Montréal becomes one of Google’s seven global hubs
Google Cloud, Google’s cloud service, is coming to Montréal. The tech giant made the announcement on the sidelines of its Google Cloud Next conference held in San Francisco from March 8 to 10.
Montréal will become Google’s seventh Cloud Region after Japan, Taiwan, Belgium, and three others in the U.S. The expansion will enable the U.S. multinational to improve the quality of its cloud services and highlight the strength of Montréal’s and Québec’s AI research ecosystems, said Marie-Josée Lamothe, Managing Director, Google Québec.
“Google’s decision shows how much we value the talent that we have here. Our commitment to Montréal began with our Montréal office, and it has never been stronger. The opening of our Google Brain centre in Montréal and our $4.5-million investment announced in November to support the Montréal Institute for Learning Algorithms are part of that commitment. Montréal’s growing expertise is attracting a lot of international attention,” she added.
Google Cloud Platform is a suite of cloud services for developers and digital infrastructure managers that includes storage, big data and services optimized for deep learning.
Montréal International and Hydro-Québec are pleased that Google will create a new Cloud Region in Montréal. Like Microsoft and Amazon before it, Google understands the many benefits of opening a data centre in Québec.
“Hydro-Québec has what it takes to help those companies,” said Éric Martel, President and CEO of Hydro-Québec. “We provide data centres in Québec with green energy. What’s more, we have abundant energy resources and the lowest electricity rates in North America. Québec is the logical choice.”
“The city has the talent and resources to leverage the digital revolution, stay one step ahead and build cutting-edge expertise. Montréal International is committed to promoting and supporting this key sector by attracting more foreign investment and skilled talent to the region,” added Hubert Bolduc, President and CEO of Montréal International, Greater Montréal’s economic development agency.
Clean Energy
Over 99% of the energy generated by Hydro-Québec comes from renewable sources. Hydroelectricity is a clean form of energy that produces very low levels of greenhouse gas emissions—50 times lower than natural gas, the same as wind power, and five times lower than solar power.
Attractive Rates
Power rates for Québec data centre operators are extremely competitive—four times lower than in California, for example. What’s more, data centres in Québec can take advantage of the cold climate to mitigate the extensive costs of cooling their infrastructure and cut operating expenses.
Highly Qualified IT Specialists
Montréal is well known worldwide for its diverse mix of businesses, highly skilled workers, innovation ecosystem, unparalleled concentration of expertise, and state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure. No wonder Montréal’s information and communications industry is a world leader and a major contributor to the region’s economy.
Privacy
Data centres in Québec are protected by strong federal and provincial privacy laws. That makes the province an excellent choice for companies that want to make sure their data stays private.
