Canada's AI Strategy Delays as Government Recalibrates on Safety and Labour
The federal government's national AI strategy will address labour market impacts, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said this week. The strategy, promised for release by the end of 2024, remains unreleased six months after consultations wrapped.
Solomon said the strategy will arrive "very soon" but acknowledged the technology and public concerns have shifted since he initially proposed a fast-tracked adoption-focused approach.
The Strategy Has Changed Course
When Solomon took the AI minister role last year, he signalled Canada should move away from "over-indexing on warnings and regulation." That framing no longer holds.
Public opinion has moved toward safety concerns. Canadians distrust AI systems, according to recent polling. Specific incidents - including questions about whether AI chatbots played a role in the Tumbler Ridge, B.C. mass shooting - have sharpened public focus on harms.
Solomon said he continues consulting with labour leaders, environmentalists, and young people because "the industry has changed dramatically" and "the impact of AI has changed."
Geopolitics and Regulation
Canada's international positioning has also shifted. Prime Minister Mark Carney has strengthened ties with middle powers - the European Union, United Kingdom, and South Korea - that favour regulation over the hands-off U.S. approach under President Donald Trump.
Even within the U.S., states like California and New York have moved to regulate AI, said Florian Martin-Bariteau, research chair in technology and society at the University of Ottawa.
What the Strategy Will Cover
The federal government outlined six pillars in its spring economic statement:
- New privacy and online safety laws
- Building sovereign compute infrastructure
- Supporting Canadian AI company growth
- Co-ordinating with international allies
- AI training and education for Canadians
- Developing "pro-worker, industrial AI technologies"
The government processed more than 11,000 public consultation comments using AI itself.
The Criticism
Teresa Scassa, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and Canada Research Chair in information law and policy, said the government's initial task force leaned too heavily on industry perspectives. "The ground has shifted somewhat under the government's feet," she said.
She cited emerging technologies like agentic AI - systems that act autonomously with minimal human oversight - as developments the strategy must address. Broader concerns about social media addiction, cybersecurity, and environmental impacts have also gained momentum.
Solomon said the government must balance AI adoption with safety. "This stuff is here. We're going to do it safely and fairly and we're going to find the right balance to do it," he said.
For government professionals overseeing AI policy or implementation, understanding these shifting priorities is essential. Learn more about AI for Government or explore the AI Learning Path for Policy Makers.
Your membership also unlocks:
