Explore Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All
Through the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, the Government of Canada has invested in efforts to drive the adoption of AI across Canada's economy and society.
About the strategy
The government launched the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2017 to strengthen Canada's leadership in AI research and expand the country's pool of skilled experts. In the first phase, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) led efforts to attract, retain and train top AI talent, and it encouraged collaboration among Canada's three national AI institutes: Amii, Mila and the Vector Institute.
In the second phase, we built on this foundation by supporting Canadian businesses in developing and using AI and by promoting the adoption of AI standards. The strategy was backed by investments from Budget 2021 and the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, and it has three main pillars: Commercialization, which is focused on helping businesses use AI; Standards, which is focused on advancing AI-related standards; and Talent and Research, which is focused on supporting research and growing Canada's AI talent.
Through these efforts, we are translating Canadian AI expertise into real-world benefits and keeping Canada at the leading edge of innovation.
A snapshot of the strategy
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Phase I (2017–2022) Securing Canada's advantage $125 million through Budget 2017 |
Canada CIFAR AI Chairs program
National artificial intelligence institutes
Research, training and collaboration
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Phase II (2021–2031) Driving AI adoption and use $443.8 million through Budget 2021 $174 million through the 2024 Fall Economic Statement |
Pillar 1: Commercialization
Pillar 2: Standards
Pillar 3: Talent and research
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The three pillars
The Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy has three pillars, which bring together partners from across Canada. Learn more about our partners.
Pillar 1: Commercialization
National Artificial Intelligence Institutes
- The national artificial intelligence Institutes—Amii in Edmonton, Mila in Montreal, and the Vector Institute in Toronto—are helping to translate research in AI into commercial applications and grow the capacity of businesses to adopt these new technologies.
- The government supported this initiative with $60 million in funding provided in Budget 2021, with each institute eligible to receive up to $20 million over five years, from 2021–2022 to 2025–2026. In the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the government provided an additional $24 million over three years, starting in 2025–2026.
Canada's Global Innovation Clusters
- Canada's global innovation clusters—DIGITAL, Protein Industries Canada, Next Generation Manufacturing Canada, Scale AI, and Canada's Ocean Supercluster—are strengthening Canada's innovation landscape by accelerating the commercialization and adoption of made-in-Canada AI technologies by businesses in key industries.
- The government supported this initiative with $125 million in funding provided in Budget 2021, over five years, from 2021–2022 to 2025–2026. The 2024 Fall Economic Statement committed an additional $150 million over three years, from 2024–2025 to 2026–2027.
Pillar 2: Standards
- Through the Standards Council of Canada, the government is supporting efforts to advance the development and adoption of AI-related standards.
- The government supported this initiative with $8.6 million in funding provided in Budget 2021, over five years, from 2021–2022 to 2025–2026.
Pillar 3: Talent and Research
CIFAR
- CIFAR is enhancing programs to attract, retain and develop academic research talent and maintain centres of research and academic training at Amii, Mila, and the Vector Institute. In addition, CIFAR is renewing its advanced research, training, and knowledge mobilization programs.
- The government is supporting these initiatives with $208 million in funding provided in Budget 2021, over 10 years, from 2021–2022 to 2030–2031.
Compute
- The Digital Research Alliance of Canada is providing dedicated computing capacity for AI researchers across Canada to support the objectives of the strategy.
- The government is supporting this initiative with $40 million in funding provided in Budget 2021, over five years, from 2022–2023 to 2026–2027.
Our partners
The Government of Canada is working with partners from across Canada to implement the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy.
Other Government of Canada initiatives on artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence ecosystem
The government is bringing together international experts, championing smart regulation, building communities of research, encouraging homegrown talent and supporting a diverse ecosystem of businesses to advance the responsible development and use of AI.
Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All
This is the Government of Canada's plan to make sure AI serves people, strengthens businesses and communities, and gives Canada more control over its future.
Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence
The council advises the government on building Canada's strengths and global leadership in AI.
Canadian Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (CAISI)
CAISI is part of the government's plan to support the safe and responsible development and deployment of AI.
Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy
Guided by the voices of Canadians, the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy will make strategic investments in public and commercial infrastructure to ensure that Canadian innovators, businesses and researchers have access to the compute capacity they need.