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Agreement strengthens Canada's capacity to develop, test and scale next-generation computing technologies
MONTRÉAL, July 8, 2026 /CNW/ - Bell Canada (TSX: BCE) (NYSE: BCE) and the Université de Sherbrooke (UdeS) today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on quantum technologies, post‑quantum cybersecurity, and sustainable data centre infrastructure.
The agreement reflects a shared objective to advance next-generation computing capabilities in Canada by connecting Bell's national network and infrastructure expertise with UdeS's leadership in quantum research and cybersecurity.
Together, the organizations will explore opportunities to develop advanced computing environments that bring together high-performance computing (HPC), quantum systems and secure data infrastructure – supporting the integration, testing and scaling of these emerging technologies in real-world environments.
Connecting advanced computing and secure infrastructure
The agreement builds on Bell's ongoing work to advance sovereign compute capacity and support the development and deployment of AI at scale in Canada through Bell AI Fabric—a full-stack AI platform anchored by the company's nationwide fibre network, data centre infrastructure, software, cloud capabilities, advanced professional integration services, and ecosystem of Canadian technology partners.
As part of this collaboration, Bell and UdeS will also partner with Queen's University to explore approaches to seamlessly link the national high performance computing environment with frontier quantum capabilities to support Canadian research, enterprise and public sector applications, while helping keep sensitive data and innovation within Canada.
Under the MOU, the two organizations will work together on:
Post-quantum cybersecurity: Exploring approaches to prepare networks and systems for emerging cryptographic standards and evolving security requirements
Hybrid computing models: Evaluating integration of high-performance computing and quantum technologies to support advanced research and emerging commercial use cases
Distributed data centre infrastructure: Assessing sustainable, small- to mid-scale data centre models optimized for local energy use and heat recovery
Talent development: Expanding opportunities for student training and applied research in advanced computing, cybersecurity and telecommunications