Microsoft Pledges $19B to Boost Canada’s AI Future

Microsoft is making its biggest investment in Canada, pledging $19 billion CAD from 2023 to 2027 to expand AI and cloud infrastructure, boost cybersecurity, and train Canadians for the AI era. Over $7.5 billion will be invested in the next two years, with new datacentres coming online in the latter half of 2026.

To catch you up, the company already employs 5,300 people across 11 cities and partners with more than 17,000 Canadian businesses. These collaborations support roughly 426,000 jobs nationwide and generate tens of billions in revenue annually, helping Canadian organizations modernize and compete globally.

The initiative is built around three priorities: technology, trust, and talent. Microsoft is expanding its Azure Canada East and Canada Central regions to deliver secure, sustainable cloud and AI services. The datacentres will power innovations across public services, finance, cleantech, and more, all designed to stay within Canada and align with sustainability goals.

To protect digital sovereignty, Microsoft is introducing a five-point plan. Measures include confidential computing, new Azure Local options, and the Sovereign AI Landing Zone (SAIL) for secure, locally hosted AI solutions. A new Threat Intelligence Hub in Ottawa will help defend against cyberattacks, including state-backed threats and ransomware targeting key sectors like healthcare, finance, and government.

Microsoft is also investing in its Elevate program, which has trained over 546,000 Canadians in AI skills since 2024 and plans to certify 250,000 more by 2026. Partnerships with Actua and Indigenous communities aim to equip 20,000 youth with AI and STEM skills, ensuring that innovation reaches remote and underserved areas.

Brad Smith, Microsoft Vice Chair, called the plan “the most significant commitment in Microsoft Canada’s history.”