Canada Invests $162 Million in AI Work Placements for Young Talent

The Canadian government is making a major investment to equip young Canadians with artificial intelligence (AI) skills. The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, announced a $162 million commitment over five years starting in 2026-2027. This funding will support 10,000 co-funded work placements for post-secondary students, recent graduates, and post-doctoral fellows through Mitacs.

The initiative is part of Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which aims to create up to 90,000 AI-related job and work placement opportunities by 2031. The program, known as Mitacs AI Advantage, will help Canadian businesses adopt and commercialize AI through two streams: ADOPT, focusing on AI adoption, and AI+X, concentrating on AI innovation across various fields like agriculture and healthcare.

Minister Solomon emphasized the importance of preparing young Canadians for an AI-driven economy. “AI is changing the way we work and creating new opportunities across our economy,” he stated. “We want young Canadians to have the skills and real-world experience they need to seize those opportunities.” Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO of Mitacs, highlighted that the program will embed young talent directly into businesses, fostering innovation and competitiveness.

The investment addresses a key challenge for small and medium-sized enterprises, which often lack the skills and support to implement AI effectively. By connecting businesses with emerging talent, the program aims to boost productivity, growth, and competitiveness in the rapidly evolving economy.