For years, digital infrastructure lived in the background — a utility, not a strategy. That's changing fast. As enterprises race to adopt AI, navigate hybrid cloud environments, and manage exploding data demands, the infrastructure decisions made today are becoming a defining competitive differentiator. In this episode, NOVIPRO and Cologix explore why Quebec, and Montreal in particular, is emerging as one of North America's most strategic locations for building the connected, high-performance infrastructure that modern organizations need to thrive.
About this episode
Digital transformation is accelerating — and infrastructure is struggling to keep pace. Most organizations have grown comfortable with cloud environments, yet the demands of AI workloads, hybrid architectures, and real-time data processing require something fundamentally different: not just more capacity, but smarter, better-positioned infrastructure built for performance, proximity, and interconnection.
In this IT Break, Martin Chagnon, Director of Sales and Solution Specialists at NOVIPRO, sits down with Sean Maskell, President and General Manager of Cologix Canada, for a candid conversation about the major trends reshaping digital infrastructure in Canada — from AI-driven workload growth and hybrid cloud adoption to the rise of interconnection ecosystems and Quebec's unique strategic advantages. The discussion focuses on industry insights and practical guidance for enterprises navigating an increasingly complex infrastructure landscape.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE TO FIND OUT HOW TO:
Understand why infrastructure has shifted from a background utility to a core element of business strategy and competitive differentiation
Identify the real bottleneck for scaling AI — and why it's not compute power, but data movement and connectivity
Navigate the shift to hybrid and multi-cloud architectures, and what it means for network performance and data mobility
Leverage Quebec's position as a premier interconnection hub to improve performance, reduce latency, and lower data transfer costs
Adopt a forward-looking infrastructure mindset that avoids creating future constraints and supports long-term scalability
As digital transformation accelerates, organizations must look beyond traditional infrastructure models. The ability to operate within interconnected ecosystems — with direct access to networks, cloud platforms, and partners — will be a defining factor in building scalable, high-performance digital infrastructure. Quebec, and Montreal in particular, offers a rare combination of foundational strengths and ecosystem density that positions it as one of North America's most strategic infrastructure destinations. Success requires not just the right location, but the right partners, the right mindset, and the foresight to build for what comes next, not just what is needed today.
Our expert:
Sean Maskell, President and General Manager of Cologix Canada
Sean Maskell is a leading presence in the Canadian data centre and hyperscale landscape. As President of Cologix Canada, a leading network-neutral interconnection and hyperscale edge data center company, Sean has responsibility for Canadian growth by integrating AI-ready hyperscale edge capacity with robust interconnection. Sean and Cologix continue to enable and advance Canadian digital transformation via, public, private and hybrid cloud access. Through his 25+ year career, Sean's thought leadership and passion for this industry continue to play a large part in the growth of Cologix and the industry.
Our host:
Martin Chagnon, Director of Sales – Solutions Specialist at NOVIPRO
After a 34-year career at IBM, Martin Chagnon joined NOVIPRO as Director of Sales – Solutions Specialist. He leverages his extensive experience to support both his team of specialists and his clients. He is driven by the current challenges and opportunities shaping the IT industry. The expertise he has built throughout his career makes him exceptionally well positioned to speak on various IT topics.
Want to learn more?
If you would like to explore how Cologix’s infrastructure and interconnection solutions can support your digital transformation strategy, feel free to contact our team. We’ll be happy to share more insights and discuss how we can help you build a more connected, high-performance environment.
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