Extract from Atoussa Mahmoudpour’s article “Canada at a Crossroads: Navigating AI’s Legal and Ethical Challenges in a Global Context”
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes industries and governance models worldwide, Canada finds itself at a strategic inflection point. The 2025 Web Summit in Vancouver underscored this opportunity, revealing a tech ecosystem full of potential yet constrained by an evolving and still fragmented regulatory landscape. What emerged is a shared sense that Canada has the opportunity to lead in responsible AI governance—but doing so will require both coordination and clarity.
The Current State of AI Regulation in Canada
Canada’s approach to AI regulation has long been informed by a commitment to ethical innovation. However, the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), part of the larger Bill C-27, did not pass before the January 2025 prorogation of Parliament. As a result, Canada currently has no binding federal AI legislation.
In the absence of national law, regulators like the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Treasury Board Secretariat have released guidance documents. While helpful, this patchwork approach introduces uncertainty and can slow investment and responsible innovation. The 2025 federal election brought renewed optimism, with the re-elected government signaling potential reintroduction of AIDA in the upcoming parliamentary session.
