Friday, March 14, 2025

Canada expands efforts to ensure safe and responsible AI


By Jennifer Kervin
March 13, 2025
DIGITAL JOURNAL


Mississauga is the seventh-most populous municipality in Canada.
 — Image: © Digital Journal

As AI reshapes industries and daily life, the Canadian government is taking new steps to ensure the technology develops in a responsible and secure way.

In its latest move to strengthen AI governance, the federal government has refreshed its AI advisory council, launched a new risk-focused advisory group, and added more companies to its voluntary AI code of conduct. The goal is to balance innovation with responsibility, ensuring AI development doesn’t outpace the safeguards needed to keep it in check.

François-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, announced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening AI oversight and governance on March 6.

The measures include updating the membership of the Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, launching the Safe and Secure Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group, and releasing an implementation guide for managers overseeing AI systems.
Strengthening AI governance and expertise

The Advisory Council on Artificial Intelligence, originally created in 2019, provides recommendations to the government on AI strategy, economic growth, and responsible development. Its refreshed membership will now be co-chaired by Diane Gutiw, vice-president and global AI research lead at CGI, and Olivier Blais, co-founder and vice-president of decision science at Moov AI.

The newly-launched Safe and Secure Artificial Intelligence Advisory Group will be chaired by Yoshua Bengio, scientific director of Mila. This group will focus on assessing risks associated with AI and advising the newly established Canadian AI Safety Institute on research priorities related to AI safety.
Ongoing investments in AI safety and innovation

The federal government has positioned AI as a strategic priority, committing $2.4 billion in Budget 2024 to support AI-related initiatives. This funding aims to enhance computing infrastructure, accelerate safe AI adoption, and provide skills training for workers adapting to AI-driven changes.

Canada has also been active in international AI policy discussions, contributing to global efforts on establishing AI safety standards and participating in international AI safety conferences.

But beyond policy, oversight is also about industry buy-in. To that end, six more organizations, including CIBC, Clir, Cofomo Inc., Intel Corporation, Jolera Inc., and PaymentEvolution, have signed onto Canada’s Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems, joining 40 others committed to responsible AI development.
Industry leaders commit to responsible AI development

Industry leaders are voicing their support for the voluntary AI code of conduct and the government’s latest AI initiatives.

“Artificial intelligence is one of the most transformative technologies of our time, and there is no doubt that it is here to stay,” Champagne said in a statement.

“As AI technology continues to evolve, our government is committed to making sure that Canadians can benefit from it safely and that companies are developing it responsibly. The measures announced today are a positive step forward in securing an AI ecosystem that works for — and in the interests of — all Canadians.”

Companies that have signed onto the voluntary code say responsible AI governance is critical for building trust and fostering innovation.

“Generative AI tools provide exciting opportunities for our bank to foster innovation, enhance productivity, and do more for our clients,” said Dave Gillespie, executive vice-president, infrastructure, architecture and modernization at CIBC.

“As we continue to leverage generative AI tools thoughtfully across our bank to help deliver on our client-focused strategy, we’re pleased to be a signatory to the Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems and to support the ongoing development of a robust, responsible AI ecosystem in Canada.”

Intel Canada also reaffirmed its commitment to ethical AI practices.

“AI’s transformative potential comes with a responsibility to develop and deploy it ethically,” said Asma Aziz, general manager of Intel Canada.

“We are honoured to stand at the spearhead of this change alongside the Government of Canada, driving a future where AI is not just powerful, but also ethical and sustainable. At Intel, we are committed to a strong AI strategy that prioritizes trust, transparency, and governance, ensuring our technology not only drives innovation but also creates meaningful, positive impact for businesses, communities, and society at large.”
Canada’s AI leadership on the global stage

The country was the first in the world to introduce a national AI strategy.

Since 2016, Canada has invested over $4.4 billion into AI and digital research infrastructure, supporting AI research, computing, and skills development. In 2024, the government introduced the Canadian AI Safety Institute as a new initiative to focus on AI risks and governance.

With a growing network of industry, research, and policy stakeholders engaging in AI governance, the country is reinforcing its commitment to ensuring AI serves the public good while remaining competitive in a rapidly evolving global landscape.


Canada unveils AI Compute Access Fund to boost SME innovation


By Jennifer Kervin
March 14, 2025
DIGITAL JOURNAL


Image generated by Gemini Advanced

For many Canadian businesses, the biggest hurdle to AI innovation isn’t a lack of ideas — it’s access to computing power that’s needed to bring those ideas to life.

To address this challenge, the federal government is launching a fund to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) tap into the high-powered infrastructure required to develop Canadian-made AI-driven products and services.

The AI Compute Access Fund, announced by François-Philippe Champagne, former minister of innovation, science and industry, will provide up to $300 million to help Canadian businesses offset the cost of compute resources — the processing power behind AI models.

“AI has the potential to be transformative across sectors, yet we know that the cost of compute and other barriers obstruct small- and medium-sized enterprises from developing the next generation of AI products,” Champagne said in a statement.

“As such, our government is proud to announce the AI Compute Access Fund, which will spur innovation and enable SMEs to compete on a more level playing field with larger companies. We are positioning Canada at the forefront of the AI revolution.”
Why compute power matters

At the heart of AI development is compute — the infrastructure of data centres, chips, and cloud services that power everything from large language models to predictive analytics. It’s the unseen engine behind tools like voice assistants, medical imaging AI, and even recommendation algorithms that suggest what to watch next.

For many smaller companies, access to this level of computing is prohibitively expensive, limiting their ability to scale AI solutions. The new fund aims to lower that barrier, enabling Canadian SMEs to compete in industries where AI adoption is growing rapidly, including healthcare, energy, and advanced manufacturing.

The initiative is part of the broader Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, a $2 billion federal investment designed to strengthen Canada’s AI ecosystem. Beyond funding, the strategy also seeks to attract global investment, develop top-tier AI talent, and reinforce Canada’s standing as a global AI hub.
Investing in AI infrastructure

The AI Compute Access Fund is one piece of a larger government effort to expand AI infrastructure. The broader funding package includes:$700 million to support AI data centre projects from industry and academia, and the private sector.
$705 million for a new, Canadian-owned AI supercomputing system through the AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program.
$200 million to expand existing public compute infrastructure to address immediate needs.
$300 million for the AI Compute Access Fund to support SME access to compute resources.

Beyond just plugging gaps today, these investments are about making sure Canadian businesses don’t fall behind tomorrow. By expanding access to critical AI infrastructure, the government aims to equip companies with the tools they need to stay competitive in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Canada’s AI momentum

Canada’s AI sector has seen rapid growth in recent years. Key indicators include:140,000 AI professionals active in Canada in 2022–23, a 29% increase over the previous year.
Canada is home to 10% of the world’s top-tier AI researchers, the second-highest number globally.

Canada ranks top, globally, for year-over-year growth of women in AI (67% growth in 2022-23).

The number of AI patents filed by Canadian inventors grew by 57% in 2022–23, outpacing the G7 average of 23%.

Canada’s AI sector attracted $8.6 billion in venture capital investment in 2022, representing nearly 30% of all venture capital activity in the country.

While these numbers highlight Canada’s growing AI ecosystem, they also underscore the need for continued investment in infrastructure to sustain this momentum.
What’s next?

The AI Compute Access Fund follows last week’s call for statements of interest for the AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program (SCIP). That program will establish a Canadian-owned, high-performance supercomputing system, serving as a backbone for national AI infrastructure. Together, these efforts are designed to reinforce Canada’s position as a leader in AI research, talent development, and industry innovation.

With demand for AI infrastructure growing worldwide, these investments signal that Canada isn’t just playing catch-up — it wants to set the pace.

Whether that goal is realized will depend on how effectively these funds translate into real-world AI advancements for Canadian businesses.



Written ByJennifer Kervin
Jennifer Kervin is a Digital Journal staff writer and editor based in Toronto.

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