Government of Canada celebrates AI and Tech Innovation in Toronto
News release
Minister Solomon meets with leaders in innovation during Toronto Tech Week
June 25, 2025 – Toronto, Ontario
Today, the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), attended Frontiers of AI, co-hosted by MaRS Discovery District (MaRS), Vector Institute (Vector) and the University of Toronto, to discuss the future of Canada’s AI economy.
Minister Solomon began the day at MaRS, a leading innovation hub supporting science and technology startups and scaleups, where he highlighted Canada’s leadership in AI development. He reiterated the Government of Canada’s commitment to working alongside innovators to drive growth, create jobs, and scale Canada’s AI industry at home and on the world stage.
Minister Solomon also met with a number of businesses, including FedDev Ontario-supported Ecopia AI (Ecopia), a Canadian technology company using AI to create high-precision mapping data for critical applications around the world.
Vector’s world-class research community is pushing the boundaries of AI science, from accelerating equitable access to liver transplants to improving cancer care, and through its secure health AI network, is enabling data-driven solutions to critical issues like staffing shortages, wait times, and patient outcomes. This afternoon, Minister Solomon announced an investment of $3.5 million for Vector to deliver HealthSpark – an initiative to fast-track AI innovation in Canadian health care and services. With this support, high-potential scaleups and startups will receive training, mentorship and access to key networks and AI engineering expertise, as they develop AI solutions to tackle some of our most pressing healthcare challenges.
The Government of Canada is making strategic investments to support AI adoption to foster real solutions, improve lives, reshape industries and reimagine what is possible.
Quotes
“AI is a powerful driver of growth, productivity and innovation. It’s key to making sure Canada not only competes – but leads – on the global stage. Today is about momentum. It’s about recognizing Canadian excellence and organizations, like the Vector Institute, a world-renowned leader in AI innovation. Organizations like Vector aren’t just riding the wave of AI. They are shaping it. By accelerating the development of Canadian life-saving products and services, they’re delivering real-world impact that benefits Canadians across the country. With support from the Government of Canada, we’re making sure that momentum continues, and that Canadian ideas, talent, and breakthroughs have the support they need to grow and succeed.”
– The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
“We need to deliver better, more timely health care to Canadians. Innovative tools like artificial intelligence can help us improve patient outcomes, support health workers, and make our system more efficient and responsive.”
– The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health
“Vector’s HealthSpark initiative is empowering Ontario’s boldest innovators to accelerate AI-driven solutions to some of health’s toughest challenges, from diagnostics to primary care and beyond. With support from the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, these promising companies gain access to Vector’s world-leading expertise in the safe development and deployment of health-related AI, helping them unlock commercial potential and deliver valuable benefits to patients, clinicians, and health institutions across Canada.”
– Roxana Sultan, Chief Data Officer and Vice President, Health, Vector Institute
Quick facts
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Established in 2001, MaRS Discovery District is a not-for-profit organization that offers business services, including hands-on advice and mentorship, assistance in making connections to capital, talent development, and augmenting customer growth in Toronto and Canada-wide.
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Launched in March 2017 in partnership with the University of Toronto, the Vector Institute is a globally renowned leader in AI research and innovation that empowers researchers, businesses, and governments to adopt AI responsibly while advancing skills, collaboration, and economic growth across Ontario’s AI ecosystem.
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Incorporated in 2013, Ecopia AI is a Toronto-based technology company with the mission of digitizing the world maps using AI technology.
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Since 2015, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has invested over $417 million in over 110 artificial intelligence-related projects in southern Ontario.
Associated links
Contacts
Cindy Caturao
Press Secretary
Office of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
cindy.caturao@feddevontario.gc.ca
FedDev Ontario
Media Relations
media@feddevontario.gc.ca
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