[REVISION HISTORY]

Canada AI strategy: adoption, workforce, and infrastructure

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2026-10-14 08:23 UTC → 2026-10-31 13:15 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In September 2026, Canada joined 20 nations at the United Nations General Assembly to sign a declaration warning of security risks posed by rapid AI advancements. While the federal government is investing C$150 million in AI safety research led by Yoshua Bengio, officials indicated Canada is not seeking a primary global leadership role. Prime Minister Mark Carney has since launched the Prime Minister’s National Council on Artificial Intelligence to advance the ‘AI for All’ strategy. This 13-member advisory body aims to increase business AI adoption from 12 per cent to 60 per cent by 2034, targeting approximately $200 billion in economic growth and the creation of up to 250,000 jobs by 2031. To support this, the federal government ~~has~~ expanded the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative, adding $500 million over five years to bring total program funding to $700 million. ~~This initiative, delivered through regional development agencies, targets sectors such~~ In October 2026, the government also released “The Plan for a Stronger Canada,” a national security strategy positioning technological sovereignty as ~~health, energy, and manufacturing~~ a core pillar of defense. This includes a $1.6 billion equity investment in the Toronto-based company Cohere to ~~help businesses adopt AI and firms~~ scale ~~their products.~~ domestic AI infrastructure. On the provincial level, regulatory and environmental tensions are intensifying. In Alberta, protests have emerged in Edmonton over water usage and Indigenous rights, specifically regarding the Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation’s challenge to a water license for the proposed Wonder Valley data centre. In British Columbia, the B.C. Greens have called for a moratorium on AI data centre construction until a public-interest audit is conducted. Leader Emily Lowan criticized the NDP for not providing local communities with a veto over high-power operations. In response, NDP Leader David Eby introduced policies including water-efficiency standards and mandated reporting, while Telus announced plans for three new data centres in Vancouver and Kamloops.

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