Canada opens applications for $890 million sovereign AI supercomputer

The Government of Canada is inviting eligible organizations to design, build, and operate a national public AI supercomputer, as part of a broader strategy to keep AI research and innovation on Canadian soil.

Canada has opened applications for its AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program, which will fund the design, build, and operation of a national public AI supercomputer for Canadian researchers and innovators

The Government of Canada has opened applications for its AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program, a call for proposals to build a large-scale public AI supercomputer backed by approximately $890 million in funding over seven fiscal years.

The program, which launches in fiscal year 2026-27, is designed to give Canadian researchers and businesses access to advanced computing capacity while keeping data, governance, and operational control within Canada.

Evan Solomon, Canada's Minister of AI and Digital Innovation and MP for Toronto Centre, announced the opening of applications on LinkedIn. He wrote that the initiative is "a national effort to put world-class computing power in the hands of Canadian researchers, companies, and institutions," describing the compute capacity as what is needed "to drive breakthroughs in health care, energy, advanced manufacturing, and scientific discovery."

He added that the successful applicant will be invited "to design, build, operate, and maintain a Canadian-owned, AI-optimized high-performance computing system" that will "form a core part of our digital backbone, anchoring the next wave of Canadian AI innovation here at home." On Canada's position globally, he was direct: "Canada is already at the forefront of AI. What we need now is the compute to match our talent."

What the program funds and who can apply

The program is structured around two layers. The Infrastructure Build Layer, which this call for applications covers, is responsible for designing, building, and operating the national supercomputing system, including hardware installation, data center operations, and systems administration. A separate National Service Layer will focus on enabling researchers and innovators to use the infrastructure effectively, providing user support, training and skills development, research consulting, and data services.

Funding of approximately $890 million covers the Infrastructure Build Layer over seven fiscal years. All funding amounts are described as notional and subject to negotiation, with disbursements contingent on parliamentary appropriations.

Eligibility is restricted to Canadian organizations in order to uphold the program's sovereignty requirements. Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada, post-secondary institutions incorporated in Canada, and consortia led by a not-for-profit or post-secondary institution. Consortia may include academic institutions, research organizations, and industry partners, provided the lead applicant meets the Canadian incorporation requirement.

Sovereignty, skills, and research access

The program's stated priorities extend beyond raw compute capacity. The Government of Canada lists speed to delivery, future scalability, sovereignty and governance, and economic impact as guiding principles alongside infrastructure expansion. On sovereignty specifically, the program requires that the system be Canadian-located and Canadian-governed, with data residency, operational control, and decision-making authority remaining in Canada.

The National Service Layer's inclusion of training and skills development as a core function places the program within a broader workforce and research capability agenda. The program aims to anchor a national platform for innovation, enabling researchers and innovators to experiment with hardware, software, and AI systems within a protected, sovereign environment, with the goal of strengthening Canada's domestic technology value chain, reducing reliance on foreign supply chains, and creating pathways for homegrown companies to pilot, refine, and commercialize new technologies.

The application deadline of June 1, 2026 gives eligible organizations just over six weeks to submit. The Government of Canada is hosting an information session webinar for interested proponents.

For Canadian post-secondary institutions and research organizations, the program represents one of the most significant public compute investments in the country's history, and the inclusion of skills development and research access within its remit makes it directly relevant to the EdTech and higher education sectors.