Kicking Off 2026: Canada’s AI Task Force Has a Rare Chance to Lead With Confidence

As we enter 2026, the federal government’s newly launched AI Strategy Task Force has reached a pivotal moment. After a 30-day sprint of consultations, the Task Force, led by Minister Evan Solomon, is preparing to deliver recommendations that could meaningfully influence Canada’s economic future. This moment marks a chance for renewal. For the first time, Canada is approaching AI strategy with the urgency, coordination and ambition required to compete in a rapidly transforming global economy.

It is a tall order. Task forces like this often become weighed down by the sheer volume of their mandates. They risk drifting, losing sight of what needs to be done and defaulting to recommendations that echo bureaucratic expectations rather than bold new thinking. But this Task Force has the opportunity to break that pattern and set a confident, forward-looking tone for the year ahead.

The mandate it has been given is broad. It spans how to leverage research and talent, how to use and commercialize AI, how to scale a made-in-Canada AI sector, how to strengthen AI skills and education, and how to build and secure the infrastructure required to support it. These topics matter deeply, but they cannot all be solved at once. What the Task Force can do is establish a strong foundation and show early proof that progress is possible.

Don’t Try to Solve Everything

If I were advising the Task Force, I would begin by resisting the temptation to solve everything in 30 days. Instead, I would focus on quick wins that demonstrate impact. Canadians are ready to see leadership. Industry is ready to invest. Public institutions are ready for modernization. The Task Force should seize this moment by setting out clear principles to guide its work and by defining how success will be measured. Transparent metrics tied to productivity, exports and job creation will ensure we are not simply talking about AI adoption but proving its value.

A priority should be identifying where AI can tangibly improve public services. Many Canadians are uncertain about AI, and some are fearful of what it means for their jobs or privacy. The Task Force can bring optimism and clarity by highlighting practical applications that improve everyday experiences. AI can speed immigration paperwork, accelerate healthcare data management, strengthen tax compliance, cut procurement review times and support government lawyers in navigating complex contracts. These examples demonstrate not the hype of AI but its usefulness.

The Task Force must also recognize that this transformation is fundamentally about people. Workers want to know where they fit in an AI-enabled economy. I would engage unions early and directly. Doing so will help define the new skills Canadians will need and ensure AI is positioned as a tool that enhances the workforce, not one that replaces it. This is how we build trust and signal that Canadians will benefit from AI rather than be left behind by it.

Look for Positive Impacts

In addition to improving government operations, the Task Force should identify the industries where AI can have the most immediate and positive impact. It does not need to determine the ultimate long-term winners. Instead, it should focus on sectors that already show momentum and can demonstrate early results in 2026. Concentrating efforts where success is most achievable will create proof points that attract investment, strengthen competitiveness and establish Canada as a leader that can scale innovation, not simply invent it.

If the Task Force’s recommendations are strong and focused, Minister Solomon can amplify their impact by ensuring the government acts as an early customer of Canadian AI tools and models. Procurement is one of the most powerful levers available to government. Used wisely, it can give Canadian companies the real-world validation they need to grow, export and compete at scale.

Keep Canadian Intellectual Property Ownership Canadian 

Finally, the Task Force should address how Canada can ensure that AI intellectual property developed here remains here. Too often, Canadian innovations are acquired early by foreign firms before they reach full maturity. If AI is to become part of Canada’s economic backbone, we must scale it domestically, retain ownership and create a climate where Canadian companies can grow with confidence and ambition.

As the Task Force concludes its initial phase of work, 2026 presents a rare opportunity to reset Canada’s approach to AI with focus, optimism and determination. The goal is not perfection. It is progress. If the Task Force avoids distraction, chooses clear priorities and delivers recommendations that can be acted upon quickly, it can spark a new era of Canadian productivity and innovation.

Canada does not need another report filled with vague aspirations. It needs action. It needs momentum. And 2026 is the year we can begin leading with conviction.

If we seize this moment, Canada can reclaim its position as a true global leader in artificial intelligence. We can build an economy where our ideas scale here, where our talent thrives here, and where our intellectual property remains a national asset rather than an export. This is our chance to set a bold direction for the decade ahead to demonstrate that Canada not only helped shape the foundations of modern AI, but has the courage and commitment to lead its future. By acting decisively now, we can put Canada back on track and ensure that the benefits of AI strengthen our country, our industries and our people for generations to come.