The Government of Canada is investing nearly $14 million to help Quebec businesses and organizations accelerate artificial intelligence adoption, expand innovation and strengthen regional economies.
Announced at Waste Robotics in Trois-Rivières, the funding totals $13,852,374 for 63 Quebec organizations through the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII). The announcement was made by the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED).
The investments will support projects that develop and commercialize AI technologies or help small and medium-sized businesses integrate AI into their operations. Together, the projects are expected to accelerate innovation, improve productivity, create new business opportunities and help consolidate more than 1,700 jobs, while strengthening economic activity across Quebec.
The funding also advances the federal government’s “AI for All” strategy, which aims to expand responsible AI adoption across Canada while ensuring businesses and communities of every size can benefit from the technology. By supporting both AI developers and adopters, the initiative seeks to improve competitiveness while reinforcing Canada’s long-term AI capabilities.
Minister Mélanie Joly said the investments will help Canadian businesses turn AI innovation into economic growth:
“AI is creating new opportunities for businesses, workers and communities across Canada. To build a stronger economy for the future, we must ensure our small and medium-sized enterprises have the tools they need to develop, adopt and grow AI solutions that will help them prosper and remain competitive. Through our “AI for All” vision, we are making sure Canadian businesses can take full advantage of this technology. By investing in Quebec organizations through the RAII, we are helping innovators transform their ideas into growth, increase their productivity and create good jobs. In this way, we are strengthening Canada’s AI leadership and building a more prosperous future for all.”
Solomon emphasized that AI has the potential to improve services, strengthen Canada’s technology sector and support economic opportunity nationwide:
“AI is a tool with the potential to improve how we work, transform health services, make economic opportunities more accessible, and much more. Our national “AI for All” strategy will enable us to ensure Canadians in all regions across the country can use AI safely and fully benefit from it. By building trust, supporting homegrown talent and businesses, and strengthening our sovereign capacity, we are positioning Canada as a global AI leader. Let us seize the opportunity of AI while ensuring it works for everyone and helps build a more prosperous future.”
Carlos Leitão, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for CED, said the funding addresses pressing business challenges while strengthening Quebec’s AI ecosystem:
“Businesses are facing challenges in terms of productivity, innovation and competitiveness in a climate of accelerated transformation. AI represents a strategic lever to respond to these challenges, as long as it is supported by a clear vision and concrete investments, as is the case today with the announcement of this CED funding for the projects by these 63 organizations. Congratulations to each organization! Thanks to you, we will have stronger local and regional technological capacity, which will help position Quebec as a hub of innovation and talent in AI.”
Hosting the announcement at Waste Robotics highlighted the role that local innovators are playing in advancing AI-enabled technologies, according to Caroline Desrochers, Member of Parliament for Trois-Rivières and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure:
“I am particularly proud that this announcement is taking place at Waste Robotics, an innovative Trois-Rivières business that perfectly illustrates AI’s potential to overcome concrete challenges and support the growth of our businesses. Thanks to this support, the business will be able to develop cutting-edge technologies more quickly, strengthen its capacity to innovate and increase its profile on international markets. This is excellent news for our local economy and for Trois-Rivières’ positioning as a recognized innovation ecosystem.”
The full list of the 63 funded projects is available through the Government of Canada’s accompanying background information.
