Canada set to gain access to EU supercomputers

Canadian businesses, start-ups and researchers would gain access to European supercomputers to train AI models under an agreement expected to be finalised at the EU-Canada Summit in Montréal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the plan at the C.D. Howe Institute, saying Europe’s 12 state-of-the-art supercomputers could complement Canada’s established AI industry.

The partnership would also cover AI safety and security, common rules and standards, research, investment and international governance of advanced systems. Von der Leyen warned that concentrating technological capabilities among a handful of companies leaves businesses and essential services vulnerable to decisions made elsewhere. Amazon, Microsoft and Google control around 70 per cent of Europe’s cloud market, while European providers account for just 15 per cent.

Von der Leyen highlighted the proposed merger between Canada’s Cohere and Germany’s Aleph Alpha as an example of deeper cooperation. Their September agreement to create a transatlantic sovereign AI business still requires regulatory approval. She also proposed closer strategic supply chains for semiconductors and critical raw materials, alongside stronger Canadian participation in Horizon Europe. Her broader proposal for Canada to become an EU associate member remains unagreed by member states, with Germany among those raising objections.