Prime Minister Mark Carney has launched AI for All, a national artificial intelligence strategy for Canada that sets targets for economic growth, job creation and wider use of AI.
The plan outlines legislation, investment and training measures over the next five years. It aims to add CAD $200 billion in economic growth, create 250,000 new AI-related jobs, and raise AI adoption in Canada from just over 12 per cent to 60 per cent by 2034.
Ottawa stated it wants to increase domestic control over data, compute, cloud infrastructure and AI development, while reducing the risk of Canadian talent and companies moving abroad.
The package includes plans to modernise digital legislation, strengthen personal data protections and introduce an online safety regime covering social media and chatbot users. It also proposes greater transparency around AI systems and a larger role for the Canadian AI Safety Institute in evaluating AI models.
Ministers are also tying the strategy to industrial policy and labour market measures. The government said it will support small and medium-sized businesses adopting AI, expand worker retraining, and create up to 90,000 AI-related jobs and work placement opportunities for young Canadians.
Education is a central part of the plan. A National AI Literacy Initiative will offer entry-level AI training, with a goal of reaching one million post-secondary students and training more than 3,000 educators through classroom learning kits.
Students across disciplines will also gain access to what the government described as trusted AI agents. The strategy covers fields ranging from arts and commerce to science, engineering and medicine.
A health program was listed as a priority under the new framework. The flagship initiative will focus on using AI in diagnostics, patient care and health system efficiency.
Carney framed the initiative as a question of who benefits from AI and under what rules. "AI is here. The question is whether it will improve the lives of all Canadians or benefit only a few. AI can shorten our emergency room wait times and make a small business more competitive, if it is governed by Canadian values with a clear goal of improving the lives of all Canadians," said Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Ottawa also plans to build a public AI supercomputer and invest in Canadian compute and cloud capacity, alongside connectivity, data and talent, to ensure researchers, businesses and public institutions can develop and use AI within Canada. The target date is sometime in 2031.
With government and industry partnerships, the plan outlined delivering 850 megawatts of compute capacity by 2030 and potentially expanding to 2.3 gigawatts, backed by tens of billions in investment. The plan calls for large-scale AI data centres capable of reaching at least 100 megawatts each, designed to serve a broad range of Canadian clients, with the federal government using its own AI workloads to anchor the projects and draw in private capital.
The government will also back Canadian AI companies through better access to growth capital, public procurement and support for intellectual property protection. It plans to expand the country's talent base by investing in the CIFAR AI Chairs program and by providing faster entry routes for highly skilled workers through the Global Talent Stream.
A CAD $500 million Canadian Tech Growth Fund to help the country's most promising AI companies scale up, offering flexible growth capital and allowing the federal government to take equity stakes in top firms. The government said it will also tap its recently announced Sovereign Wealth Fund to provide additional backing for emerging national champions where appropriate.
Officials said more than 11,000 submissions were received during national consultations, alongside advice from a 28-member expert AI Strategy Task Force. Those consultations shaped the strategy's focus on public trust, workforce transition and domestic control over strategic technology.
Canada has also been building international links around AI. Since March 2025, the government has signed agreements and joint statements with 12 partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Germany, India and Australia, which it said would support access to compute, research ties and technology adoption.
The strategy comes as the global AI market is forecast to reach USD $4.8 trillion by 2033. The government said Canada has a narrow window to convert its research strength into broader commercial use and domestic economic gains.
"The global economy is rapidly transforming, and our government is focused on ensuring Canadian industry is positioned to compete and win. Our government's new AI Strategy will support responsible AI adoption and boost productivity and investment, while at the same time delivering real benefits for Canadians and protecting our digital sovereignty," said Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry.
While the 50-page document does not mention copyright, more updates are expected.