Computing demands by the visual effects (VFX), gaming, financial services and aerospace industries have convinced Equinix to open a new data center later in 2023 in Montreal. The new site, known as M2, will expand Equinix's presence in Montreal and Canada, so that companies may “advance on their digital infrastructure and innovation journey at home and abroad,” according to Andrew Eppich, Managing Director at Equinix Canada.

Equinix also acknowledges Montreal as “one of the fastest growing edge metros in the world, with its interconnection bandwidth forecasted to grow by a 46% CAGR by 2025,” according to a report from the company. Edge provides “the interface between the physical and digital worlds,” according to a company statement, “as organizations connect to customers, edge devices and places of business and participate in local marketplaces.”

IDC Vice President Jason Bremner supported Equinix's thinking, noting, "Montreal is a vital innovation hub fueling Canada's economy. With the expanded presence, Equinix can help empower local businesses' digital transformation journeys with its extensive reach in Canada as well as globally, and its innovative and sustainable offerings."

Equinix plans MT2 to be among the first cohort of data centers to support the company's efficiency commitment to sustainable air-cooling practices, by aligning the operating temperature boundaries with the globally accepted standards described by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) A1A. Optimizing cooling operations within these standards improves data center efficiency, which can result in a reduction in customers' Scope 3 carbon emissions associated with their MT2 deployment, according to Equinix.

Once open, the new site will expand Equinix's Canadian footprint to 16 data centers coast to coast and will provide customers a digital on-ramp to Equinix's global platform of more than 245 data centers. It will add more than 37,000 square feet of colocation space.