Canada Creates a New Council to Advise Its AI Transformation
Canada’s new AI council will advise on adoption, domestic infrastructure and governance, with financial services represented.
Canada has built its artificial intelligence ecosystem over several years through research, talent and institutions including Mila, Amii and the Vector Institute. In June 2026, the federal government expanded that approach with AI for All, its new national AI strategy built around three priorities: trust, economic opportunity and Canadian sovereignty. The strategy covers AI safety, skills, adoption, domestic infrastructure, Canadian companies and international partnerships.
On October 2, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the National Council on Artificial Intelligence, which the Prime Minister’s Office says will provide independent, practical and timely advice on Canada’s AI transformation. The council will advise the government as it implements and updates AI for All, with particular attention to adoption, Canadian AI companies, sovereign infrastructure, safety and governance.
What the New Council Will Do
Advise on the Evolution of Canada’s AI Strategy: The council will provide advice on issues affecting the implementation and future direction of AI for All. The strategy was designed to evolve as AI technology and its economic and social implications change.
Support Wider AI Adoption: The government has asked the council to help identify ways to accelerate the practical use of AI across Canada. This supports the national strategy’s goal of increasing AI adoption from just over 12 per cent to 60 per cent by 2034.
Strengthen Canadian AI Capabilities: The council will advise on fostering Canadian AI companies and developing sovereign AI infrastructure. The June strategy already commits the government to supporting domestic computing infrastructure and research, expanding AI talent and using government demand to help Canadian companies grow.
Provide Expertise on Safety and Governance: Its mandate also includes AI safety, governance, oversight and protection of democratic institutions. The council brings together expertise from research, technology, investment, public policy and national security to advise on these areas as AI adoption expands.
The government expects the council to bring together public and private stakeholders, identify opportunities for coordinated action, and develop ideas, partnerships and AI initiatives that could support the national strategy. A small team within the Privy Council Office will support its work, while ministers and federal departments will remain responsible for policy decisions and implementation.
Who Sits on the Council
The official Prime Minister’s Office announcement names Ajay Agrawal, Yoshua Bengio, Sanja Fidler, Gillian Hadfield, Jordan Jacobs, Eric Lamarre, Valérie Pisano, Senator Thomas Pitfield, Jody Thomas, Louis Vachon, Michelle Zatlyn and Patrick Pichette, with Pichette serving as an ex officio member. The membership combines expertise across AI research, technology, investment, business, public policy and national security.
Agrawal and Pichette also participated in the earlier AI task force that informed development of the national strategy. Agrawal had proposed large AI projects that could support wider infrastructure development, while Pichette argued that Canada should compete to become a low cost provider of safe data centre infrastructure.
How It Connects to the June AI Strategy
The council sits alongside AI for All, rather than replacing it. The June strategy established six areas of federal action covering protection and democracy, skills, economic adoption, sovereign AI capabilities, Canadian companies and international partnerships.
The government has attached measurable ambitions to the strategy, including $200 billion in additional economic growth, 250,000 new AI jobs over five years and AI adoption reaching 60 per cent by 2034. The council's role is to provide advice as the government pursues these objectives and adapts the strategy to changes in AI.
The council itself does not have regulatory or policy making authority. Federal ministers and departments remain accountable for decisions and implementation.
🚨 What This Signals for the Canadian Financial Sector
For banks, credit unions and other financial institutions, the announcement creates no new regulatory requirements. Its significance is primarily in the direction of federal AI policy.
AI adoption is moving further into economic policy. The government is placing greater emphasis on using AI across businesses and public services, alongside Canada's established focus on research.
Domestic AI capability is becoming a strategic priority. Computing infrastructure, Canadian AI companies, talent and domestic control over critical capabilities are now explicit parts of the federal strategy.
Safety will develop alongside adoption. The council's mandate covers both deployment and areas such as safety, governance and oversight, suggesting these considerations will remain closely connected as federal AI policy evolves.
Financial services are represented in the discussion. Former National Bank of Canada President and CEO Louis Vachon is part of the official council, bringing financial sector experience into a group advising the government on the broader AI transformation.
For Canadian financial institutions, the immediate development is therefore strategic rather than regulatory. The federal government is creating an ongoing mechanism to advise how Canada increases AI use while strengthening domestic capabilities and addressing the risks that come with wider adoption.
