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Promise Tracker

Canada's AI Strategy, tracked from promise to public proof.

A conservative public register for the six pillars, official outcome targets, and explicit key actions in Canada's National AI Strategy. Strategy promises are commitments, not proof of delivery.

Promise Tracker

Promise-to-proof board

Four lanes translate the official strategy register into a public-accountability view. Each lane opens the same promise register with the existing filter contract.

Open promise register

Watch next

Evidence queue

Commitments where the next public document or report would most directly improve the tracker.

Protecting CanadiansOpen row

Accelerate AI security research with law enforcement

Support applied AI research, testing, and deployment for fraud prevention, cyber defence, threat detection, and data protection.

Next evidence to watch
Public calls, funded projects, evaluation reports, and privacy oversight evidence.
Protecting CanadiansOpen row

Advance AI transparency and watermarking

Work on transparency measures such as watermarking so Canadians can identify AI interactions and content.

Next evidence to watch
Watermarking standards, disclosure guidance, implementation pilots, and compliance reporting.
Protecting CanadiansOpen row

Create Canada Trusted AI Certification

Create a certification program to help Canadians identify trustworthy AI products in the marketplace.

Next evidence to watch
Program launch, criteria, accredited assessors, certified products, and appeal processes.
Protecting CanadiansOpen row

Work with frontier AI companies on cyber and national security

Coordinate with frontier AI companies and international partners to protect Canadians and critical systems.

Next evidence to watch
Memoranda, joint evaluations, cyber guidance, and published threat reports.
8measurable targets

Numeric targets are shown with baselines only when a public metric exists.

70promises tracked

Outcome targets plus every explicit key-action commitment from the full strategy.

36source-backed status rows

Rows with an official target, policy stage, funding, launch, or baseline source attached.

34progress evidence gaps

Rows where the strategy promise exists but delivery evidence is not wired yet.

Evidence atlas

Where each pillar has public evidence

Select any non-zero cell to filter the promise register. The matrix shows evidence status, not delivery proof.

Pillar by evidence status counts for Canada's AI Strategy commitments.
PillarTotal
Protecting Canadians00011
Empowering Canadians0019
Adoption012
Sovereign AI0010
Canadian champions00010
Partnerships00008

Protecting Canadians

11 commitments

Empowering Canadians

19 commitments

Adoption

12 commitments

Sovereign AI

10 commitments

Canadian champions

10 commitments

Partnerships

8 commitments

Current public measurements

Where Canada has real numbers today

These are baseline or adjacent public measurements. They help ground the strategy, but only a current value that matches a stated target is treated as progress evidence.

AdoptionTarget baseline
19.2%

Canadian businesses using AI

Official target
60% by 2034
Timeframe
Q2 2026

Statistics Canada's narrow current-use measure covers businesses using AI to produce goods or deliver services in the previous 12 months, up from 12.2% in Q2 2025.

Source and next evidence

Watch: The summer 2026 final CSBC cycle or a successor official release that repeats the current-use question.

AdoptionIntent signal
14.5%

Businesses planning AI use

No plans / unsure
66.7% / 18.9%
Timeframe
Q3 2025

Planning to use AI over the next 12 months is a demand signal. It is not adoption already achieved and is not added to the current-use rate.

Source and next evidence

Watch: Whether planning converts into reported current use, plus reasons businesses still do not plan to adopt AI.

Empowering CanadiansLabour-market context
~60%

Workers in highly AI-exposed jobs

Exposure split
31% lower complementarity; 29% higher complementarity
Timeframe
May 2021 census-based estimate

This is an experimental exposure estimate for job transformation risk and complementarity. It does not predict actual job losses or gains.

Source and next evidence

Watch: Updated labour-market evidence linking AI exposure, adoption, wages, displacement, reskilling, and job creation.

Protecting CanadiansTransparency signal
412

Federal AI Register entries

Register state
MVP CSV, April 2026
Timeframe
CSV checked June 6, 2026

This static count comes from the public Open Government CSV. It shows disclosure activity, not a complete inventory or quality rating.

Source and next evidence

Watch: Register scope updates, department coverage, status changes, assessments, and system retirement or launch dates.

AdoptionPublic-service scale
270,000

GCtranslate Phase 1 reach

Institutions
43 federal institutions
Timeframe
Rollout started April 29, 2026

A federal public-service lighthouse project gives a measurable adoption example, but it is adjacent context rather than proof that the new national strategy has delivered.

Source and next evidence

Watch: Enterprise rollout completion, user adoption, quality, cost, accessibility, official-languages outcomes, and sustained usage.

1 of 5 public measurements currently line up with an official strategy target. The rest are context signals, not scorecard points.

Targets and measurable signals

Measured progress stays separate from promises

A bar appears only when a public latest value can be compared with a stated target. Pending rails mean the tracker needs delivery evidence before it can show progress.

Adoption

Business AI adoption

Share of Canadian businesses using AI to produce goods or deliver services

Latest
19.2%
Target
60%
Target year
2034

32% of stated target value using the latest public value.

Evidence notes

The tracker shows latest divided by target, not a claim that the strategy is 32% delivered. Statistics Canada's Q2 2026 release is the latest official current-use measure.

Watch: The final Canadian Survey on Business Conditions collection in summer 2026 or a successor official AI-use series.

Adoption

AI-adoption jobs

New jobs through AI adoption

Latest
Pending
Target
Up to 250,000
Target year
2031

Measurement pending

Evidence notes

This is an official outcome target. No public measurement series is wired yet for jobs attributable to AI adoption.

Watch: Statistics Canada or program reporting that separates net new AI-adoption jobs from general labour-market movement.

Empowering Canadians

Youth opportunities and literacy

Youth work opportunities, student reach, and educator training

Latest
Pending
Target
90,000 youth opportunities; 1M students; 3,000+ educators
Target year
2031 / not fixed

Delivery evidence pending

Evidence notes

The strategy gives public reach targets, but this tracker needs delivery counts before showing progress.

Watch: National AI Literacy Initiative, work-placement, Skills for Success, Mitacs, and AI+X reporting.

Sovereign AI + Canadian champions

Public supercomputer and compute access

Sovereign compute capacity and access

Latest
$700M compute access commitment; supercomputer delivery pending
Target
Public supercomputer by 2031; enhanced SME compute access
Target year
2031 / ongoing

Delivery evidence pending

Evidence notes

Funding and target language are public. Delivery needs procurement, capacity, access, pricing, and usage evidence.

Watch: Procurement notices, capacity specifications, Compute Access Fund awards, access policy, and SME usage.

Adoption

GDP and productivity gains

GDP gains from labour productivity and AI commercialization/application

Latest
Pending
Target
3% GDP increase / nearly $200B
Target year
Not fixed

Attribution method pending

Evidence notes

This is an economic-impact ambition, not a directly observed public metric. It should be tracked through productivity and adoption evidence over time.

Watch: Federal methodology for attributing GDP gains to AI adoption and commercialization.

Partnerships

Strategic AI alliances

Trusted partnerships and alliance milestones

Latest
11 AI-related partnerships referenced
Target
Strategic multilateral alliance
Target year
Not fixed

Milestone evidence pending

Evidence notes

The tracker treats alliances as milestones until public joint work, procurement, standards, or investment outputs can be verified.

Watch: Formal membership, joint work programs, procurement opportunities, standards outputs, and investment announcements.

Evidence gaps

Where public proof is thinnest

Ranked by unresolved rows, not editorial severity.

Empowering Canadians

13 gaps

Evidence that would close rows:

  • Program launch or delivery report
  • Institutional participation data
  • Learner, educator, and placement counts

Adoption

7 gaps

Evidence that would close rows:

  • Statistics Canada or official metric release
  • Procurement notice or award
  • Program uptake and sector delivery report

Sovereign AI

5 gaps

Evidence that would close rows:

  • Procurement notice or award
  • Compute, data, or facility milestone
  • Access policy and usage reporting

Promise register

Every promise, target, and key action

Filter the register by pillar, evidence model, status, or target year. The table keeps official promises separate from public progress evidence.

70matching10 displayed34 need a progress source

Accountability pipeline

From promise to public proof

These lanes translate the detailed status matrix into a reader-facing accountability flow. They show what kind of evidence is visible, not whether the strategy has succeeded.

4 preview cards

These cards update with the same filter state as the matrix and register.

AdoptionNeeds public evidence

Create up to 250,000 AI-adoption jobs

Help create new jobs through AI adoption across the Canadian economy by 2031.

AdoptionMeasurable baseline

Raise business AI adoption to 60%

Increase Canadian business AI adoption from about 12% to 60% by 2034.

AdoptionNeeds public evidence

Unlock nearly $200B in GDP gains

Support a 3% increase in GDP through labour productivity and AI commercialization/application in key sectors.

AdoptionAnnounced

Launch AI Missions Program

Launch high-impact AI missions, starting with $200 million toward better health outcomes.

Evidence gap shortcut

34 matching commitments need a separate public progress source in this view.

When do the promises come due? Only 6 of 70 commitments carry a stated target year.

Canada AI strategy commitments, evidence status, measurement notes, and next evidence to watch.
Evidence note
Create up to 250,000 AI-adoption jobsHelp create new jobs through AI adoption across the Canadian economy by 2031.Measurable target
Adoption
Needs public evidenceofficial target
Up to 250,000 jobsTarget year: 2031
This is a target, not a measured jobs series. Attribution will be hard and should be disclosed.Watch: Statistics Canada measurement design and program reporting that distinguishes AI-adoption employment.ISED overviewISED full strategy
Raise business AI adoption to 60%Increase Canadian business AI adoption from about 12% to 60% by 2034.Measurable target
Adoption
Measurable baselineexternal progress source
60%Latest: 19.2%Target year: 2034
The strategy launch baseline is 12.2%; Statistics Canada's latest current-use release is 19.2%. This is a measurement update, not proof of strategy impact.Watch: The final CSBC cycle in summer 2026 or a successor official business AI-use series.ISED overviewISED full strategyStatistics Canada Q2 2025Statistics Canada Q2 2026
Unlock nearly $200B in GDP gainsSupport a 3% increase in GDP through labour productivity and AI commercialization/application in key sectors.Measurable target
Adoption
Needs public evidenceofficial target
3% GDP / nearly $200B
Economic impact is not directly observed from the strategy alone; methodology is required.Watch: Federal methodology, productivity series, and sector-level adoption/productivity evidence.ISED overviewISED full strategy
Launch AI Missions ProgramLaunch high-impact AI missions, starting with $200 million toward better health outcomes.Program milestone
Adoption
Announcedofficial program
$200M first health missionLatest: $200M announced in strategy
Announcement and amount are public; delivery requires mission design, awards, milestones, and results.Watch: Mission terms, project awards, public-good outcome targets, and reporting cadence.ISED overviewISED full strategy
Use BDC LIFT for SME AI financingUse the $500M LIFT initiative to help SMEs finance AI tools in operations.Program milestone
Adoption
Fundedofficial program
$500M financing initiativeLatest: $500M cited in strategy
Financing availability is not adoption; track loans, uptake, sectors, and outcomes.Watch: BDC LIFT terms, AI-specific uptake, SME approvals, and adoption outcomes.ISED full strategy
Expand Regional Artificial Intelligence InitiativeInvest $500M through regional development agencies to accelerate AI adoption and commercialization.Program milestone
Adoption
Fundedofficial program
$500MLatest: $500M strategy commitment
Track regional awards, recipient mix, adoption outputs, and commercialization outcomes.Watch: RDA program pages, funding calls, award lists, project milestones, and evaluation reports.ISED full strategy
Develop AI literacy and adoption assessment toolHelp SMEs assess readiness, identify use cases, understand impacts, and connect to support.Program milestone
Adoption
Needs public evidenceofficial strategy only
Online readiness and adoption resources
Tool delivery needs launch, accessibility, usage, and referral evidence.Watch: Tool launch, usage counts, referral pathways, and SME satisfaction/outcome metrics.ISED full strategy
Target AI support for entrepreneursStrengthen AI adoption among entrepreneurs through the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Program.Program milestone
Adoption
Needs public evidenceofficial strategy only
Targeted entrepreneur support
Program delivery requires public terms, recipients, and outcomes.Watch: Program guidance, funded organizations, entrepreneur participation, and adoption outcomes.ISED full strategy
Use SR&ED and Productivity Super-DeductionUse tax measures to catalyze private AI investment and make innovation more affordable.Policy milestone
Adoption
Policy developmentofficial strategy only
Tax support for AI investment
Tax-policy impact should be measured through eligibility rules, take-up, and investment response.Watch: Budget implementation, CRA guidance, claim data, and private investment indicators.ISED full strategy
Launch sector-specific Workforce AlliancesCoordinate skills gaps, talent pipelines, and workforce transformation across six priority sectors.Program milestone
Adoption
Needs public evidenceofficial strategy only
Six sector alliances
Alliance launch and work plans should be tracked separately from outcomes.Watch: Sector list, membership, work plans, investments, training outputs, and labour-market indicators.ISED full strategy
Measurable target

Create up to 250,000 AI-adoption jobs

Help create new jobs through AI adoption across the Canadian economy by 2031.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Needs public evidence
Target
Up to 250,000 jobs
Evidence
This is a target, not a measured jobs series. Attribution will be hard and should be disclosed.

Watch: Statistics Canada measurement design and program reporting that distinguishes AI-adoption employment.

Measurable target

Raise business AI adoption to 60%

Increase Canadian business AI adoption from about 12% to 60% by 2034.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Measurable baseline
Target
60%
Evidence
The strategy launch baseline is 12.2%; Statistics Canada's latest current-use release is 19.2%. This is a measurement update, not proof of strategy impact.

Watch: The final CSBC cycle in summer 2026 or a successor official business AI-use series.

Measurable target

Unlock nearly $200B in GDP gains

Support a 3% increase in GDP through labour productivity and AI commercialization/application in key sectors.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Needs public evidence
Target
3% GDP / nearly $200B
Evidence
Economic impact is not directly observed from the strategy alone; methodology is required.

Watch: Federal methodology, productivity series, and sector-level adoption/productivity evidence.

Program milestone

Launch AI Missions Program

Launch high-impact AI missions, starting with $200 million toward better health outcomes.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Announced
Target
$200M first health mission
Evidence
Announcement and amount are public; delivery requires mission design, awards, milestones, and results.

Watch: Mission terms, project awards, public-good outcome targets, and reporting cadence.

Program milestone

Use BDC LIFT for SME AI financing

Use the $500M LIFT initiative to help SMEs finance AI tools in operations.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Funded
Target
$500M financing initiative
Evidence
Financing availability is not adoption; track loans, uptake, sectors, and outcomes.

Watch: BDC LIFT terms, AI-specific uptake, SME approvals, and adoption outcomes.

Program milestone

Expand Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative

Invest $500M through regional development agencies to accelerate AI adoption and commercialization.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Funded
Target
$500M
Evidence
Track regional awards, recipient mix, adoption outputs, and commercialization outcomes.

Watch: RDA program pages, funding calls, award lists, project milestones, and evaluation reports.

Program milestone

Develop AI literacy and adoption assessment tool

Help SMEs assess readiness, identify use cases, understand impacts, and connect to support.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Needs public evidence
Target
Online readiness and adoption resources
Evidence
Tool delivery needs launch, accessibility, usage, and referral evidence.

Watch: Tool launch, usage counts, referral pathways, and SME satisfaction/outcome metrics.

Program milestone

Target AI support for entrepreneurs

Strengthen AI adoption among entrepreneurs through the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Program.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Needs public evidence
Target
Targeted entrepreneur support
Evidence
Program delivery requires public terms, recipients, and outcomes.

Watch: Program guidance, funded organizations, entrepreneur participation, and adoption outcomes.

Policy milestone

Use SR&ED and Productivity Super-Deduction

Use tax measures to catalyze private AI investment and make innovation more affordable.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Policy development
Target
Tax support for AI investment
Evidence
Tax-policy impact should be measured through eligibility rules, take-up, and investment response.

Watch: Budget implementation, CRA guidance, claim data, and private investment indicators.

Program milestone

Launch sector-specific Workforce Alliances

Coordinate skills gaps, talent pipelines, and workforce transformation across six priority sectors.

Pillar
Adoption
Status
Needs public evidence
Target
Six sector alliances
Evidence
Alliance launch and work plans should be tracked separately from outcomes.

Watch: Sector list, membership, work plans, investments, training outputs, and labour-market indicators.

Showing the first 10 matching commitments to keep the page scannable.

Source notes

What the source labels mean

Official strategy pages establish what was promised. They do not prove money was spent well, programs reached people, or outcomes changed.

official strategy

ISED overview

Overview of Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada · June 4, 2026

High-level public outcomes, six-pillar framing, and plain-language strategy context.

A strategy overview is not delivery evidence. It states intent and headline targets.

Open source
official strategy

ISED full strategy

Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy: AI for All

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada · June 5, 2026

The controlling source for outcome targets and explicit key-action commitments.

Official commitments are not independent proof that programs have launched, reached users, or delivered outcomes.

Open source
official statistic

Statistics Canada Q2 2025

Businesses using AI to produce goods or deliver services

Statistics Canada · June 16, 2025

Narrow, official baseline for businesses using AI in goods or services.

Does not capture informal employee use, pilots, or broader generative-AI experimentation.

Open source
official statistic

Statistics Canada Q2 2026

Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, second quarter 2026

Statistics Canada · May 27, 2026

Current business AI-use measure and comparison against Q2 2025 and Q2 2024.

The Canadian Survey on Business Conditions is scheduled for its final collection cycle in summer 2026, so the tracker may need a successor series.

Open source
official statistic

Statistics Canada Q3 2025

Businesses planning to use AI

Statistics Canada · August 27, 2025

Businesses planning to adopt AI and reported reasons for non-adoption.

Plans are not delivered adoption and should not be added to the current-use rate.

Open source
official statistic

StatCan job exposure

Exposure to artificial intelligence in Canadian jobs: Experimental estimates

Statistics Canada · September 25, 2024

Context for workforce adaptation, training, and job-transformation commitments.

Experimental estimates use 2021 census and O*NET-based exposure methods; they do not show actual job losses or gains from AI.

Open source
government program

GC public-service AI strategy

AI Strategy for the Federal Public Service 2025-2027

Government of Canada · March 2025

Federal public-sector AI governance, delivery, and responsible-use context.

Does not measure whole-of-government AI adoption or delivery outcomes.

Open source
government program

GC AI year review

AI Strategy for the Federal Public Service 2025-2027: Year in Review

Government of Canada · May 25, 2026

Public-service AI adoption, training, transparency, and lighthouse-project context.

Federal public-service progress is not the same as delivery of Canada's whole-of-economy AI for All strategy.

Open source
registry

Federal AI register

Algorithmic Impact Assessment and federal AI register

Government of Canada · Ongoing

Public disclosure of some federal automated decision systems and assessment artifacts.

Registry coverage is not a complete inventory of all government AI use.

Open source
registry

GC AI Register CSV

Government of Canada AI Register (Minimum Viable Product)

Open Government Portal · April 28, 2026

A public transparency count for registered federal AI systems.

The MVP register is not a complete inventory of every federal AI use and should not be used as a whole-government adoption rate.

Open source
government program

CIFAR AI strategy

Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy

CIFAR · Ongoing

Research-network and AI-chair context that sits behind the strategy's talent commitments.

Useful program context, but not a full delivery tracker for the new strategy.

Open source

Reading rule: an official commitment row means the promise exists in the public strategy. A progress row needs a separate public source such as legislation, funding awards, procurement notices, program reports, Statistics Canada releases, registry entries, or partnership outputs.

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