OpenText & TELUS launch Canadian sovereign cloud & AI
OpenText and TELUS have announced the launch of the OpenText and TELUS Canadian Sovereign Cloud, a cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) solution built to address data sovereignty requirements for enterprise and government clients across Canada.
The new offering operates within TELUS's Canadian data centres, specifically in Rimouski, Quebec, and Kamloops, British Columbia, and is designed to deliver enterprise-grade cloud and AI capabilities while ensuring that all data processes, from application hosting to network operations, remain entirely within Canadian borders.
Strategic partnership
The partnership brings together Canadian infrastructure alongside AI and data management expertise to create a sovereign, secure and scalable platform aimed at organisations that require strict adherence to Canadian regulatory and security standards. OpenText currently supports over 1,600 Canadian institutions, with around one thousand utilising cloud-based, AI-powered applications. The new service now gives these clients a dedicated sovereign cloud environment that guarantees compliance with national data residency and privacy standards.
Mark J. Barrenechea, OpenText's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer, said,
"OpenText is excited to partner with TELUS to deliver these strategic capabilities for Canadian customers. Together with TELUS, we are delivering a uniquely Canadian solution - one that empowers our customers to innovate with confidence, knowing their data and AI workloads remain protected and in-country."
Darren Entwistle, President and Chief Executive Officer of TELUS, added,
"This partnership represents a bold and important step forward in Canada's digital sovereignty. By combining TELUS' advanced Sovereign AI Factory offering with OpenText's enterprise AI capabilities, we are delivering Canada's first truly sovereign AI platform. Together with OpenText, we will enable our customers to leverage the complete AI development process - from building new AI models and fine-tuning existing ones for their specific needs, to deploying them in their business operations – all while keeping Canadian data safely within our nation's borders."
Government perspective
The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, commented on the wider industry and national implications:
"Canada needs trusted data infrastructure and industry-leading sovereign AI capabilities to advance our technology sector. Seeing two leading, innovative Canadian companies come together to build the digital and AI backbone of the future underscores the kind of vision and leadership Canada needs right now. This will help build the economy of the future and serve Canadians in the digital economy of tomorrow. We need to see more collaborations like this to drive our nation forward."
Details of the offering
The OpenText and TELUS Canadian Sovereign Cloud operates exclusively in TELUS facilities in Rimouski and Kamloops, reinforcing its commitment to sovereign assurance by keeping all services and data within the country. The platform is positioned to aid organisations that demand not only advanced AI computing capacity but also full compliance with national security and privacy regulations.
In addition, OpenText's suite of Aviator AI products will integrate with TELUS's AI Factory to offer Canadian customers a wholly sovereign configuration, with all operations and data hosted domestically. This configuration supports functionalities such as AI-enabled search and summarisation, allowing organisations to leverage advanced technologies without the risk of cross-border data movement.
OpenText and TELUS are both early signatories of the Canadian Government's voluntary AI Code of Conduct and have a history of serving government agencies and major institutions. OpenText private cloud solutions are available through existing procurement channels and have undergone full technical evaluation, making them ready for immediate deployment.
Commitment to Canadian innovation
The launch reflects the companies' aim to support Canada's broader digital ambitions by blending cloud computing flexibility with strict sovereignty requirements. The partners indicate that this approach allows Canadian businesses and government entities to benefit from AI and digital technologies while maintaining control over their assets in accordance with domestic laws and policies.
The joint sovereign cloud and AI platform will become available to Canadian commercial and government customers in late 2025.
