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Western University is one of seven higher education institutions across the country that will host new, shared digital research infrastructure. The Distributed Storage and Compute Grid, a pilot project led by the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, will deliver a secure, modern and connected research data ecosystem for Canadian scholars and innovators. The powerful servers will store data and drive research capacity, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI) systems.  “We want to empower and enable the research community by providing the tools they need to change the world. This is another step in driving that forward,” said Jason Oliver, Western’s chief technology officer. Western Technology Services and Western Research jointly lead the university’s participation in the Distributed Storage and Compute Grid.  It will provide a foundation to improve how research data is received, organized, shared, prepared and analyzed closer to where it is generated.  By hosting equipment within the university’s existing infrastructure, Western researchers and those from other hosting institutions will have priority access for up to 30 per cent of the system’s capacity, benefiting from the enhanced power, speed and new opportunities to scale up AI research.  “To remain globally competitive, we need to work together across labs, across institutions and across sectors,” said Penny Pexman, vice-president (research). “Large-scale platforms like these allow us to develop, share and secure the cutting-edge digital tools that underpin and drive next-generation research at Western and across Canada.” Universities of Alberta and Calgary, Red Deer Polytechnic, McGill and Universites de Laval and Sherbrooke are the other institutions collaborating to create the grid. Each institution is working with its provincial body through Canada’s National Research and Education Network, a partnership of regional organizations and CANARIE. For Western, that’s ORION, Ontario’s only provincial research and education network.   

Investing in sovereign digital research infrastructure

The Distributed Storage and Compute Grid’s seven sites support the federal government’s Sovereign AI Compute Strategy by keeping data and research power within Canadian borders.   “As artificial intelligence reshapes how we work and innovate, Canada’s investments in sovereign digital research infrastructure ensure our researchers, businesses and innovators have the tools to lead and succeed,” said Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation.   “This foundational step strengthens our position at the forefront of global AI, driving productivity and economic growth while supporting responsible and secure data practices for all Canadians,” added Solomon, who’s also the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.  The federal government has committed $2 billion to its Sovereign AI Compute strategy over next five years, and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada is leading one of several bids to secure part of that funding.  The Alliance – a national non-profit playing a central role in delivering a digital research infrastructure ecosystem for researchers in Canada – is also investing $15 million to create the grid.  Learn more about how Western is navigating new realities.