Canadians concerned about AI’s impact on environment, children: federal consultation

Ottawa quietly released the results of its AI strategy consultation on Thursday, which found individuals and experts are worried about the potential social and ethical effects of the technology. As the federal government prepares to release its highly-anticipated strategy for artificial intelligence (AI), Canadians are telling the government they’re worried new technologies could worsen the spread of misinformation and act as a strain on the country’s energy grid. Ottawa quietly released the results of its nationwide consultation on Thursday evening, which included a summary report of the more than 11,300 individual submissions received, as well as separate recommendations from a recently-established task force of 28 experts, tech watchdogs, and other AI stakeholders. The consultation, framed as a 30-day nationwide ‘sprint,’ found Canadians are largely divided on the future of AI, with some viewing the technology as a vehicle for economic growth, while others are preoccupied with ethical, environmental, and social considerations. “Respondents warned of environmental harm, privacy risks and job displacement, urging Canada to adopt a cautious, evidence-based approach,” read the summary report. “They called for ethical guidelines, regulatory clarity and sectorspecific standards to ensure AI improves efficiency without undermining human judgement.” “Many warned of an AI bubble and argued for a cautious approach that prioritizes sovereignty, education and social safety nets over chasing global dominance.” The government used various AI softwares, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Cohere’s Command A, Google’s Gemini, as well as Anthropic’s Claude chatbot, to sift through thousands of responses. The report noted that humans validated all AI-generated analysis. AI and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon (Toronto Centre, Ont.) is expected to unveil the government’s AI strategy later this quarter, which he has said will be rooted in the foundational principle of “AI for all.” “Artificial intelligence is evolving quickly and Canadians know it,” Solomon said during an appearance before the House science and research committee on Monday. “Around the world, countries are racing to turn ideas into real-world tools and real-world jobs.” “The goal is simple — to set a clear direction for where Canada is going with AI, and how we get there on our terms.” Throughout the strategy consultations, Canadians recommended the government introduce “strong intellectual property protections” and “strong legal frameworks for privacy, environmental protection and ethical AI development.” “Environmental sustainability is a major concern for many, with calls for strategies to mitigate energy consumption and water usage in data centres,” read the report. “Respondents urged Canada to develop a national AI infrastructure roadmap that prioritizes sovereignty, sustainability and public benefit.” According to Goldman Sachs Research reports from May 2024, a text exchange with ChatGPT uses approximately 10 times the energy as a Google Search, while AI technologies are expected to drive a 160 per cent increase in energy demand by 2030. However, a 2025 study from the University of Waterloo found energy demand will likely be concentrated in regions with data centres, with a marginal impact on the national grid. Additionally, data centres annually require millions of litres of treated water to cool AI systems, which some stakeholders are concerned could strain Canada’s freshwater supply. During Monday’s meeting, Solomon did not comment on any individual recommendations, but said the consultation will help shape the government’s strategy and pushed back on the notion that AI will exclusively be a suck on the country’s energy grid. “We speak regularly to our provincial counterparts…, so I can find out exactly what grid capacity the provinces are estimating they need,” he said. “ while we do need electricity to power this AI revolution…, AI is also serving the electricity grid.” Solomon highlighted a recent government investment in a project administered by Hydro Ottawa that will deploy AI predictive technology to forecast peak demand, which he said will help make the grid more efficient. “AI is working on both sides,” he continued. “It’s helping to power the economy of the future, but it’s also helping to manage our supply more efficiently.” During the meeting, Solomon was pressed by Bloc Québécois MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas (Rimouski—La Matapédia, Que.) over why his office has not publicly released the individual submissions to the AI strategy consultation. “Sources mean transparency and you’re not telling us who your sources are,” said Blanchette-Joncas, who later tabled a motion calling on all contributions to be published within seven days, though debate on the motion was deferred to a future date. Following the meeting, Solomon also confirmed to The Wire Report that his office is developing legislation to focus on AI-related privacy and data concerns, while Canadian Identity Minister Marc Miller’s (Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Sœurs, Que.) office is “seized” with the technology’s impact on copyright law. Task force members optimistic, but ask for ‘red lines’ The government’s 28-member task force was overwhelmingly optimistic about the economic potential for AI development in Canada, but many were cognizant of the social and ethical risks that underpin the industry’s push for commercialization. “Given low levels of trust in AI amongst Canadians, legitimate concerns about its safety, and genuine uncertainty over how it will affect our economy and society, effective governance is imperative to solidifying Canadians’ collective confidence,” wrote Taylor Owen, a professor at McGill University and Beaverbrook Chair in media, ethics and communications. “Without this confidence, a sovereign AI innovation and adoption agenda is fraught with risk that undermines the government’s investments in AI and the public’s trust that it will do so responsibly.” A 2025 poll from Abacus Data found 45 per cent of Canadians use AI occasionally or frequently, but 51 per cent of people largely distrust the technology. The trend is particularly relevant for older Canadians, as 61 per cent of respondents older than 60-years-old reportedly distrust AI. Owen identified harmful behaviours demonstrated by various AI software, including problematic responses to mental health situations, spreading false information on social media, as well as perpetuating race- and gender-based stereotypes. “These harms originate from the structural dynamics of AI systems, which are shaped by corporate and economic incentives that govern their design, deployment and diffusion,” he continued. “These conditions are largely insulated from democratic oversight , without this oversight, Canadians’ trust in AI systems will remain low.” Owen suggested AI software should be incorporated into the government’s forthcoming legislation on online harms. Other task force members focused on the mental health implications of the new technology, especially the vulnerability of children, which they said should be a consideration of the government’s risk-based approach. Mary Wells, dean of engineering at the University of Waterloo, said the government must prioritize “applications and outcomes” rather than the underlying technology. “There is a particular need to identify a series of ‘red lines’ where the risk posed by AI may be too severe and not well understood enough to allow these systems to be used or deployed broadly into society,” wrote Wells in her submission. “For example, children/youth under the age of 18 should not be allowed to interact with AI companion models (synthetic relations) that attempt to develop an emotional bond or have been designed to be manipulative or addictive in nature.” Research from the U.S.-based Center for Democracy and Technology found, as of August 2025, 42 per cent of high school students say they or their friends use AI for companionship and mental health support, while 19 per cent of teens use the technology for a “romantic relationship.” It should be noted that other experts felt that risk management and financial benefits were not mutually exclusive, as Joelle Pineau, chief AI officer at the Canadian tech firm Cohere, wrote that “safety should not be perceived as being in competition with economic progress.” “When properly addressed, safety can be a competitive advantage, making AI products more valuable,” wrote Pineau. “Our goal as a country should not be to eliminate all risks, but to focus on pragmatic evidence-based solutions.” dlegree@thewirereport.ca

Canadians concerned about AI’s impact on environment, children: federal consultation

Regulatory |
By Davis Legree
|February 3, 2026

Ottawa quietly released the results of its AI strategy consultation on Thursday, which found individuals and experts are worried about the potential social and ethical effects of the technology.

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Canadians concerned about AI’s impact on environment, children: federal consultation

Regulatory | By Davis Legree |February 3, 2026

Ottawa quietly released the results of its AI strategy consultation on Thursday, which found individuals and experts are worried about the potential social and ethical effects of the technology.

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