Workforce training for AI: How much are provinces spending in 2026?

Provincial governments have announced roughly $100 million since early 2025 for artificial intelligence (AI) programs with a workforce training component, according to an HRD Canada analysis of government announcements. 

However, only a fraction of that money goes directly to upskilling workers.

For HR leaders setting AI training budgets, the map is uneven. Alberta and Ontario are backing research institutes. Quebec, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador are funding hands-on training through small businesses and industry groups. Several other jurisdictions have announced no dedicated AI workforce funding.

Employers are already moving. Businesses that invest in AI are 5.4 percentage points more likely to also invest in employee training, according to an April 2026 analysis by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Yet just 37% of workers say they have received sufficient AI training, according to the 2026 TD AI Insights Report conducted by Ipsos, a sign of the widening AI skills gap among Canadian workers. cfib-fceiipsos

Alberta and Ontario lead AI workforce spending

Premier Danielle Smith announced on July 9, 2026, that Alberta will invest $50 million over five years in the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii). Technology and Innovation and Advanced Education are contributing $15 million each, Assisted Living and Social Services $10 million, and Primary and Preventative Health Services and Education and Childcare $5 million apiece, Betakit reported.

The government says the money will support AI that improves public services and health care and helps workers prepare for future jobs. It has not detailed specific training programs. "Now we're putting that advantage to work," says Smith. Cam Linke, CEO of Amii in Edmonton, says the investment includes "building the AI literacy needed to prepare the workforce of the future."

Meanwhile, Ontario has committed $30 million to Toronto's Vector Institute through its Critical Technologies Initiative (CTI). Training and workforce development are among the program's eligible activities. Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, says the province can "seize the generational job opportunities at hand." Glenda Crisp, president and CEO of the Vector Institute, writes in its 2025–26 annual report that closing the AI adoption gap for smaller firms is "our defining challenge and our greatest opportunity." More detail is in our report on Ontario's $30-million investment in the Vector Institute. 

Quebec, Manitoba and Newfoundland fund small-business AI training

Quebec has taken the most targeted route. Through its Productivité-Compétences program, it opened a $10-million call for AI training aimed at workers and managers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). On July 14, 2026, Jean-François Simard, Quebec's Minister of Employment, announced 51 funded projects expected to reach nearly 8,000 people and 3,000 businesses in sectors including construction, transportation, forestry, manufacturing and tourism, as was shared by AMEQ.

Manitoba committed $2 million in March 2025 to AI workshops, webinars and mentorship for SMEs, delivered through the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce. Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, says the funding "ensures SMEs have ongoing support and resources to harness AI." Just last week, Ottawa and Manitoba announced a $500,000 federally funded pilot that trains aerospace and manufacturing workers in applied AI. Cameron Bergen, founder and CEO of Manitoba-based mode40, says the pilot will help workers "use AI responsibly in work they already know best."

Newfoundland and Labrador announced two AI training investments in spring 2025, both funded through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement. More than $1 million went to a micro-credential on AI in manufacturing. Another $1.95 million backs an SME program for 650 employees across 325 businesses, with focus areas that include human resources and workforce development. Craig Tucker, co-owner of Keyin College, which delivers the training, says technology "should be accessible, practical, and empowering." 

Gaps remain in provincial AI upskilling

British Columbia has no dedicated AI training fund. Its future skills grant covers up to $3,500 for short-term training at public post-secondary institutions, and learners have used it for AI courses in health care. Jessie Sunner, B.C.'s Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, says affordable training gives people "more opportunities to advance in their careers." 

Nova Scotia's 2026–27 budget includes $4.4 million to build AI capabilities inside government. 

HRD Canada found no dedicated provincial AI workforce training announcements from Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island or the territories in 2025–2026. In Saskatchewan, recent AI money has come from Ottawa, including more than $4.1 million through Prairies Economic Development Canada in April 2026. 

Most direct training dollars flow through chambers of commerce, industry associations and federal-provincial labour agreements, so employers may need to partner with those groups to benefit. Alberta's $5.5-million Industry Skills Grant call for proposals, which closes Oct. 30, 2026, uses that same collaborative model.