Why other provinces should follow Ontario’s approach to digital policy development

By Alanna Sokic, CCI’s Manager of Government Affairs in Ontario

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Last fall, the Ontario government declared that it was committed to becoming the leading digital jurisdiction in the world and it didn’t get a whole lot of attention. Eight months later, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the declaration was more than just standard political posturing.

Ontario is having a digital government moment.

First we saw the digital ID project where Ontario declared its intention to become a world-leading digital government jurisdiction. Then earlier this year the province rolled out a meaningful provincial data strategy. And earlier this month, the province appointed Dan Herman, a notable public service leader, to build out a new agency tasked with enhancing intellectual property generation in the province. We’ve even seen moves towards a rights-based approach to privacy, which is something that data governance experts have been asking for.

On top of all that, Queen’s Park recently moved ahead with a public consultation on developing a Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence Framework. The AI framework is still a work-in-progress, and right now it’s meant to guide how government will use artificial intelligence responsibly. But the standards that Ontario sets for itself may act as a starting point for broader guidelines about how AI should be used in the province.

For reference, the province established three main pillars for how AI should be used by government:

• AI should not be used in secret
• AI should be used in a way Ontarians can trust
• AI should serve all Ontarians

Over the past couple months, I’ve had quite a few insightful conversations with CEOs at CCI member companies who work with AI. These business leaders are actively engaged with artificial intelligence systems, working to commercialize this important technology. Relying on their expertise, CCI submitted some tangible ideas about how Ontario can expand on its broad principles and embrace AI as a powerful tool for government service delivery while being sensitive to important risks associated with AI systems.

You can read our full submission [here](https://www.dropbox.com/s/snh6n1vxuarezka/CCI Response - Ontario’s Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) Framework Consultation.pdf?dl=0). One point that I’d like to highlight, which I heard repeatedly from our CCI members, was the need to ensure that the Ontario government’s approach to AI comes with a sophisticated approach to data-sharing.

Artificial intelligence is built on data. Sophisticated algorithms are trained using vast data sets. If the Ontario government wants to benefit from the power and efficiency of AI, the government should also ensure that AI companies — especially homegrown Ontario firms — are able to access government data in ways that protect citizens’ rights while supporting economic growth and improving these important tools.

We need to be careful with any powerful new technology, but it’s okay to be excited about the government’s use of AI.

Adapting government processes to fit new emerging technologies is something that all Canadian governments will need to embrace. Other provinces can build off the work Ontario is doing today.

Ontario has taken steps forward on digital identity, on data and now on artificial intelligence, and it’s good to acknowledge Ontario’s leadership in this regard. In fact, we encourage it.

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