Reaching ALL Public Libraries – Supporting Canada’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy

The Government of Canada has launched an AI Strategy Task Force and a 30-day national sprint (October 1 – 31, 2025), to shape the country’s AI approach.

https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2025/09/government-of-canada-launches-ai-strategy-task-force-and-public-engagement-on-the-development-of-the-next-ai-strategy.html

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is conducting an online consultation through a survey to inform the development of a renewed Artificial Intelligence Strategy for 2026–2030. The objective is to bolster Canada’s position as a global leader in secure and responsible AI. Stakeholder engagement will focus on defining priorities across research, commercialization, adoption, and governance to ensure that AI technologies contribute to economic growth, uphold individual rights, and strengthen public trust.

The Ask

We are encouraging Canadian public library leaders, from coast to coast, to respond to this consultation.

CLICK HERE to access the site with the survey.

Participating in the survey:

The attachments in this email will assist library leaders in completing in the survey.

Document #1: “Survey Questions” – This document provides key messages and words to use for the 6 survey questions you should prioritize answering.
“Reference – National Survey on AI” – this document provides do’s and don’ts, details about the 30 Day Sprint and key words and stats to use as you complete the survey. Please note that we are leveraging the Canadian Urban Institutes’ Overdue Report as it was meant to be used when advocating to federal government about the value of Canadian public libraries.

When you have submitted your survey response, please let us know so that we can track how many responses we submitted as a sector. You can type in your library’s name in this link: I finished the survey!

Reference – National Survey on AI

Survey Questions and Guided Responses

Interested in knowing more about Canada and AI ? Here are some helpful resources:

https://kpmg.com/ca/en/home/media/press-releases/2025/06/study-shows-canada-among-least-ai-literate-nations.html

https://leger360.com/views-on-artificial-intelligence/

CBC Power & Politics: AI minister denies that Canada needs to ‘catch up’ with global industry | Power & Politics

CBC The Current: Can libraries stop AI slop from flooding their shelves? | CBC.ca

CBC Front Burner: Canada’s bet on an AI boom | CBC Radio

Questions about this initiative? You can email:

Jackie Flowers

CEO, Pickering Public Library

jackieflowers@pickeringlibrary.ca