Canada has opened applications in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba under a C$700 million artificial-intelligence program, extending support to companies and organizations while leaving the region’s share unspecified.
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), which administers the regional stream, said Oct. 22 that applicants can seek support to adopt AI, bring Canadian AI products to market or help other businesses use or commercialize the technology.
The federal government added C$500 million over five years to the national initiative, on top of the C$200 million launched in 2024. Neither the Prairie announcement nor the national release gives a Prairie-specific share of the increase.
The initiative's priorities for AI adoption include farming, transport, health and life sciences, robotics and manufacturing, and energy and natural resources. It also aims to help Canadian AI businesses find customers, attract investment and scale their products, while supporting organizations that assist small and medium-sized enterprises.
PrairiesCan program rules allow between C$250,000 and C$5 million for a project lasting up to three years. Eligible businesses must repay the interest-free funding, which can cover no more than half of eligible costs. Eligible nonprofits may receive non-repayable support covering up to 90% of eligible costs; nonprofits proposing commercial projects generally receive repayable funding.
Organizations can submit applications until Dec. 31, 2029, unless the available funding is committed earlier. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2031, according to PrairiesCan’s application information.
The federal government reports that 218 projects across Canada have adopted or commercialized AI since the initiative began in 2024, creating or retaining more than 1,100 jobs. It says the projects attracted about C$1.77 in other funding for each federal dollar approved. These are national totals; the government releases do not provide Prairie-specific results.
