Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon speaks during an announcement at Les Ateliers Beau Roc in Vars, Ont., on Monday, May 4, 2026. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby)
The federal government announced more than $10.2 million in funding for six Manitoba organizations to develop and adopt artificial intelligence, part of Canada's broader AI for All strategy aimed at helping small and medium-sized businesses scale using AI tools. Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation Evan Solomon made the announcement Tuesday at a Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce event.
The funding is expected to support the creation of more than 170 jobs in Manitoba and assist 35 small and medium-sized enterprises across industries including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and advertising.
Where the Money Is Going
The largest recipient is Winnipeg-based adtech company Taiv, which received $5 million in repayable funding to manufacture more of its ad-replacement hardware and expand its team across Canada and the United States. The Manitoba Construction Sector Council received just over $1.1 million in grant funding to build a drone and sensor library, giving smaller construction firms access to equipment, training, and technical support they couldn't otherwise afford individually.
Four additional companies received smaller amounts of repayable funding. Expense-management platform ExpensePoint received roughly $2.3 million to integrate automation into its platform. Mode40 received $800,000 to expand its AI-powered factory control software. Aryval received $500,000 to strengthen cybersecurity and pursue new markets for its event and enrolment management platforms. Construction Clock received just over $470,000 to build an AI-enhanced version of its staff work-hour tracking tool.
Part of a Bigger National Push
This funding builds on Canada's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, launched June 4, which aims to help the country lead in AI innovation while grounding development in trust, responsibility, and national sovereignty. Applications for the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative funding that supported this round remain open until December 2028 or until funds are fully committed, meaning more Manitoba businesses could still access similar support.
Why This Matters for Business
I've advised companies across research and advisory, B2B SaaS, and logistics on AI adoption, and one pattern shows up consistently among smaller businesses. The barrier isn't usually a lack of interest in AI, it's a lack of capital and technical capacity to actually implement it well. Programs like this are specifically designed to close that gap for small and medium-sized enterprises that don't have the resources of a Fortune 500 company.
For Manitoba businesses in similar industries, agriculture, construction, and manufacturing especially, this signals real federal appetite to fund practical AI adoption rather than pure research. Business owners in the Prairies should look closely at whether their own AI projects might qualify for the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative before the funding window closes.
