By Kris Krüg
The appointment of Evan Solomon as Canada's first Minister of Artificial Intelligence marks a watershed moment – though perhaps not the one Ottawa intended. It's an acknowledgment that digital transformation isn't a department initiative but a fundamental restructuring of how government serves citizens.
Let's be straight: Canada's slide from 3rd to 47th in global e-government rankings isn't just a statistical blip. It's evidence of a systemic failure to recognize digital infrastructure as essential to our national future.
BC + AI: British Columbia’s AI Ecosystem for Innovation & Impact
In British Columbia, we didn't wait for federal permission to build. The BC + AI Ecosystem Initiative connects a diverse coalition of practitioners, communities, and innovators who understand that real transformation happens at the intersection of code and culture.
Our strength comes from unlikely alliances: Indigenous data sovereignty experts collaborating with climate scientists; artists working alongside neural engineers; community organizers partnering with tech founders. We're building tools that respect the land, empower communities, and create genuine public value.
This work is messy, iterative, and profoundly human. It happens in community labs, Discord channels, and monthly gatherings where hundreds of practitioners share demos, not just theories. We ship code while challenging each other to build more ethical, inclusive systems.
BC + AI Ecosystem Launch: Growing Artificial Intelligence Industry Association in British Columbia
Minister Solomon, your new role comes with immense challenges, but also with an opportunity to forge a truly Canadian approach to AI – one that doesn't just mimic Silicon Valley but builds on our unique strengths:
The question isn't whether a federal ministry can "manage" AI development – it can't. The question is whether it can serve as a catalyst, connector, and champion for the ecosystem already taking shape across the country.
BC’s AI Ecosystem: A Mycelial Network of Creation - Kris Krüg | Generative AI Tools & Techniques