President of the Treasury Board Shafqat Ali rises during question period in House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 29. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
Canada's federal government launched its first public artificial intelligence register on November 28, 2025, providing unprecedented transparency into how the public service uses AI technology across more than 400 systems spanning 43 organizations.
Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali announced the register Friday morning, describing it as a milestone in implementing the federal public service's AI Strategy. The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Mark Carney's campaign commitment to incorporate artificial intelligence into government operations to improve efficiency.
Register Scope and Purpose
The register documents AI systems currently being explored, developed, implemented, or deployed within federal departments. Each entry includes the system's purpose, description, intended or current use, and whether the technology was built in-house or procured from vendors.
According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the register serves multiple functions beyond public transparency. By providing organizations with clearer visibility into AI activity across government, the system supports improved planning, reduces duplication of efforts, and helps departments identify collaboration opportunities.
The register encompasses the full spectrum of AI implementation stages, from early research projects through operational tools deployed for service delivery. This comprehensive approach gives stakeholders insight into both experimental initiatives and production systems already affecting public services.
Strategic Context
The register launch represents the latest development in the Carney government's broader digital transformation agenda. The most recent federal budget outlined plans for an Office of Digital Transformation tasked with identifying and scaling technology solutions across federal institutions—what the budget characterized as "a generational opportunity for domestic innovators."
Several departments have already identified specific AI applications for efficiency gains. The Department of Justice plans to integrate AI, advanced analytics, and automation tools to streamline tasks. Transport Canada intends to deploy AI and automation to reduce costs associated with dedicated resources handling repetitive tasks.
In September 2025, the government announced plans to pilot an AI translation tool across six departments and agencies for official language services, though this initiative prompted concerns about the technology's ability to capture French language nuances.
Canadian AI Development Initiative
The budget allocated resources for developing domestic AI capabilities. Shared Services Canada will partner with the Department of National Defence and the Communications Security Establishment to create a made-in-Canada AI tool for deployment across the federal government. Shared Services Canada will collaborate with leading Canadian AI companies on the internal tool's development.
Statistics Canada received $25 million over six years to implement the Artificial Intelligence and Technology Measurement Program (TechStat), which will use data to measure organizational AI adoption and assess the technology's societal impact across Canada.
Prime Minister Carney has emphasized AI's potential to enhance public service efficiency. In June 2025, he met with Aidan Gomez, CEO of Canadian AI startup Cohere, alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Parliament Hill, highlighting the technology's strategic importance.
Next Steps
The Treasury Board plans to conduct public consultations throughout 2026 to gather feedback and refine the register's design and usability. This iterative approach suggests the government views the initial version as foundational rather than final, with improvements expected based on stakeholder input.
The register positions Canada among the first nations to provide comprehensive public disclosure of government AI deployment, setting a potential precedent for transparency standards as governments worldwide grapple with artificial intelligence adoption. Whether this level of disclosure becomes an international norm or remains exceptional will depend partly on how effectively Canada demonstrates the register's value in building public trust while maintaining operational effectiveness.