News Summary

Canada’s AI minister, Evan Solomon, announced that the Canadian government plans to launch its AI and Buy Canadian strategies in 2026. The government has committed nearly $926 million over five years to develop large-scale sovereign public AI infrastructure, with $800 million from the previous Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. The strategies aim to enhance domestic computing capacity by building local data centers and tying AI and digital funding to Buy Canadian rules. The government is considering requiring companies to purchase from Canadian suppliers when receiving government funding. The updated AI strategy is expected next year after reviewing recommendations from the AI Task Force. The Buy Canadian policy will initially apply to defense and construction, with full implementation by spring 2026. This initiative seeks to strengthen Canada’s economy by encouraging the use of Canadian products and services.