Digital Realty Toronto North Expansion: 54MW Hyperscale & Enterprise Hub
Status: Fully Operational Hub with Active Expansion | Location: 1 Century Place, Vaughan, ON L4L 8R2, Canada
Project Overview
Digital Realty Toronto North Expansion (TOR1 / YYZ11) is a flagship 54 MW hyperscale-ready data center campus strategically located in Vaughan, Ontario, within the rapidly growing Greater Toronto Area, one of Canada's most important digital infrastructure and cloud connectivity markets. Developed through the redevelopment of a 711,000-square-foot former commercial printing facility, the campus has been purpose-built to support the next generation of cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, enterprise IT, and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. The facility incorporates 17 large-scale, high-density computer rooms engineered to accommodate rack power densities exceeding 30 kW per rack, providing customers with the flexibility to deploy both traditional enterprise infrastructure and advanced GPU-intensive AI clusters. As part of Digital Realty's PlatformDIGITAL® global data center ecosystem, TOR1 delivers seamless access to a highly connected digital infrastructure platform while offering direct, low-latency connectivity to Toronto's primary carrier hotel at 151 Front Street West (YYZ12), multiple cloud on-ramps, leading network service providers, internet exchanges, and enterprise ecosystems. The campus has been designed with a strong emphasis on operational efficiency and sustainability, utilizing advanced waterless indirect economizer cooling technology that significantly reduces water consumption while maintaining reliable thermal performance throughout Canada's varying climate conditions. Highly efficient electrical and mechanical systems enable the facility to achieve an impressive annualized Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of approximately 1.25, lowering operational costs and environmental impact. Supported by redundant utility infrastructure, scalable power distribution, resilient backup systems, and enterprise-grade physical and digital security, Digital Realty Toronto North Expansion serves as a critical digital infrastructure hub for hyperscale cloud providers, SaaS companies, financial institutions, content delivery networks, and multinational enterprises seeking secure, scalable, and future-ready colocation capacity in Canada's largest metropolitan market.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Digital Realty Toronto North Expansion: 54MW Hyperscale & Enterprise Hub |
| Location | 1 Century Place, Vaughan, ON L4L 8R2, Canada |
| Status | Fully Operational Hub with Active Expansion |
| Commissioning | Operational / Phased Expansion Active |
| Total IT Load | 54 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation |
| Total Capacity | 54 MW Critical IT Power across 711,000 sq ft (~66,050 m²) total facility space (17 computer rooms) |
| Tier Level | Tier III Certified Standards / LEED Silver Certified / ISO 27001, ISO 14001, SOC 1, 2 & 3, PCI-DSS Compliant |
| Project Type | Retrofit Purpose-Built Hyperscale, High-Density Colocation & Cloud Interconnection Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Toronto (Greater Area) |
| Population | ~2.8 Million (City) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~6.7 Million (GTA) |
| City GDP | ~$450 Billion CAD |
| Per Capita Income | ~$65,000 CAD |
| City Tier | Global Tier 1 Hub |
| Key Strengths | Financial Capital, AI Research (Vector Institute), Tech Talent |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
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| Developer / Operator | Digital Realty |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Alectra Utilities / Hydro One Utility Network & City of Vaughan Municipal Authorities |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized Canadian Mission-Critical General Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Digital Realty Global Critical Infrastructure & Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral platform featuring subterranean path-diverse fiber entrance vaults; redundant Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs); direct low-latency dark fiber backhaul to 151 Front Street West (YYZ12), major regional IXPs, and cloud express on-ramps. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual high-voltage grid utility connections, N+1 rotary (flywheel) and static uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated switchgear, and multi-megawatt standby emergency diesel generator arrays with on-site fuel autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 54 MW Secured Critical IT Power Allocation |
| UPS Redundancy | N+1 Redundant UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | High-efficiency N+1 air-cooled chilled-water systems with waterless economization, high-density airflow management, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness, and automated BMS environmental controls. |
| Connectivity | Carrier-neutral host offering direct low-latency cloud express on-ramps (AWS, Azure, IBM Cloud Direct Link 2.0) and cross-connect options across North American fiber corridors via PlatformDIGITAL®. |
| PUE Target | < 1.25 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | High-efficiency regional grid power mix supplemented by carbon-free energy options and corporate PPAs. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | 2017–2018 |
| Construction Start | 2018 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational (2019) |
| Full Buildout | Operational Active Facility with Phased Expansion |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | Estimated $300,000,000 USD to $450,000,000 USD Cumulative Capital Expenditure |
| Funding | Corporate Capital Expenditure & Infrastructure Financing by Digital Realty |