Ottawa – As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to shape our society, the job market and our way of working, there is an increasing need for all Canadians to access training in digital skills. That is why the Government of Canada is investing in teaching digital skills to young Canadians and their teachers to help ensure our youth will be ready for the jobs of the future.
François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, launched the next phase of CanCode and highlighted a $39.2-million investment in the program. Now in its fourth phase, the program is looking for applications from not-for-profit organizations for projects offering students from kindergarten through grade 12 the opportunity to learn digital skills, such as coding and AI knowledge. This iteration of the program also aims to offer learning opportunities to 1.5 million students and train 100,000 teachers to incorporate new digital skills and technologies into their classrooms.
CanCode aligns with Canada’s Digital Charter, a made-in-Canada, principles-based approach to building trust in the digital world. The first principle of the Charter is focused on ensuring that all Canadians have equal opportunity to participate in the digital world and the necessary tools to do so, including access, connectivity, literacy and skills.
Through programs like CanCode that focus on supporting under-represented groups, the Government of Canada is committed to being a leader in innovation through a diverse and inclusive workforce.
“We are investing in young people who are training in coding, artificial intelligence and digital skills, to prepare them for future success in the 21st-century economy. Programs like CanCode facilitate their smooth transition from classrooms to research labs and will contribute to Canada’s sustained economic growth for years to come.” – François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry