Apr 29, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
Work is underway to convert a former protein-processing plant in Winnipeg, Canada, into an AI data center for Bell Canada. According to CBC, the facility will form part of Bell’s “AI Fabric” network, under which the company is developing multiple data centers across the country.
The data center is expected to deliver around 5.5MW of capacity at completion, with Bell investing approximately $23 million in the project. The former plant spans about 94,000 sq ft (8,732 sqm). Work is currently underway, including modifying the building’s structure to support data center operations and installing concrete pads for generators, chillers, and transformers.
The plant originally opened in 2021 at a cost of around $109.55 million, but entered receivership just two years later. In 2025, former Merit co-CEOs Ryan Bracken and Barry Tomiski repurchased the facility, noting at the time that they did not intend to restart operations, though they did not disclose alternative plans.Bell is currently developing several AI data centers across Canada. The company is working on a facility in Kamloops, British Columbia, in partnership with Thompson Rivers University, and is also planning a 300MW data center campus in Saskatchewan.
