AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program
Information and Communication Technology
Deadlines
Academic Unit: Inquire with unit
Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 27th, May 2026
External Deadline: Monday 1st, June 2026
Description
The AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program (SCIP) is a key initiative under the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy that advances Canada’s leadership in AI by delivering on historic investments from Budget 2024 and Budget 2025. This program is being delivered, in part, through an open call for applications to build a large-scale sovereign public AI supercomputer for Canadian researchers and innovators.
Through this initiative, the Government of Canada will improve access to advanced computing for Canada’s world-class researchers and innovative firms developing novel AI solutions or applications, to spur scientific discovery and economic growth.
This investment will:
- – give Canadian researchers the compute they need to undertake transformative AI projects;
- – support access for innovative Canadian businesses and AI-related R&D;
- – enhance Canadian sovereignty and resilience;
- – allow for the integration of Canadian technologies; and
- – accelerate the build-out of national public AI compute capacity to ensure Canada remains globally competitive and retains top AI talent.
Beyond providing researchers with access to advanced compute, SCIP aims to ultimately anchor a national platform for innovation, enabling Canadian researchers and innovators to experiment with cutting-edge hardware, software, and AI systems within a protected, sovereign environment. SCIP will reinforce long-term economic growth by enabling a secure, Canadian-controlled testbed where domestic technologies can be developed, scaled, and validated.
Those interested should contact aiscip-picsia@ised-isde.gc.ca to request the AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program application form. Completed forms, along with the required attachments, must be submitted by the deadline. Before completing the application form, make sure to review the program guide. The application period will close at 1:00PM Eastern Time on Monday June 1, 2026.
For more details, see the Minister’s announcement.