Feds partner with Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute to deliver AI literacy courses to workers, students, educators and general public
The federal government has launched a $13-million national AI literacy program, partnering with the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) to deliver free training to up to one million post-secondary students and more than 50,000 K–12 educators across Canada.
The program is built around three learning streams — for post-secondary students, K–12 educators, and the general public — and is designed around a simple progression: understand AI, use AI and, for those who choose, build with AI. All courses are free and will be available in both official languages.
Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families, linked the program directly to labour market pressures. "As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the world of work, Canadians need the skills and opportunities to succeed," she said.
The initiative is part of Canada's new national artificial intelligence strategy, dubbed "AI for All," which launched in June. It targerts 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.
What's launching and when
The student and educator streams launch Sept. 21. Post-secondary institutions can join a national consortium to offer students a free three-hour AI literacy course covering foundational knowledge and workplace readiness skills. Institutions not yet in the consortium can apply to join beginning that date. A bilingual version of the course will be available by Sept. 29.
The consortium builds on Amii's existing AI Workforce Readiness program, which includes 61 Canadian post-secondary institutions representing more than 900,000 students. Member institutions gain access to curriculum packages that embed AI literacy into specific professional disciplines, including nursing, journalism, and chemistry.
For K–12 educators, the first chapter of Essentials for Educators becomes openly available Sept. 21, with five additional chapters rolling out through the fall. Schools, school boards, and educational organizations can integrate the materials into their existing professional development systems. The program's target is 50,000 educators reached by 2031.
The public-facing stream, AI Essentials for Canadians, launches Dec. 4 through community organizations serving urban, rural, and remote populations. A fully open-access version will follow online. Workers and job seekers can also access short-duration AI training through Employment and Social Development Canada's Training Finder on Job Bank.
Spotting AI’s risks
The federal government's program description frames AI risk recognition as a core learning outcome alongside practical skills. The courses are designed to help Canadians identify bias in AI-generated content, spot misinformation, and understand the privacy implications of the technology they use.
The goal, as Ottawa describes it, is to give Canadians "the confidence to use AI where it serves them, the judgment to question it where it does not and the knowledge to make informed choices about its place in their lives."
