Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to fast-track flagship national projects—from LNG in northern British Columbia, to nuclear power in Ontario—signals a bold push to reshape Canada’s economic backbone. But bricks and steel aren’t enough. Our prosperity now hinges on mastering the artificial intelligence and quantum revolutions already reshaping every industry, including these very projects. 

This work is already underway at Canadian universities. In labs across the country, students, researchers, and professors are driving breakthroughs in secure quantum communications, advanced materials, and AI applications for health care and infrastructure. They’re building the next generation of cybersecurity researchers because today’s tools won’t stand up to AI and quantum-powered threats. These are innovations with direct relevance to Canada’s priorities: safeguarding critical systems, modernizing the grid, and improving patient care.

Universities across the country are leading in these key sectors. At the Université de Sherbrooke, the Institut quantique is advancing internationally recognized research in quantum computing, materials, and communications. The University of Waterloo continues to lead in quantum science and computer engineering, while the University of Toronto’s Vector Institute anchors Canada’s AI ecosystem.

In B.C., the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Victoria each pursue distinct strengths in quantum computing and algorithms, and collaborate through Quantum BC to connect their expertise, develop talent, and engage global industry partners.

The Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute, headquartered at the University of Alberta and working with the Universities of Calgary and Lethbridge, is pioneering applications of AI across sectors. In Quebec, Mila—based at Université de Montréal, and uniting researchers from McGill University, Polytechnique Montréal, and HEC Montréal—is one of the world’s most influential AI institutes. 

In Atlantic Canada, the University of New Brunswick’s Quantum Sensing & Ultracold Matter Lab is advancing navigation technologies for environments where GPS fails, with potential defence applications.
Together, these stories show how universities are generating breakthroughs that position Canada to lead in tomorrow’s innovations.

However, leadership is not guaranteed. The United States, the European Union, and China are investing in AI and quantum at a scale Canada has yet to match. In the absence of a Canadian initiative, a competition for U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency funds has identified that three of the 18 companies that have a near-term path to building quantum computers are Canadian, including Photonics, which spun out of Simon Fraser University, and Nord Quantique out of Université de Sherbrooke. They are ensuring stable funding, attracting global talent, and linking innovation directly to economic and security strategies. 

The consequences are real if we don’t keep up—homegrown talent will move abroad, and our domestic capacity will weaken, leaving Canada reliant on foreign technologies to power our economy and defend our infrastructure. Short-term programs and shifting rules on immigration undermine our reputation and make it harder to compete for the world’s best minds.

The upcoming budget will be critical in charting Canada’s course in technological growth. As the federal government weighs research cuts in its spending review, nearly all the investments promised just last year now hang in the balance. Slashing funding would drive researchers away and undercut Canada’s efforts to attract top talent and seize the opportunity of the U.S. brain drain. Those goals can’t be achieved by pulling support from Canadian researchers.

A commitment to stable research funding would provide universities with the foundation needed to plan ahead and deliver results. At the same time, stronger ties with industry and government would speed the path from campus discovery to national impact. Establishing new Industrial and Quantum Research Chairs could serve as a way to attract talent while creating stronger ties between university and Canadian industry.

As an early mover on quantum, Canada is well positioned to lead on creating new industries and technologies. Let’s not squander it. 

AI and quantum are the next frontier. Investing in Canada’s universities means securing our economy, strengthening defence, and shaping future infrastructure. The expertise is here—all it needs is the commitment to succeed.

Gabriel Miller is the president and CEO of Universities Canada. He is an experienced not-for-profit leader who has built an extensive track record in member relations, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and public policy development over his 22-year career.

The Hill Times