Canada’s desire to maintain the confidentiality, security, and integrity of information from disclosure to foreign powers is fundamentally a national security issue. How feasible it will be to fulfill that desire is an open question when the country relies so heavily on foreign-controlled cloud infrastructure.

Among the challenges that will have to be overcome is the U.S. Cloud Act, which allows the U.S. Department of Justice to compel U.S. companies to disclose data they control, regardless of location. While the issue previously felt academic, it now feels urgent due to the current trade tensions and the geopolitical climate.

Still another is the emerging concern of whether current encryption algorithms become obsolete due to quantum computing, and how prepared Canadian sovereign cloud providers are to make this transition. These questions and others will be part of the conversation during the “Canada’s Data Sovereignty Challenge in the Age of AI: The Risks of Foreign Infrastructure Dependency and Opportunities for New Canadian Players to Emerge” panel discussion at the inaugural Connect North American Investment in Digital Infrastructure & AI conference, scheduled for Feb. 11 in Montreal.

Moderated by Steven Slaven, counsel with Torys LLP, the panel will include Danny Galor with Equinix, Igor Kaplun with Siemens, Slavens’ Torys colleague Scott Kraag, Robert Michun of MicroLogic and Roget Struckhoff of the International Data Center Authority. Panelists will also consider how AI workloads are amplifying these challenges and highlight opportunities for Canadian cloud providers and investors to build secure, domestically anchored alternatives within the realities of Canada–U.S. ties.

Click here to register for the conference.

Pictured: New LEED Gold-certified MTL8 data centre in Montreal.

Photo: Cologix

Digital transformation and the explosive growth of AI are driving unprecedented energy demands in data centers across North America. That’s why every energy investor, vendor, and provider needs to attend Connect North American Investment in Digital Infrastructure & AI in Montreal on February 11. With speakers from BluWave-ai, Hydrogen Energy Research Center, Vantage Data Centers, AVAIO Capital, and more, this is the premier gathering for those shaping the future of energy and technology. This event is your gateway to connect directly with industry leaders, discover the latest opportunities, and gain valuable insights into powering next-generation digital infrastructure. Register today at www.connectdigitalai2026.com