Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant, futuristic concept — it’s in our schools, workplaces, hospitals, and even shaping the way governments operate. And Canadians have made it clear: they want oversight. A recent Leger poll found that 85 per cent of Canadians support regulating AI, with the majority strongly in favour.
That number speaks volumes. Canadians aren’t rejecting technology; they’re demanding accountability. They see both the promise and the peril of AI — and they don’t want to leave its future in the hands of Silicon Valley giants or bad actors online.
What’s striking, however, is the divide in how people feel about AI’s impact. Only 34 per cent of Canadians think it’s good for society, while 36 per cent believe it’s harmful. A full third are still on the fence. This hesitation isn’t hard to understand. Yes, AI boosts workplace productivity — especially for younger generations, with 69 per cent of Gen Z users saying it makes them more efficient. But when it comes to more sensitive areas, trust evaporates. Just 36 per cent would rely on AI for health advice, 31 per cent for legal advice, and only 18 per cent believe it could replace teachers.
And they’re right to be cautious. Deepfakes are already here, eroding trust in politics and media. From fake cryptocurrency ads featuring politicians to AI-generated voice scams, Canadians are seeing firsthand how dangerous unregulated AI can be. The fact that even premiers and prime ministers have been targeted should be a wake-up call for all levels of government.
The response from Ottawa, though, has been tepid. AI Minister Evan Solomon has hinted at shifting away from “over-indexing on warnings and regulation” in favour of prioritizing economic growth. That’s a mistake. Of course Canada should encourage innovation and seize the opportunities AI presents, but innovation without safeguards is reckless. Economic growth cannot come at the expense of public trust, safety, and privacy.
If anything, the polling shows Canadians are sophisticated enough to understand the nuance: AI can be both a tool and a threat. It can be a productivity booster in the workplace while also being a weapon for fraud and misinformation. Regulation doesn’t have to be about stifling innovation — it should be about building guardrails so people can actually feel confident using the technology.
The government has a choice. It can act now, with strong frameworks to prevent abuse, or it can wait until the damage is so severe that public trust in both AI and the institutions meant to regulate it is permanently eroded.
Canadians are already speaking loudly and clearly. They don’t just want AI to be powerful — they want it to be ethical, safe, and accountable. The real question is whether our leaders are listening.
