Canada Launches "AI for All" Strategy, Targeting 250,000 New Jobs and 3% GDP Boost
Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a sweeping new artificial intelligence strategy on Thursday, pledging to generate 250,000 jobs by 2031 and lift Canada's GDP by 3% — equivalent to nearly C$200 billion — as businesses race to adopt AI tools and improve the country's lagging productivity.
Dubbed "AI for All," the plan was announced at Toronto General Hospital and includes a C360 million) Canadian Tech Growth Fund designed to help domestic AI companies compete with U.S. tech giants. The fund will also allow the federal government to take equity stakes in Canadian AI startups.
Key Highlights of the Strategy:
Economic Impact: The government projects the strategy will unlock nearly C140 billion to GDP, and supports 150,000 AI-related jobs.
Support for Small Businesses: A separate C$500 million initiative through the Business Development Bank of Canada will help small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to AI tools.
Privacy and Safety Measures: The government confirmed plans to introduce new consumer privacy legislation aimed at protecting children's data, combating deepfakes, and giving Canadians greater control over their personal information. An additional C$50 million will be dedicated to monitoring emerging AI risks and conducting transparent evaluations of AI models. However, no implementation timeline for these regulations was provided.
The strategy signals Canada's ambition to carve out a competitive position in the global AI race, with its largest corporations already pouring billions into developing new AI-powered tools.