From Hockey to High-Tech: Canada’s AI Power Play
PwC warns Canada must fast-track AI adoption or risk losing ground to global competitors.

Canada stands at a crossroads. A new PwC Canada report estimates that if businesses accelerate artificial intelligence adoption, the nation’s economy could climb to $3.65 trillion by 2035. That figure represents a dramatic leap from the $2.89 trillion GDP recorded in 2023. The forecast is not just a matter of numbers—it reflects the country’s ability to embrace technology, tackle climate challenges, and navigate an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
The report maps out three possible futures. In the most optimistic case, Canada achieves a 9.3 per cent boost over its baseline growth expectations, driven by a cooperative global environment, trust in cybersecurity, and industries moving quickly to scale AI. A middle path shows a 6.9 per cent lift, while the most cautious outlook points to just 2.1 per cent growth above baseline. These scenarios illustrate both the upside potential and the risks of hesitation.
Closing the Adoption Gap
Nochane Rousseau, national managing partner at PwC Canada, makes it clear that Canada is lagging behind. Canadian AI uptake sits at about three-quarters of U.S. levels, a gap that threatens to keep the country behind its largest trading partner. While Canada was once an early pioneer in artificial intelligence research, the commercialization of those technologies has not kept pace. Rousseau argues that closing this gap will demand bold investment, government support, and a willingness among companies to rethink how they scale innovation.
Global comparisons matter. Even under the most optimistic forecast, Canada’s projected gains trail behind the United States, where PwC anticipates a 14 per cent GDP boost by 2035. The gap underscores a pressing reality: unless Canadian companies push forward, they risk becoming dependent on foreign technologies while forfeiting domestic economic growth.
