On April 7, 2024, the Prime Minister of Canada announced a CAD 2.4 billion (approx. $1.7 billion) package of measures from the upcoming Budget 2024 to secure Canada's artificial intelligence (AI) advantage. In particular, the Prime Minister stated that the investments will boost productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly. The measures include:

• creating a new Canadian AI Safety Institute, with CAD 50 million (approx. $37 million) to further the safe development and deployment of AI; 
• strengthening enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act, with CAD 5.1 million (approx. $3.7 million) for the Office of the AI and Data Commissioner;
• investing CAD 2 billion (approx. $1.4 billion) to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure for AI researchers, start-ups, and scale-ups;
• boosting AI start-ups to bring new technologies to market, and accelerating AI adoption in critical sectors;
• investing CAD 100 million (approx. $73 million) in the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) AI Assist Program to help small and medium-sized businesses scale up and increase productivity by building and deploying new AI solutions; and
• supporting workers who may be impacted by AI, such as creative industries.

The announcement also clarified that the Budget 2024 will be tabled in the House of Commons on April 16, 2024.

You can read the press release here.