The CanAI Garage Program is a national initiative through which academic institutions and governments, both federal and provincial, team up to create smart, innovative artificial intelligence (AI) solutions.
Powered by students
The CanAI Garage is a coast-to-coast-to-coast collaboration fuelled by collegiate, undergraduate and Master’s-level co-op students in four regional hubs—British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Newfoundland and Labrador. With plans to expand to other regions, the program ensures that innovation happens across Canada, not just in one place.
Each hub offers hands-on experience developing AI solutions. Students collaborate closely with SSC AI experts while working from their home regions and contributing to national projects.
This approach:
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strengthens regional representation
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provides real-world experience
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helps grow the next generation of AI professionals
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keeps talent within Canada’s public service
Interested in joining the SSC CanAI Garage?
Full-time post-secondary students who can work in Canada can check their institution’s co-op site to see if they’re eligible to apply. Students can also learn more about co-op programs by visiting: Post-Secondary Co-op/Internship Program
Real challenges, real impact
At its core, the CanAI Garage is about collaboration. It’s a space to spark new ideas and experiment safely.
The CanAI Garage develops and adopts tools that:
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streamline processes
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improve decision-making
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empower public servants in their daily work
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strengthen how services are delivered to Canadians
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align with Government of Canada values, security requirements and ethical standards
Every project tackles a real challenge facing government and creates a practical solution.
Each solution is designed to be scalable and reusable, so it can support multiple departments and programs across the public sector.
Five key areas of focus
The CanAI Garage supports government modernization through five core capabilities.
AI predictive operations
We build tools that analyze past data to identify trends and anticipate future needs. This helps teams plan ahead and make evidence-based decisions.
Smart intake evaluations
We develop tools that automatically collect, organize and route incoming information—such as forms or requests—so it reaches the right place quickly. This reduces manual work and improves consistency.
Rule-based systems
We design clear systems that follow structured, step-by-step logic to complete tasks accurately and consistently. These are ideal for processes that require speed, precision and reliability.
Sovereign virtual large language models
We create and test government-controlled AI chatbots that can:
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summarize information
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draft content
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analyze text
… all while protecting sensitive data and ensuring it remains within secure environments.
Error and fraud detection systems
We build tools that identify unusual patterns in data to help detect errors or potential misrepresentation. These systems allow teams to focus their attention where it’s needed most.