The federal government is pledging $66 million to help companies in accessing computing power to support their AI products.

The money will flow from the government’s $300 million AI Compute Access Fund, and help support companies that are developing technologies that can detect wildfires earlier, improve public transit and accelerate drug discovery, among other projects.

This tranche of funding was unveiled during an announcement Tuesday in Vancouver, with $16.6 earmarked for eight projects in B.C.

“AI is not just a technology of the future. It is already helping Canadian companies solve real problems, improve services, create products and compete globally,” Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon said in a statement.

“But to build with AI, companies need access to compute power. Through the AI Compute Access Fund, we are helping Canadian businesses get the processing power they need to scale, create jobs, transform industries and keep more of the value they create here in Canada.”

READ MORE: Ottawa taps TELUS to help build sovereign AI computing power

The fund was launched of the government’s sovereign AI compute strategy, with the feds vetting applicants through a process that analyzed factors such as technical feasibility, commercialization potential, risk level and anticipated benefits to Canada.

On Monday, Solomon announced support for TELUS’s AI cluster pitch that will see the teleco expand its footprint in B.C, with an expansion in Kamloops and the launch of new facilities in Mount Pleasant and downtown Vancouver.

The company’s AI cluster pitch is the first to be supported by the federal government as part of its calls for large-scale AI centre proposals.