Google Canada has announced a $13 million AI Opportunity Fund to equip over two million Canadians with artificial intelligence skills, a move aimed at ensuring broad participation in the country’s rapidly evolving AI economy.
The funding will support four Canadian organizations—Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii), the First Nations Technology Council, Skills for Change, and the Toronto Public Library—allowing them to scale their existing training and workforce development programs.
“AI is transforming the way we work and can empower people across almost every field,” said Sabrina Geremia, Vice President and Country Managing Director for Google Canada. “Canada is uniquely positioned to capture the immense AI opportunity. The AI Opportunity Fund will help upskill Canadians nationwide, strengthen our workforce, and prepare Canadians for an AI-powered economy.”
Each recipient organization will target a different demographic, collectively focusing on students, Indigenous communities, underserved populations, and the general public.
Amii will spearhead the creation of a national AI Workforce Readiness Consortium, offering foundational AI education to post-secondary students across Canada. “From colleges and polytechnics to U15 research universities and Indigenous PSE institutes, we’re ready to support educators with equitable access to curriculum resources,” said Cam Linke, CEO of Amii.
The First Nations Technology Council will use its share of the funding to train Indigenous students and community members in AI fundamentals, aiming to close the representation gap of Indigenous peoples in tech.
Skills for Change, a Toronto-based organization supporting newcomers and marginalized communities, will deliver hands-on, industry-relevant AI training to individuals facing high unemployment.
Meanwhile, the Toronto Public Library will launch a city-wide upskilling initiative, offering free AI tools, training, and programming to reduce the digital divide and promote safe and productive AI use.
According to a recent report by Public First, generative AI has the potential to contribute $230 billion to Canada’s economy and save the average worker over 175 hours annually. But realizing that potential, the report notes, hinges on ensuring broad-based AI literacy—something 63% of Canadian workers and 72% of young Canadians say they are eager to pursue.
This new investment builds on Google’s existing AI and digital skills programs in Canada, including Google Career Certificates and Grow with Google.