COLLEGES AND INSTITUTES CANADA
Skills Central to Canada's AI Opportunity

At a pivotal moment for Canada's future, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) welcomes the federal government's new National Strategy on Artificial Intelligence: AI for All, a bold and timely vision to position Canada as a global leader in responsible, safe, and sovereign AI.

In particular, CICan applauds the Strategy's commitments to expand AI literacy through free training for one million entry-level post-secondary students and to ensure all post-secondary students have access to trusted AI agents. Together, these measures represent a smart and scalable approach that will equip learners with the foundational skills needed to succeed in an AI-enabled economy. They also signal a strong national commitment to ensuring the benefits of artificial intelligence are broadly shared, while building the talent pipeline required to sustain Canada's growth and resilience.

This responsible and dynamic approach to AI centers students - Canada's next generation of workers, entrepreneurs and leaders - to guide the country forward. 

As the country's primary providers of skills-based education and training Canada's public colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, polytechnics, and Indigenous Institutes of Education are key partners in delivering on these objectives. 

Already, these institutions deliver high-quality training focused on emerging technologies such as AI, data analytics, machine learning, and big data. They also integrate digital and AI skills across a wide range of programming to ensure that that all learners, including mid-career workers upskilling and reskilling in the face of disruption here, feel ready and able to adopt, deploy, and manage emerging technologies in the workplace.

Canada's public colleges and institutes are also uniquely positioned to empower more small and medium sized enterprises to translate AI opportunity into greater real-world impact for Canadians. Through hands-on applied research, our sector helps thousands of companies each year adopt new technologies, improve productivity, and bring innovations to market. CICan welcomes the $500 million investment to expand the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative that will ensure that AI delivers tangible economic benefits in communities across Canada. 

CICan looks forward to working closely with the Government of Canada and partners to deliver on this shared vision aligned with national missions of healthcare, agriculture, and advanced manufacturing. 

With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, our network offers unmatched reach and the ability to deliver training and innovation support where it is needed most.

Quotes

"At its core, Canada's AI opportunity is a skills story. Building an AI-ready, competitive, and productive Canada will require smart, scalable, and sustained investments in people - ensuring that learners, workers, and communities have access to high-quality, responsive training and innovation that evolves with technological change. Canada's colleges and institutes are ready to deliver. We look forward to working closely with the Government of Canada to turn this vision into real, measurable impact for Canadians in every region of the country."

Pari Johnston, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada