Ottawa region could get a data centre worth up to $1.85 billion

What's planned

Defence Construction Canada, a federal Crown corporation, has issued an advance notice for a 60-megawatt data centre in the National Capital Region. It estimates the contract at between $1.5 billion and $1.85 billion.

Size of the planned data centre

60 megawatts

The centre would draw a little under 10 per cent of the power now available on the capital's grid, according to Louis Beaumier of the Trottier Energy Institute at Polytechnique Montréal. Hydro Ottawa says it assesses any connection request once one is filed.

Data centres have become an issue in the municipal election: mayoral candidates Jeff Leiper and Neil Saravanamuttoo said they would impose a moratorium, while Alex Lawson opposed one. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the project must be examined very carefully.

The federal government must approve the project first; if it does, the call for tenders is to open in winter 2027. Ottawa city staff are to report on a framework for data centres in the first quarter of 2027.