Canada's AI strategy delayed again as labour concerns mount
Canada's federal AI strategy will address the technology's impact on jobs, Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon said Monday, six months after consultations ended and months past his original deadline.
Solomon initially promised to table the strategy by the end of 2025. When asked Monday about the delay, he said it will arrive "very soon" without specifying a date.
The minister cited rapid changes in the industry and ongoing consultations with labour leaders, environmentalists and young people as reasons for the hold-up. "Even when we did our consultations, the industry has changed dramatically," Solomon said.
Public concerns shifting
The government's approach has faced growing pressure since it launched fast-tracked consultations last year. A task force advising on the strategy drew criticism for leaning heavily on industry and tech sector perspectives.
Teresa Scassa, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and Canada research chair in information law and policy, said public opinion has shifted significantly. Canadians increasingly distrust AI, and concerns have expanded beyond labour impacts to include social media addiction, cybersecurity risks and environmental effects.
Public concern intensified after AI chatbots were linked to the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., Scassa noted. These issues "have been gathering momentum and may be shaping public opinion in ways that demand more attention from government than it was previously prepared to expend," she said.
A balance between adoption and caution
Solomon's initial position - that Canada should move away from "over-indexing on warnings and regulation" - has given way to a more cautious stance. The government now plans to introduce an online harms bill that could cover AI chatbots.
Solomon said last week that the government would "do it safely and fairly" while finding "the right balance" between AI advocates and skeptics. The shift reflects mounting pressure to address harms alongside economic benefits.
The government's public consultation received more than 11,000 comments, which officials sorted using AI itself.
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