Norwegian network builder Bulk is pitching Project Leif Erikson, a transatlantic subsea cable connecting southern Norway to Happy Valley-Goose Bay in Newfoundland and Labrador, then running underground through Quebec to Montreal. The 2,800-mile link would bypass the United States entirely, offering Canada a direct, high-capacity data path to Europe for AI, telecom, and hyperscale workloads.
The project comes as Ottawa looks to reduce its dependence on US data routes amid worsening bilateral relations. Bulk co-founder Peder Nærbø said Canada "lacks resilience" and that the escalation with the US was a "game-changer" for the proposal, which he has pursued for five years. The Canadian government has signaled interest, with Industry Minister Melanie Joy meeting Nærbø and officials calling infrastructure security a key priority. Bulk itself is majority-owned by a Sun Life Financial subsidiary, with Canadian pension funds also invested.
Still, the project faces hurdles. It needs formal sign-off from the EU and Canada, plus additional financing beyond the estimated $620 million build cost. The 1,180-mile overland segment through Canada will require backing from Indigenous communities. Canada and Europe plan to endorse a joint statement on October 29 exploring new subsea cable links, which could give the project momentum, but no construction timeline has been set.