Google looking to expand in Quebec with new data center
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Google Canada announced last week its intention to acquire property in the Greater Montreal area to build a data center facility with an estimated price tag of $735 million, as reported by Global News.
The land is zoned agricultural, and is southwest of Montreal in Beauharnois. There is no set timeline for the project. The Quebec government stated that it will rezone more than 60 hectares of land belonging to Hydro-Quebec out of the agricultural zone. The government also said compensation measures will be put in place to mitigate the impact of the project on the territory’s agricultural activities.
Economy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon welcomed the news of Google’s growth in the province.
“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,” Google Canada noted in a blog post.
