Tech CEOs want Ottawa to show concrete steps on AI growth, not just policy pillars
Canada's federal government is preparing to release its national AI strategy after a year of development and review of more than 11,000 submissions. Tech executives say they want more than broad principles - they want a detailed blueprint with measurable targets and specific milestones for how Ottawa will help the sector compete globally.
The strategy outlines six pillars: protecting Canadians, empowering citizens, powering AI adoption, building sovereign AI infrastructure, scaling Canadian companies, and building global partnerships. But executives say the real test comes in execution.
Industry leaders want measurable commitments
Mirko Bibic, CEO of BCE Bell Canada, said the strategy needs to move beyond aspirational language. "It has to be measurable," he said, "rather than a plan that ends up collecting dust on a shelf."
Bibic supports the first pillar's focus on privacy and safety regulations, calling them necessary guardrails for the industry. But he wants an equally detailed plan for growth, with specific targets and timelines.
Louis Têtu, executive chairman of Montreal-based AI platform Coveo, said Canada excels at innovation but watches that talent and technology get developed elsewhere. "I'm looking for the government to truly be a catalyst," he said.
Têtu wants the sector to grow large enough to provide ample computing power domestically and retain Canadian-trained talent. Without federal support on infrastructure and scaling, he said, companies will continue relocating their operations.
Data sovereignty and power demands create urgent need
Michael Arbus, CEO of investment platform Moomoo Canada, raised a practical constraint: data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity. He wants Ottawa to explain how it plans to increase power generation and transmission alongside building sovereign AI infrastructure.
Canada currently depends heavily on U.S. firms like Amazon and Microsoft for cloud services and computing power. Arbus said a domestic alternative using Canadian power and computing capacity would reduce reliance on foreign technology giants.
"What would be nice is to have a Canadian solution that's using Canadian power and Canadian compute," Arbus said. He suggested Canada could eventually become a net exporter of computing capacity, similar to its role in natural resources.
The federal government has pledged a separate national electricity strategy with tens of billions in investment tax credits. Executives say coordinating that effort with the AI strategy is essential.
Growing public skepticism adds pressure
The strategy arrives as public concern about AI grows. Job cuts at major tech companies, security questions about newer AI models, and a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., where the shooter had accessed ChatGPT, have fueled unease.
Families of the Tumbler Ridge victims are suing OpenAI in California, alleging the company failed to alert police to the shooter's disturbing ChatGPT history before the attack.
In the United States, President Donald Trump initially scrapped existing AI regulations to prioritize innovation. More recently, the White House has signaled it may vet new AI models before release.
Federal AI Minister Evan Solomon said Ottawa is taking time to get the policy right. Last week, the government announced support for three new Telus data centers in British Columbia as part of its infrastructure push.
For executives like Bibic and Têtu, the question is whether Ottawa will match its six pillars with concrete action. "Is there appropriate ambition in the strategy? Is there a road map for what needs to be done?" Bibic said.
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