Bill 61, Ontario Artificial Intelligence, Talent and Innovation Strategy Act, 2025

Summary#

• This bill would require Ontario to create and keep a long‑term plan to grow artificial intelligence (AI), talent, and innovation. The goal is to make Ontario a national and global leader within 10 years.
• It sets clear objectives for startups, research, talent, productivity, safety and privacy, investment, and computing infrastructure.
• It creates an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee to give advice, consult the public, and publish annual progress reports. The Minister must respond publicly and appear before a legislative committee each year.

Key changes:

• Requires a province‑wide AI, talent, and innovation strategy with measurable targets and yearly progress reporting.
• Establishes an advisory committee (up to 21 members) with seats for industry, AI safety groups, civil liberties and disability groups, health care, Indigenous groups, major industries, privacy regulators, labour, post‑secondary, and students/youth.
• Committee must publish an initial report within 6 months of being formed and then publish annual reports; the Minister must respond within 90 days and table reports in the Legislature.
• Calls for support of AI startups, university incubators, research and development, talent pipelines, and investment (domestic and international).
• Encourages investments in computing capacity and “sovereign” AI so data and key tech stay under Canadian control.
• Broad, flexible definition of AI that can be updated by regulation; the Act will be reviewed every three years.

What it means for you#

• Workers and students

  • Potential for more training, internships, and jobs in AI and related fields.
  • Efforts to keep Ontario graduates here and encourage those abroad to return.
  • Exact programs and benefits will depend on the strategy the government designs.

• Startups and businesses

  • Possible new incentives, support for incubators, and help accessing computing power for AI development.
  • A push to attract investment into Ontario AI firms.
  • Public reporting may highlight best practices on safety and privacy, but the bill itself does not add new business rules.

• Universities and colleges

  • Likely more focus and support for AI research, commercialization, and startup incubation.
  • Annual measurement of progress could drive new partnerships with industry.

• Investors

  • Potential incentives and a clearer pipeline of AI companies and projects in Ontario.
  • Emphasis on “sovereign” capacity and local computing infrastructure may create new investment opportunities.

• General public

  • Annual public reports on progress and a requirement for the Minister to explain results each year.
  • Strategy includes goals to protect safety and privacy.
  • No new duties or fees for individuals in this bill.

• Civil society and Indigenous communities

  • Guaranteed seats on the advisory committee to shape recommendations and raise concerns about rights, equity, and access.

• Timeline

  • Committee set up within 3 months of the law taking effect.
  • First public report from the committee within 6 months after it is formed.
  • Minister appears before a legislative committee each year; the law is reviewed every three years.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Ontario needs a clear plan to grow AI jobs, startups, and productivity; this puts responsibility and timelines on the government.
• Keeps and attracts talent by supporting training, research, and incubators, which can raise wages and living standards.
• Builds computing capacity in Canada and “sovereign” AI so data and key technologies stay under Canadian control.
• Includes safety, privacy, civil liberties, disability, and Indigenous voices to make growth responsible and fair.
• Annual public reports and required minister updates improve transparency and accountability.

Opponents' View#

• The bill sets goals but no specific programs or funding; it could become a plan without real action.
• The AI definition is very broad and can be expanded by regulation, which may create uncertainty for businesses.
• The advisory committee is appointed by the Minister and could be politicized; a large committee may slow decisions.
• May duplicate federal initiatives and add bureaucracy rather than results.
• Goals like “sovereign” AI and more computing capacity could require large, costly investments without clear guardrails.
• Safety and privacy are listed as objectives, but the bill sets no new rules or enforcement to ensure them.