Prime minister promises $200 billion of economic growth, 250,000 new AI-related jobs
Prime Minister Mark Carney officially launched Canada's new national artificial intelligence strategy, dubbed "AI for All," during a visit to Toronto General Hospital and the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto today. The event showcased how artificial intelligence is already being integrated into Canadian healthcare as a model for the broader national approach.
According to the Prime Minister's Office, the strategy targets an additional $200 billion of economic growth, the creation of 250,000 new AI-related jobs over the next five years, and an increase in AI adoption from just over 12% to 60% by 2034.
The plan would also provide up to 90,000 AI-related jobs and work placement opportunities for young Canadians.
“AI is already changing how we work, how we learn and how we connect,” said Carney.
“The question is ‘Will it improve the lives of all Canadians, [or] only a few’? And that's why we must take a positive, pragmatic and prudent approach that builds safe, reliable and sovereign AI for workers and businesses.”
3 guiding principles to AI strategy
The strategy is built on three guiding principles. The first is building trust, which includes modernizing legislative frameworks, strengthening protections for Canadians' personal information against threats such as deepfakes and surveillance pricing, and expanding the capabilities of the Canadian AI Safety Institute.
The second is creating opportunity, anchored by a National AI Literacy Initiative targeting one million entry-level post-secondary students and the training of more than 3,000 educators.
“We will empower Canadian workers, Canadian businesses, Canadian students with the tools to expand their knowledge, their expertise and their careers,” said Carney at the press conference.
The third is reinforcing sovereignty, including plans to build a world-leading public AI supercomputer and invest in sovereign compute and cloud infrastructure.
Carney said the government will introduce new legislation, regulations and standards to protect data privacy.
Challenges for Canada
According to Carney at the event, Canada is well-positioned to lead in artificial intelligence, citing the country's energy infrastructure, its commitment to doubling its electricity grid, and what he described as the most educated population in the world.
However, he was candid about the challenges ahead, including unsafe chatbots and deepfakes. According to the Prime Minister, only 12% of Canadian businesses are currently using AI, with adoption even lower among small and medium-sized businesses.
“We are highly dependent on foreign suppliers for the infrastructure that powers AI from compute to cloud to data storage, that creates real risks that foreign entities could access Canadian data,” said Carney.
“We need a strategy that not only addresses these challenges, but also on ways in which Canadian businesses are using AI.”
According to Ottawa, the AI strategy was informed by national consultations in 2025 that received more than 11,000 submissions from workers, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, and community leaders, as well as input from a 28-member expert AI Strategy Task Force. Key findings from those consultations were released in February 2026.
Focus on AI in various sectors
The strategy also includes a first-of-its-kind AI Missions Program, with a flagship health mission to accelerate AI adoption in diagnostics, patient care, and system efficiency.
It will also support small and medium-sized businesses in adopting AI across priority sectors including health, energy, transportation, agriculture, and manufacturing.
According to Evan Solomon, minister of AI and digital innovation, the strategy's guiding philosophy is straightforward: "AI that serves Canadians, not the other way around.”
In the June 4 release, he said Canada's new AI strategy is about putting artificial intelligence to work for Canadians: “It will give people the confidence to use AI safely, help businesses adopt it, and ensure more of the value is created here at home."
Canada has also signed AI-related agreements and joint statements with twelve countries since March 2025, including Australia, the European Union, Germany, India, and the United Kingdom, forming the foundation of a newly announced Sovereign Technology Alliance.
