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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Google Canada Plans Beauharnois, Quebec, Data Center

05/17/2021
Google Canada reported it intends to acquire property in Greater Montreal and build a data centre facility in Beauharnois, Quebec. The company plans to invest $735 million in the project.

Both Google Canada and the Quebec government said the construction of the data centre will bring well-paid jobs to the region. Although there is no set timeline for the project, Google said it also hopes to run its entire business on clean electricity by 2030.

“Based on industry standards for data center builds and our own experience, once construction begins on a data center, that construction phase at its peak can provide work for 300-500 people and ultimately an operational data center can employ dozens of people, at least 20-30 in skilled roles,” company officials said.

The Quebec government said it will rezone 62. 4 hectares of land belonging to Hydro-Quebec out of the agricultural zone to allow for the initiative to go ahead. The government also said compensation measures will be put in place to mitigate the impact of the project on the territory and its agricultural activities.

“The expansion of the activities of a company of Google’s stature in Quebec confirms our status as one of the most dynamic and greenest technology centres in the world,” said Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon.

In 2004, Google opened its first office in Montreal with only three employees. Last February it announced it was growing the Montreal office which is expected to welcome 1,000 employees once construction is finished.

“Every day, demand for Google services is increasing and our physical infrastructure follows the same rhythm,” the company said. “Once acquired, this site in Beauharnois will ensure we have options to expand our data centre infrastructure into Canada, when our business requires it.”

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