Simon Fraser and Queen’s University Partner to Develop Sovereign Canadian AI Supercomputing Infrastructure and Data Security

Simon Fraser University and Queen’s University join forces to build a secure, made-in-Canada supercomputing system to protect national data and AI research.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 31, 2026, 3:26 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Simon Fraser University

The Strategic Necessity of Digital Sovereignty

As the global demand for artificial intelligence accelerates, the requirement for secure, domestic computing infrastructure has become a matter of national importance. The partnership between Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Queen’s University is designed to address this need by creating a "made-in-Canada" supercomputing platform. By ensuring that data and intellectual property remain under Canadian jurisdiction, the collaboration protects critical innovations in healthcare, defense, and clean energy from the risks associated with foreign-hosted cloud environments, effectively securing the nation's digital sovereignty.

Synergizing National Expertise in High-Performance Computing

The two institutions bring complementary strengths to the project, combining SFU’s experience in operating Canada’s largest public supercomputing system with Queen’s specialized knowledge in global system design. SFU currently supports over 24,000 researchers through its Cedar Supercomputing Centre, while Queen’s hosts experts who have contributed to the deployment of some of the world's most powerful top-ten systems. This combined talent pool is intended to create a superior platform capable of training the next generation of AI models and Canadian technical experts.

Bell Canada’s Role in Infrastructure and Deployment

A critical component of this national build is the involvement of Bell Canada, which will support the construction of a primary supercomputing facility in Kingston, Ontario. While Queen’s University leads the design and operation of the Kingston site, Bell will also assist in expanding resource capacity in British Columbia to ensure a truly coast-to-coast infrastructure. This private-sector collaboration is expected to accelerate technological advances in key areas of national focus, including advanced manufacturing and public safety, by providing the high-speed connectivity required for massive data analysis.