Canadian imports of computers, servers, and processors surged dramatically in June, signaling a potential shift in the country’s involvement in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure development. Statistics Canada reported an 88 percent increase compared with the same month last year, reaching a record $3 billion. This growth marks a significant acceleration in Canada’s tech equipment imports, though the country still lags behind the United States, where similar imports began rising sharply in 2024 amid the AI boom.
The surge in imports reflects a broader trend of increased business investment in computer and peripheral equipment, particularly in the first quarter of 2026. Stephen Brown, chief North America economist at Capital Economics, noted that while the increased imports do not directly raise GDP much—due to an offsetting negative impact on net trade—the rise nevertheless indicates mounting AI-related activity within the Canadian economy.
It remains unclear which specific projects are driving this import growth. However, the development of large-scale data centres is likely a contributing factor. In July, Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, announced it had begun construction on a one-gigawatt data centre near Edmonton. This facility marks Meta’s first data centre in Canada and is the company’s largest outside the United States.
Vancouver-based Aterio, which tracks global data centre projects, reported that nearly 200 such projects have been announced in Canada, with 15 under construction. Not all these developments are necessarily intended for AI applications, but the scale of activity suggests a growing trend toward establishing the infrastructure necessary to support AI growth.
Despite this momentum, opposition to data-centre expansion is rising in some regions. Mississauga city council recently voted to impose a temporary pause on new data-centre projects. The council cited concerns over impacts on municipal infrastructure, economic activity, environmental factors, noise, and the consumption of energy and water resources. This reflects ongoing debates over the sustainability and local effects of large data-centre operations in Canada.
Overall, the surge in computer and server imports illustrates a notable shift in Canada’s role in the AI landscape, potentially marking the start of a stronger investment phase in the country’s digital infrastructure, even as some municipalities weigh the costs of rapid development.