Canada: IT and Internet

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Article
Canada Launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles: What Clients Need To Know
Canada has introduced a new national framework setting expectations for data centre infrastructure development, with 42 major industry signatories including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. The Principles establish five core requirements covering local benefits, electricity cost allocation, environmental impacts, transparency and strategic value, though their practical implementation will depend heavily on provincial and municipal policy decisions.
Canada Government
BJ
Bennett Jones LLP
Article
Manitoba’s New AI And Cybersecurity Governance Act: Key Takeaways For The Public And Private Sectors
Manitoba has enacted Bill 51, The Public Sector Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Governance Act, establishing a regulatory framework for AI systems and cybersecurity standards in government operations. While the Act is not yet in force and leaves many requirements to future regulations, it signals significant implications for public sector entities and their private-sector vendors who must prepare for new compliance obligations.
Canada Media & IT
MA
MLT Aikins LLP
Article
Ontario Launches Data Centre Playbook: Proposed Framework For Grid Access, Electricity Costs And Project Approval
Ontario's proposed Data Centre Playbook introduces a framework requiring large data centres to demonstrate economic value, data sovereignty benefits, and community investment before connecting to the provincial electricity grid. The draft policy signals a shift toward strategic assessment of data infrastructure projects, with implications for pricing, grid access, and operational requirements that developers and investors must carefully navigate.
Canada Energy
MT
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
Article
AI Training Gets A ‘fair Dealing’ Boost In India — With A Canadian Assist
The Delhi High Court has issued a preliminary ruling on whether AI training on copyrighted content constitutes infringement, distinguishing between the ingestion of works for model training and the generation of outputs. The decision addresses jurisdictional questions, fair dealing analysis, and the technical architecture of AI systems, offering guidance on how courts may evaluate copyright claims against large language models. While significant, this interlocutory ruling leaves several legal questions unre
Canada IP
OH
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Article
Bridging The AI Frontier: A Guide To AI Inventions In Singapore And Canada
Canada and Singapore have emerged as leading AI research hubs with distinct patent prosecution frameworks. While both jurisdictions reject AI as an inventor, they diverge sharply on software patent eligibility—Singapore offers fast, predictable examination through its technical contribution test, while Canada demands careful claim drafting that integrates AI algorithms with physical systems under its post-Choueifaty purposive construction approach.
Global IP
GW
Gowling WLG
Article
New Guidance On Employee Training Requirements Under The Digital Technologies Accessibility Regulations
Employment and Social Development Canada has released guidance on new employee training requirements for digital accessibility under the Accessible Canada Act. Organizations must identify employees involved in developing, maintaining, or purchasing digital technologies and ensure they receive training on accessibility fundamentals by December 2027.
Canada Employment
BC
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article
Local Opposition To New AI Data Centres Grows In Canada And The United States
As artificial intelligence infrastructure rapidly expands across North America, a powerful wave of local opposition has emerged, with over $162 billion in AI data centre projects delayed or blocked since 2023. This analysis examines how grassroots activism is reshaping the development landscape, from Virginia's Loudoun County to Canada's emerging battleground in Hamilton, and explores the underlying concerns—from water consumption to existential fears about AI—that are driving this bipartisan re
Canada Real Estate
GW
Gowling WLG
Article
Data Centres In Canada: Current State
As artificial intelligence reshapes the global economy and data centres account for over 25% of worldwide greenfield investment, Canada faces a critical infrastructure challenge: how to site, build, and power these facilities at scale. With electricity generation managed by provincial authorities, each jurisdiction has developed distinct regulatory approaches to balance grid capacity constraints with the economic opportunities presented by this rapidly growing sector.
Canada Energy
BL
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Article
Data Centre Regulation In British Columbia – Competing For A Limited Supply
British Columbia has introduced significant legislative changes that impose strict limits on electrical capacity for new data centre projects, fundamentally altering how these facilities can access power in the province. Starting February 1, 2026, BC Hydro can allocate only 100 MW for conventional data centres and 300 MW for AI data centres over a two-year period, with a 145 MW cap per project. These modest allocations, distributed through a competitive process, will substantially constrain data centre grow
Canada Energy
BL
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
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