Regional businesses now have access to fresh support to develop their use of AI.

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency has put out a call for proposals for Atlantic Canadian businesses interested in introducing AI into operations or bringing their own AI technologies to market.

“AI is changing how businesses compete, and we can’t afford to see Atlantic Canada fall behind….,” said Sean Fraser, whose roles include responsibility for ACOA.  

“This investment responds to a clear message from the business leaders on our Atlantic Economic Panel, who recently delivered their report on how to grow our region’s economy: businesses need support to turn these technologies into real growth,” Fraser said.

The funding was part of an announcement made Tuesday that revealed an additional investment of $500 million over five years through the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), bringing total national funding to $700 million.

The initiative is part of AI for All, Canada’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy. In the Atlantic region, ACOA is delivering over $55 million under RAII.

The Atlantic-wide call for proposals is open to eligible small- and medium-sized businesses with AI projects valued at $1 million or more that can deliver measurable outcomes such as productivity gains, increased competitiveness, commercialization success or business growth. The call for proposals closes on November 20, 2026.

Interested businesses can visit ACOA’s website to learn more and apply.