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
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.
Our plain-language take, written for civic education.
Source: By PoliticalData.ca
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.
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.
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- The bill text does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance with the obligations it creates
- 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
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)
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
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
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)
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 textProcess Snapshot
Vote Summary
Representative Voting Breakdown
Vote badges include text labels so the table stays readable for everyone, even without color cues alone.
| Representative | Role | Riding | Party | Vote | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rob CerjanecSponsor MPP | MPP | Ajax | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Don Valley East | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Kitchener Centre | Green Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Parkdale—High Park | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Guildwood | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Haldimand—Norfolk | Independent | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Waterloo | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa West—Nepean | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Spadina—Fort York | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Scarborough Southwest | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Nickel Belt | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mushkegowuk—James Bay | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Sudbury | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Niagara Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | St. Catharines | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oshawa | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | University—Rosedale | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Ottawa South | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Timiskaming—Cochrane | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Don Valley North | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Kanata—Carleton | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Toronto Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke—Lakeshore | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Windsor West | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Thunder Bay—Superior North | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Ottawa—Vanier | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Davenport | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Beaches—East York | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Guelph | Green Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | London West | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Toronto—Danforth | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Hamilton Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Don Valley West | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Toronto—St. Paul's | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Orléans | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kingston and the Islands | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | London North Centre | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | London—Fanshawe | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Humber River—Black Creek | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Nepean | Ontario Liberal Party | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Niagara Falls | New Democratic Party of Ontario | Yes | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Brampton West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Windsor—Tecumseh | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Essex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Agincourt | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Algoma—Manitoulin | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Markham—Unionville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Cambridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe—Grey | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Peterborough—Kawartha | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Scarborough Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Newmarket—Aurora | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Mississauga—Malton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Oakville North—Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Carleton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Barrie—Innisfil | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York—Simcoe | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Northumberland—Peterborough South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Etobicoke North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oxford | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Timmins | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Parry Sound—Muskoka | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Kenora—Rainy River | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Simcoe North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Thunder Bay—Atikokan | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Huron—Bruce | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Vaughan—Woodbridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga Centre | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Streetsville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Markham—Stouffville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Pickering—Uxbridge | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Brampton South | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough North | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Elgin—Middlesex—London | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Niagara West | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Oakville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | King—Vaughan | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Dufferin—Caledon | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Durham | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Chatham-Kent—Leamington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Scarborough—Rouge Park | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Milton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Kitchener South—Hespeler | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Wellington—Halton Hills | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Markham—Thornhill | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Whitby | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Perth—Wellington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Eglinton—Lawrence | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | York South—Weston | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Hamilton Mountain | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Burlington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
MPP | MPP | Hastings—Lennox and Addington | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. |
| MPP | Sarnia—Lambton | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Lakeshore | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga—Erin Mills | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Mississauga East—Cooksville | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Glengarry—Prescott—Russell | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Lambton—Kent—Middlesex | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
| MPP | Bay of Quinte | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded without an additional note. | |
MPP | MPP | Brantford—Brant | Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario | No | Recorded 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