Canada Invests $162 Million for 10,000 AI Work Placements

Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon announced a government investment of up to $162 million over five years to create 10,000 AI-related work placements for young Canadians. The announcement took place on September 25, 2026, during a keynote address titled "AI for All: Building Canada's AI Future" at the Empire Club of Canada in Toronto.

Administered through Mitacs, the funding supports post-secondary students, recent graduates, and post-doctoral fellows. The initiative is a component of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All, which targets the creation of 90,000 AI-related opportunities by 2031. The program operates through two distinct streams: ADOPT, which focuses on the rapid deployment of AI solutions, and AI+X, which targets AI innovation to solve business problems in sectors including agriculture and health care.

The investment aims to bridge the skills gap for small and medium-sized enterprises while building a domestic talent pipeline to increase national productivity. Mitacs CEO Stephen Lucas stated the program embeds skilled Canadians directly into businesses to help them innovate and compete with confidence.