Over $600K Invested in AI Initiatives in Northern Ontario

The federal government is allocating over $634,000 for three artificial intelligence projects in northern Ontario as part of its national AI strategy.

The funding announcement was made on Thursday at the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre located at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, Ont.

This money will go to three organizations:

$456,000 for the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre’s Youth Tech Impact Program.$155,000 for Sudbury-based company Kinmetrix to create an AI-driven physical rehabilitation tool.$23,110 for the Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce to implement AI solutions that better assist members and visitors looking for information.

“The goal here is to match what we’re doing with our overall national AI strategy, which is AI for All: build trust, create opportunity and build sovereign control,” said Evan Solomon, minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation and minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (Fed Dev).

“Creating opportunities for small, medium-sized companies and young people to get the opportunity to innovate and work.”

Solomon described AI as “the fastest growing job sector,” noting that more than 150,000 individuals across Canada already work within the AI industry.

The federal government has announced more than $634,000 to support artificial intelligence (AI) projects in northern Ontario. From left: Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski; Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Evan Solomon; Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister Responsible for Fed Nor Patty Hajdu; and Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre executive director Richard Gemmill. (Sarah Law/CBC)

“You’re seeing the benefits of it but there’s real concerns, too, and we should acknowledge them,” Solomon said.

The federal government aims to create 90,000 job placements in AI while also launching a national free AI literacy program aimed at students and all Canadians.

“One of the great hedges against job displacement is skills training and education, so we want to make sure we’re providing job opportunities and skills education,” he explained.

Patty Hajdu, minister of jobs and families and minister responsible for Fed Nor, says artificial intelligence is changing the nature of work. (Sarah Law/CBC)

Patty Hajdu serves as minister of jobs and families as well as being responsible for Fed Nor; she’s also MP for Thunder Bay-Superior North.

She mentioned that while northern Ontario’s adoption of AI might be “slightly behind the rest of Canada,” it’s being integrated in new ways across various sectors.

“People are using [AI] every single day in their lives – in some ways they know about it and in other ways they don’t,” Hajdu stated. “There’s a fabric to AI that’s starting to underpin how business operates.”

Hajdu pointed out that even though AI is altering how work gets done, it’s also generating new types of jobs along with more efficient business practices.

“Today is about ensuring that people realize there’s a place for them in a world increasingly influenced by AI while we develop those skills,” she added.

Skill sharing between youth, business leaders

Richard Gemmill serves as executive director at the Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre which supports businesses, manufacturers, and entrepreneurs throughout the region.</P

This centre’s Youth Tech Impact Program linked nine youths with companies needing technological advancements during their initial cohort where they completed 16-week placements.</PRichard Gemmill says the Youth Tech Impact Program has achieved significant success thus far. (Sarah Law/CBC)<P

“Most of them had some aspect related to AI as part of their project aimed at implementing or integrating it into operations,” shared Gemmill.</P

“The businesses were really impressed not only with what these youths brought but also how well they could engage with AI adding value,” he added.</P

A large portion of federal funding goes directly towards helping entrepreneurs hire young talent while subsidizing their wages too.</P

“We’re encouraging youth gain experiences in this field while sharing their expertise with companies lacking those skills,” Gemmill concluded regarding future programs focused on similar models emerging elsewhere as well.

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