Government of Canada opens applications for the AI Compute Access Fund
OTTAWA, ON, June 25, 2025 /CNW/ - As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape our world, the Government of Canada seeks to harness AI's opportunities, mitigate its risks and foster trust. With strategic government investments and support for responsible AI adoption, Canada will grow its AI ecosystem and enhance productivity across the country.
Today, the Government of Canada opened applications for the AI Compute Access Fund, a key initiative under the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy. This fund will provide up to $300 million for affordable access to compute power for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) to develop made-in-Canada AI products and solutions.
A due diligence assessment of each project proposal will be conducted to evaluate:
the organization's capacity and experience to implement the project
the project's ability to achieve AI Compute Access Fund objectives
the viability, impact and benefits of the project to Canada
Investing in AI is vital to building the strongest economy in the G7. The Government of Canada remains steadfast in supporting the nation's AI ecosystem with strategic investments that will drive both economic growth and responsible technological advancement. With this commitment, the government is unlocking new opportunities for prosperity, resiliency and national security, while strengthening Canada's leadership position in the global AI landscape.
The Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, including the Access Fund, will help:
scale Canada's AI industry
increase productivity and drive AI adoption rates across the country
make high-performance computing more accessible for small and medium-sized businesses
foster groundbreaking, made-in-Canada AI solutions in sectors such as life sciences, energy and advanced manufacturing
With the AI Compute Access Fund and the broader $2 billion Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, the government is ensuring that Canadian innovators have the tools they need to compete, drive discoveries and create new jobs in a modern, tech-enabled economy.
Quote
"The AI Compute Access Fund will help break down barriers and empower businesses and entrepreneurs to develop made-in-Canada solutions. By supporting Canadians across the country in accessing world-class computing infrastructure, we will boost productivity, drive economic growth and ensure that Canada's digital future is secure and innovative."
– The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Quick facts
Through the Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy, which was launched in December 2024, the Government of Canada is making strategic investments in public and commercial infrastructure to ensure that Canadian innovators, businesses and researchers have access to the compute capacity they need.
Public consultations on the strategy took place in summer 2024, receiving input from more than 1,000 stakeholders from research, industry and civil society through in-person and virtual round table discussions and an online survey.
The Government of Canada is allocating $2 billion from Budget 2024 through a series of investments to meet the short-, medium- and long-term compute needs of our world-leading innovators, businesses and researchers:
Up to $300 million through the AI Compute Access Fund to support the purchase of AI compute resources by innovative Canadian SMEs. This will meet the near-term needs of businesses as the government encourages increased private capital to build domestic compute capacity.
Up to $700 million to support projects from industry, academia and the private sector to build Canadian AI data centres. There will be an application process for these funds, with priority given to Canadian projects that can demonstrate a high rate of return on public investment, sustainability and other markers of success.
Up to $705 million for a new AI supercomputing system through the AI Sovereign Compute Infrastructure Program. This state-of-the-art, Canadian-owned and -located supercomputing system will support researchers and a cross-section of industry, and it will exponentially increase the compute power currently available in Canada. In addition, a smaller secure computing system, to be led by Shared Services Canada and the National Research Council of Canada, will be established for government and industry to perform research and development, including for national security purposes.
In the near term, up to $200 million will be provided to augment existing public compute infrastructure to address immediate needs.
The AI Compute Access Fund was launched in March 2025 to address barriers to AI development in sectors that require high-performance computing capacity and have high potential for AI adoption.
Eligible SMEs can apply by submitting a statement of interest through the online portal.
At the 2025 G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada and its G7 partners agreed to a G7 AI Adoption Roadmap to help SMEs adopt AI to drive productivity and competitiveness. Through the AI Compute Access Fund, Canada is meeting its G7 commitments, placing funding and targeted support for Canadian SMEs where it matters.
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