OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major AI firms have formally signed onto Canada’s newly introduced data centre regulatory framework amid rising public scrutiny.
Nearly two dozen AI hyperscalers, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, have agreed to the federal government’s new framework, which asks but does not compel companies to follow responsible development guidelines for building data centres across Canada.
“We expect projects to pay the costs they create, protect local resources, [and] deliver lasting value to Canadians.”
AI Minister Evan Solomon announced the framework and its signatories at an event in Markham, Ont., on Thursday morning. Canada’s Responsible Data Centre Development Principles are designed to support the domestic buildout the federal government is advancing as part of its AI strategy, while addressing public concerns over rising water consumption, electricity bills, and other local impacts. In a separate statement, Solomon emphasized that Canada is developing the digital infrastructure required to lead in the age of artificial intelligence, grow its economy, and strengthen national sovereignty, noting that “how we build matters.”
“We want companies to come to Canada and invest, and build and grow here; we want investment in this country,” Solomon said at the event. “We expect projects to pay the costs they create, protect local resources, deliver lasting value to Canadians, grow and build responsibly and transparently.”
The framework outlines five expectations for developers. At the event, Solomon clarified that this initiative does not establish a new federal review process, nor does it infringe upon provincial and municipal jurisdiction over construction approvals. Instead, it serves as a voluntary “tool” for local authorities to hold data centre operators accountable. The framework carries no binding definitions or penalties for non-compliance.
Twenty-three organizations have signed on, representing the largest AI firms and hyperscalers constructing facilities in Canada. Signatories include Amazon Web Services, Bell, Telus, OVHCloud, Hypertec, ThinkOn, and Beacon Data Centres. Major technology companies that joined the agreement include Cohere, Canada’s leading large language model developer, alongside Microsoft and Meta. Meta is already planning to construct Alberta’s largest data centre development.
When asked whether the federal government would enforce compliance among signatories, Solomon stated that the administration’s goal was simply to establish a foundational framework, leaving room for provincial regulators to implement rules with “more legislative teeth.”
The federal initiative mirrors similar provincial efforts, particularly in Ontario and Alberta, where governments have proposed regulations requiring data centre projects to cover the full cost of their electricity consumption.
While numerous signatories—including Anthropic, Microsoft, and OpenAI—are seeking to expand their compute capabilities in Canada, they face significant public resistance. Polling by the Angus Reid Institute indicates that more than two-thirds of Canadians oppose having data centres built near their communities. Consequently, firms like Anthropic have hired dedicated community engagement managers to “coordinate charitable giving, community investment, and economic development commitments” aimed at securing local support for projects intended to bring “gigawatts of compute” to the region.
During his remarks, Solomon acknowledged that the public has “good questions” regarding the data centre expansion, particularly concerning local benefits and resource impacts. He expressed hope that the framework will foster greater public trust in what he termed the “digital infrastructure of the future.”
“This is the choice we have as Canadians,” Solomon concluded. “If we don’t build the infrastructure of the future here, we will have to buy it from somewhere else; and if we don’t innovate here, we will rent that from someone else; and if we don’t make the rules here, we will have to follow someone else’s.”