi-purpose and specialized facilities serving industrial tenants. AI data centres are similar to warehouses in that they require a lot of space to house mostly things rather than people. Granite REIT is not directly making money off AI yet, but the plans and the potential are both there.
Foolish takeaway
The bottom line on Canadian infrastructure developers is that they are doing big things in AI. Generative AI requires power, data centres and telco equipment, and Canada has all three of these key assets in spades. This advantage positions the companies above perfectly in the age of AI, whether or not big tech ever sees a return on its GPU spending.
The post The Canadian Companies Building AI Infrastructure (and Why They Matter) appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
Should you invest $1,000 in BCE Inc. right now?
Before you buy stock in BCE Inc., consider this:
The Motley Fool Canada team has identified what they believe are the top 10 TSX stocks for 2026âÂÂŚ and BCE Inc. wasnâÂÂt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could potentially produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider MercadoLibre, which we first recommended on January 8, 2014 ⌠if you invested $1,000 in the âÂÂeBay of Latin Americaâ at the time of our recommendation, youâÂÂd have $20,155.76!*
Now, itâs worth noting Stock Advisor Canadaâs total average return is 90%* â a market-crushing outperformance compared to 81%* for the S&P/TSX Composite Index. Donât miss out on our top 10 stocks, available when you join our mailing list!
Get the 10 stocks instantly #start_btn6 { background: #0e6d04 none repeat scroll 0 0; color: #fff; font-size: 1.2em; font-family: 'Montserrat', sans-serif; font-weight: 600; height: auto; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 30px 0; max-width: 350px; text-align: center; width: auto; box-shadow: 0 1px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5), 0 1px 0 #fff inset, 0 0 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2); border-radius: 5px; } #start_btn6 a { color: #fff; display: block; padding: 20px; padding-right:1em; padding-left:1em; } #start_btn6 a:hover { background: #FFE300 none repeat scroll 0 0; color: #000; } @media (max-width: 480px) { div#start_btn6 { font-size:1.1em; max-width: 320px;} } margin_bottom_5 { margin-bottom:5px; } margin_top_10 { margin-top:10px; }* Returns as of February 17th, 2026
More reading
- The 1 Stock IâÂÂd Keep Forever Inside a TFSA
- The Top Canadian Stocks to Buy Right Away with $45,000
- Cash-Rich Canadian Companies That Thrive in Economic Downturns
- Billionaires Are Selling Amazon Stock and Betting on This TSX Stock
- Transform Your TFSA Into a Cash-Creating Machine With $15,000
Fool contributor Andrew Button has positions in Brookfield. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Brookfield. The Motley Fool recommends Alphabet, Brookfield Corporation, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Granite Real Estate Investment Trust, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Related Articles
Canadians: Hereâs How Much You Need in Your TFSA to Retire
Leverage the tax-sheltered status of your TFSA to create a self-directed retirem...
This TSX Dividend Stock Could Surprise in 2026
Brookfieldâs fee engine is quietly accelerating, and that 15% dividend hike coul...
Here Are My 2 Favourite ETFs for 2026
I am bullish on real estate and infrastructure for 2026, and these two ETF picks...
This 5.9% Dividend Stock Pays Cash Every Month
This 5.9% dividend REIT pays monthly cash while trading 25% below net asset valu...