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HIVE Digital Secures $220 Million GPU Cloud Deal with Bell Canada and Cohere to Build Canadian Sovereign AI Infrastructure
When HIVE Digital announced a $220‑million GPU‑cloud deal on June 18, 2026, it was more than a headline; it was a landmark step toward a sovereign AI future for Canada.
The agreement, signed by HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: HIVE) and its high‑performance‑computing arm BUZZ HPC, pairs the Canadian telecom giant Bell Canada with Toronto‑based AI‑language‑model firm Cohere Inc. Over three years, BUZZ HPC will deliver 2,304 NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GPUs to Bell’s Merritt, British Columbia, data‑center—creating a secure, production‑grade AI stack for federal agencies and Canadian enterprises.
Bell’s initiative, called AI Fabric, seeks to weave a national network of HPC sites that keep data and compute within Canadian borders. The Merritt facility will run on renewable power and employ advanced liquid‑cooling systems to keep energy use low, aligning with Bell’s sustainability goals and Canada’s broader climate targets.
HIVE Digital, a public company known for green‑energy‑powered data centers that support cryptocurrency mining and HPC workloads, has positioned BUZZ HPC as a specialist in high‑density GPU infrastructure. The company’s recent $115 million convertible‑note financing and a bespoke server partnership with Hypertec further expand its capacity to serve AI workloads.
Technically, the contract calls for 2,304 NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GPUs—cutting‑edge chips engineered for AI inference and training. The three‑year term is projected to generate roughly $70 million in annual recurring revenue for BUZZ HPC. The GPUs will be integrated into Bell’s 5‑acre Merritt site, adjacent to the Merritt Municipal Airport, which boasts a 7‑MW power rating.
Cohere Inc., a Toronto‑based AI company focused on large‑language models for regulated industries, will supply its enterprise‑grade models to the platform. Together, Bell’s robust connectivity, Cohere’s AI expertise, and BUZZ HPC’s GPU‑fabrication know‑how will deliver a secure, production‑grade AI environment that keeps data inside Canada.
The partnership elevates BUZZ HPC to a central role in Canada’s national AI ecosystem. By ensuring that compute infrastructure and data remain domestic, the project aligns with federal policy aimed at reducing reliance on foreign cloud providers for sensitive workloads. The use of renewable energy and liquid cooling also supports environmental commitments for data‑center operations.
While the deal presents a substantial revenue opportunity, HIVE Digital remains a penny stock, and investors should weigh the risks inherent in high‑growth technology firms. The announcement follows a series of contracts that have shifted the company’s focus from cryptocurrency mining toward AI‑centric HPC services.
Deployment is currently underway, with the GPUs expected to go online in the coming months. Bell, Cohere, and BUZZ HPC have not yet released a detailed timetable for full operational rollout, but they have indicated that government and corporate customers will gain access once the hardware is commissioned.
The contract is subject to standard commercial and regulatory approvals, and no legal proceedings have been reported. Future developments could include additional GPU capacity, expansion to other AI Fabric sites, or new partnerships with Canadian enterprises seeking sovereign AI solutions.
In sum, HIVE Digital’s BUZZ HPC has secured a $220 million, three‑year GPU‑cloud contract with Bell Canada and Cohere Inc., establishing a sovereign AI infrastructure in Merritt, British Columbia. The collaboration leverages renewable energy, liquid cooling, and NVIDIA’s Grace Blackwell GPUs to deliver secure AI services that keep data within Canadian borders, in line with national AI and data‑safety policies.
The agreement, signed by HIVE Digital Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: HIVE) and its high‑performance‑computing arm BUZZ HPC, pairs the Canadian telecom giant Bell Canada with Toronto‑based AI‑language‑model firm Cohere Inc. Over three years, BUZZ HPC will deliver 2,304 NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GPUs to Bell’s Merritt, British Columbia, data‑center—creating a secure, production‑grade AI stack for federal agencies and Canadian enterprises.
Bell’s initiative, called AI Fabric, seeks to weave a national network of HPC sites that keep data and compute within Canadian borders. The Merritt facility will run on renewable power and employ advanced liquid‑cooling systems to keep energy use low, aligning with Bell’s sustainability goals and Canada’s broader climate targets.
HIVE Digital, a public company known for green‑energy‑powered data centers that support cryptocurrency mining and HPC workloads, has positioned BUZZ HPC as a specialist in high‑density GPU infrastructure. The company’s recent $115 million convertible‑note financing and a bespoke server partnership with Hypertec further expand its capacity to serve AI workloads.
Technically, the contract calls for 2,304 NVIDIA Grace Blackwell GPUs—cutting‑edge chips engineered for AI inference and training. The three‑year term is projected to generate roughly $70 million in annual recurring revenue for BUZZ HPC. The GPUs will be integrated into Bell’s 5‑acre Merritt site, adjacent to the Merritt Municipal Airport, which boasts a 7‑MW power rating.
Cohere Inc., a Toronto‑based AI company focused on large‑language models for regulated industries, will supply its enterprise‑grade models to the platform. Together, Bell’s robust connectivity, Cohere’s AI expertise, and BUZZ HPC’s GPU‑fabrication know‑how will deliver a secure, production‑grade AI environment that keeps data inside Canada.
The partnership elevates BUZZ HPC to a central role in Canada’s national AI ecosystem. By ensuring that compute infrastructure and data remain domestic, the project aligns with federal policy aimed at reducing reliance on foreign cloud providers for sensitive workloads. The use of renewable energy and liquid cooling also supports environmental commitments for data‑center operations.
While the deal presents a substantial revenue opportunity, HIVE Digital remains a penny stock, and investors should weigh the risks inherent in high‑growth technology firms. The announcement follows a series of contracts that have shifted the company’s focus from cryptocurrency mining toward AI‑centric HPC services.
Deployment is currently underway, with the GPUs expected to go online in the coming months. Bell, Cohere, and BUZZ HPC have not yet released a detailed timetable for full operational rollout, but they have indicated that government and corporate customers will gain access once the hardware is commissioned.
The contract is subject to standard commercial and regulatory approvals, and no legal proceedings have been reported. Future developments could include additional GPU capacity, expansion to other AI Fabric sites, or new partnerships with Canadian enterprises seeking sovereign AI solutions.
In sum, HIVE Digital’s BUZZ HPC has secured a $220 million, three‑year GPU‑cloud contract with Bell Canada and Cohere Inc., establishing a sovereign AI infrastructure in Merritt, British Columbia. The collaboration leverages renewable energy, liquid cooling, and NVIDIA’s Grace Blackwell GPUs to deliver secure AI services that keep data within Canadian borders, in line with national AI and data‑safety policies.
