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OntarioDid Not Pass44th Parliament, 1st Session

Bill 61 explained in plain English

Ontario Artificial Intelligence, Talent and Innovation Strategy Act, 2025

Ontario legislature bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature
Legislature / Parliament
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Session
44th Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill 61
Full title
Ontario Artificial Intelligence, Talent and Innovation Strategy Act, 2025
Current status
Did Not Pass
Latest event
Lost on division
Last updated
Nov 24, 2025

Official Legislative Assembly of Ontario snapshot for 44th Parliament, 1st Session. Representative vote breakdowns appear when the Assembly publishes an Ayes and Nays page for the bill.

Chamber
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Current Stage
Lost on division
Latest Activity
Nov 24, 2025
Plain-language explanation
In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing
Short Version

Ontario Bill 61 requires the Ontario government to design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive artificial intelligence, talent, and innovation strategy aimed at making Ontario a global leader in AI and innovation within 10 years.

What It Means

Ontario Bill 61 creates a legal requirement for the Ontario government to develop and maintain a strategy focused on artificial intelligence (AI), talent, and innovation. The bill defines artificial intelligence broadly to include machine learning systems, neural networks, generative AI, and other computational systems that perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence. The strategy aims to make Ontario a global and national leader in AI and innovation within 10 years. The bill establishes an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee with up to 21 members appointed by the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. The committee must include representatives from the AI industry, AI safety organizations, civil liberties groups, disability rights groups, healthcare, Indigenous groups, manufacturing/agriculture/energy sectors, privacy regulators, organized labour, post-secondary education, and student/youth groups. The committee must produce an initial report within 180 days of being established and an annual report describing Ontario's progress toward the strategy's objectives. The Minister must respond publicly to the committee's recommendations within 90 days and must table the committee's reports in the Legislative Assembly within 60 days of receiving them. The Minister must also appear before a Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs annually to update on progress. The Act comes into force on receiving Royal Assent, and the advisory committee must be established within 90 days after that. Every three years, a Legislative Assembly committee must review how effective the Act has been in achieving its purpose.

What This Bill Does
  • Requires the Government of Ontario to design, implement, and maintain an artificial intelligence, talent, and innovation strategy with the goal of making Ontario a global and national leader in AI and innovation within 10 years
  • Establishes an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee to be appointed by the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade with up to 21 members
  • Requires the committee to include at least one representative each from: the AI industry, AI safety organizations, civil liberties advocacy groups, disability rights groups, the health care sector, Indigenous groups, manufacturing/agriculture/energy sectors, information privacy regulators, organized labour, post-secondary education, and student and youth groups
  • Requires the committee to produce an initial report within 180 days of establishment making recommendations on achieving unmet objectives of the strategy
  • Requires the committee to publish an annual report describing Ontario's progress in achieving the strategy's objectives
  • Requires the committee to make recommendations to the Ontario government on implementing the strategy, including suggesting legislative or regulatory changes
  • Requires the committee to advise on emerging AI innovations and their relation to business development in Ontario
  • Requires the committee to consult with industry, researchers, students, and public stakeholders on AI, talent, and innovation issues in Ontario
  • Requires the Minister to publicly respond within 90 days to recommendations in published reports, indicating the government's response and implementation timelines
  • Requires the Minister to table all committee reports in the Legislative Assembly within 60 days of receipt (or as soon as possible if the Assembly is not in session)
  • Requires the Minister to appear before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs annually to update on Ontario's progress toward the strategy's objectives
  • Allows the Lieutenant Governor in Council to make regulations prescribing additional systems, software, hardware, or processes as artificial intelligence
  • Requires a Legislative Assembly committee to review the Act's effectiveness every three years
Who Is Affected
  • The Government of Ontario, which is required to design, implement, and maintain an AI, talent, and innovation strategy
  • The Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, who must establish and oversee the advisory committee, respond to recommendations, table reports, and provide annual updates to the Legislative Assembly
  • The Ontario Legislative Assembly and its Standing Committees, which must receive and review reports and assess the Act's effectiveness every three years
  • The Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee members, who must represent the AI industry, AI safety organizations, civil liberties advocacy groups, disability rights groups, healthcare sector, Indigenous groups, manufacturing/agriculture/energy sectors, information privacy regulators, organized labour, post-secondary education, and student and youth groups
  • Businesses and startups in Ontario involved in artificial intelligence and innovation, who may be affected by strategies aimed at incentivizing creation, retention, and investment in AI companies
  • Post-secondary institutions in Ontario, which are targeted in the strategy for developing incubation programs and conducting AI research and development
  • Ontario residents, who are referenced as stakeholders to be consulted and as beneficiaries of the strategy's goal to improve economic productivity and quality of life
  • Ontario students, who are targeted for retention in the province and encouragement to return if they have moved abroad
  • International and domestic investors who may be affected by strategies to incentivize investment in Ontario AI and innovation companies
Rights, Duties, Or Obligations
  • The Government of Ontario shall design, implement, and maintain an artificial intelligence, talent, and innovation strategy (Section 3(1))
  • The Minister shall establish an Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee within 90 days of the Act coming into force (Section 4(1))
  • The Committee shall produce an initial report within 180 days of establishment making recommendations on achieving unmet objectives (Section 4(4))
  • The Committee shall publish an annual report describing Ontario's progress in achieving the strategy's objectives (Section 4(5), point 4)
  • The Minister shall publicly respond within 90 days after the Committee makes recommendations in a published report, indicating the government's response and implementation timelines (Section 4(6))
  • The Minister shall table every Committee report in the Legislative Assembly within 60 days of receiving it, or as early as possible in the next session if the Assembly is not in session (Section 4(7))
  • The Minister shall appear before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs annually to update on Ontario's progress in achieving the strategy's objectives (Section 4(8))
  • A Legislative Assembly committee shall review the Act every three years to assess how effective it has been in achieving its stated purpose (Section 6)
  • The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations prescribing additional systems, software, hardware, or integrated processes as artificial intelligence for purposes of the Act's definition (Section 5)
Important Dates
  • The Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent (Section 7)
  • The Minister must establish the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee within 90 days of the Act coming into force (Section 4(1))
  • The Committee must produce an initial report within 180 days after the Committee is established (Section 4(4))
  • The Minister must respond publicly to Committee recommendations within 90 days after they are made in a published report (Section 4(6))
  • The Minister must table Committee reports in the Legislative Assembly within 60 days of receiving them (Section 4(7))
  • The Minister must appear before the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs annually to provide updates (Section 4(8))
  • A Legislative Assembly committee must review the Act every three years to assess effectiveness (Section 6)
Financial Or Tax Impacts
  • The bill text does not specify the costs of establishing or operating the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee
  • The bill text does not specify the financial impacts or costs associated with designing, implementing, and maintaining the AI, talent, and innovation strategy
  • The bill text does not specify any tax changes or financial incentives related to the strategy (though the strategy objectives mention incentivizing creation, retention, expansion, and investment)
Enforcement Or Penalties
  • The bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with the obligations it creates
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The bill does not specify what the AI, talent, and innovation strategy should actually contain or what specific actions the government must take; it only describes the strategy's objectives and requires the government to pursue them
  • The bill does not specify the budget or resources available for implementing the strategy
  • The bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms or consequences if the government fails to design, implement, or maintain the strategy
  • The bill does not explain how the advisory committee members will be selected or what specific qualifications or expertise they must have, only that they must represent certain sectors and groups
  • The bill does not specify how the government should measure progress toward the strategy's objectives or what 'making Ontario a global and national leader in AI and innovation within 10 years' means in concrete terms
  • The bill does not specify whether the 12 objectives of the strategy are ranked by priority or are all equally important
  • The bill does not specify what should happen if the three-year review finds the Act is not effective, or what consequences or actions might follow from such a finding
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Definitions of artificial intelligence
created

The bill creates a broad legal definition of artificial intelligence that includes machine learning systems, neural networks, natural language processing, generative AI, autonomous decision-making systems, and emerging forms of AI, with the definition intended to be interpreted broadly to cover future AI technologies not yet named or defined.

Source: Section 1(1) and 1(2)

Artificial Intelligence Advisory Committee
created

A new advisory committee is established to advise the Ontario government on AI strategy, make recommendations on implementation, consult on AI issues, and publish annual progress reports. The committee must include representatives from diverse sectors including AI industry, safety organizations, civil liberties groups, disability rights, healthcare, Indigenous groups, and others.

Source: Section 4

Government responsibility for AI, talent, and innovation strategy
created

The bill creates a legal obligation for the Ontario government to design, implement, and maintain a comprehensive AI, talent, and innovation strategy with 12 specified objectives including creating and retaining AI startups, developing research and development, building talent pipelines, protecting safety and privacy, creating economic growth, and developing sovereign AI capacity.

Source: Sections 2 and 3

Minister reporting and accountability requirements
created

The bill creates new reporting and accountability obligations for the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, including responding to committee recommendations within 90 days, tabling reports in the Legislative Assembly within 60 days, and appearing annually before a Standing Committee to update on strategy progress.

Source: Sections 4(6), 4(7), and 4(8)

Three-year review requirement
created

The bill requires a Legislative Assembly committee to conduct a review of the Act's effectiveness every three years to assess whether the Act is achieving its stated purpose of requiring the government to develop and implement a comprehensive AI strategy.

Source: Section 6

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Process Snapshot

Step 1
First reading
Oct 27, 2025
Step 2
Second reading
Nov 24, 2025
Step 3
Committee review
Not reached yet
Step 4
Third reading
Not reached yet
Step 5
Royal assent
Not reached yet

Vote Summary

Yes
43
No
71
Abstain
0
Absent / Other
0
Final recorded vote
Nov 24, 2025
114 representative positions are recorded in this official snapshot for this vote.
Sponsor
Rob Cerjanec
Ontario Liberal Party | Ajax
Jurisdiction
Ontario Legislature

Representative Voting Breakdown

Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.

RepresentativeRoleRidingPartyVoteNotes
MPP
MPPAjaxOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDon Valley EastOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKitchener CentreGreen Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPParkdale—High ParkNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough—GuildwoodOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHaldimand—NorfolkIndependentYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPWaterlooNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOttawa CentreNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOttawa West—NepeanNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSpadina—Fort YorkNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough SouthwestNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNickel BeltNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMushkegowuk—James BayNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSudburyNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNiagara CentreNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSt. CatharinesNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOshawaNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPUniversity—RosedaleNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOttawa SouthOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPTimiskaming—CochraneNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDon Valley NorthOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKanata—CarletonOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPToronto CentreNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPEtobicoke—LakeshoreOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPWindsor WestNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPThunder Bay—Superior NorthNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOttawa—VanierOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDavenportNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBeaches—East YorkOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPGuelphGreen Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLondon WestNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPToronto—DanforthNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHamilton CentreNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHamilton West—Ancaster—DundasNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDon Valley WestOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPToronto—St. Paul'sOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOrléansOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKingston and the IslandsOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLondon North CentreNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLondon—FanshaweNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHumber River—Black CreekNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNepeanOntario Liberal PartyYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNiagara FallsNew Democratic Party of OntarioYesRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBrampton WestProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPWindsor—TecumsehProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPEssexProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough—AgincourtProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPAlgoma—ManitoulinProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPRenfrew—Nipissing—PembrokeProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMarkham—UnionvilleProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPCambridgeProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSimcoe—GreyProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPRichmond HillProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPPeterborough—KawarthaProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough CentreProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNewmarket—AuroraProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga—MaltonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOakville North—BurlingtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPCarletonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBarrie—InnisfilProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPYork—SimcoeProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBrampton CentreProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNorthumberland—Peterborough SouthProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBarrie—Springwater—Oro-MedonteProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPEtobicoke NorthProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOxfordProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPTimminsProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPParry Sound—MuskokaProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKenora—Rainy RiverProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSimcoe NorthProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPThunder Bay—AtikokanProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHaliburton—Kawartha Lakes—BrockProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHuron—BruceProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPVaughan—WoodbridgeProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPAurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond HillProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPYork CentreProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga CentreProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga—StreetsvilleProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPStormont—Dundas—South GlengarryProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMarkham—StouffvilleProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPPickering—UxbridgeProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBrampton SouthProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough NorthProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPElgin—Middlesex—LondonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPNiagara WestProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPOakvilleProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKing—VaughanProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLeeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau LakesProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDufferin—CaledonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPDurhamProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPChatham-Kent—LeamingtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPScarborough—Rouge ParkProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMiltonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPKitchener South—HespelerProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLanark—Frontenac—KingstonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPWellington—Halton HillsProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPThornhillProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMarkham—ThornhillProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPWhitbyProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPPerth—WellingtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPEglinton—LawrenceProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPYork South—WestonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHamilton MountainProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBurlingtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBruce—Grey—Owen SoundProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPHastings—Lennox and AddingtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPSarnia—LambtonProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga—LakeshoreProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga—Erin MillsProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPMississauga East—CooksvilleProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPGlengarry—Prescott—RussellProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPLambton—Kent—MiddlesexProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBay of QuinteProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.
MPPBrantford—BrantProgressive Conservative Party of OntarioNoRecorded without an additional note.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced