Ottawa is asking Canadians to weigh in on one of the biggest tech policy questions of the year: how do you know when you're talking to a machine, or looking at something a machine made?
The federal government, led out of offices right here in the capital, has launched a public consultation on AI transparency. Evan Solomon, the Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, announced the initiative to gather views on strengthening transparency requirements for AI systems and AI-generated outputs. The consultation runs from July 23 to September 23, 2026.
Why This Matters for Ottawa
With Kanata North's tech corridor and a growing cluster of AI startups and research labs across the city, Ottawa isn't just where this policy is being written — it's a place with real skin in the game. Local developers, public servants, and residents alike are increasingly running into AI tools in daily life, from chatbots on government websites to AI-generated news summaries. The federal government's own departments, many headquartered downtown, are also major users of AI systems, which makes this consultation more than an abstract policy exercise for the city.
What's Actually Being Asked
The consultation is focused on giving Canadians and businesses clearer, more accessible information about when they're interacting with an AI system, where online content actually came from, and how to make informed choices about adopting AI tools. Specific ideas on the table include labelling AI-generated content — music, written reports, videos — with watermarks so people can tell what's machine-made versus human-made.
This isn't happening in isolation. It builds on "AI for All," Canada's national AI strategy launched June 4, 2026, which lists protecting Canadians and safeguarding democracy as one of its six core pillars. It also follows on the heels of a federal AI project registry launched last November, which listed more than 400 government AI projects publicly for the first time.
How to Have Your Say
Canadians can participate through an anonymous online survey or by emailing the consultation team directly. Responses are being accepted until September 23, 2026.
Civil society groups have also been pushing their own parallel efforts, including a separate "People's Consultation on AI" campaign pressing Ottawa for stronger regulation and broader public input beyond the official government process — a sign that appetite for a say in how AI gets governed extends well past Parliament Hill.
The Bigger Picture
For a city that's home to both the federal government making these rules and a fast-growing local AI sector affected by them, this consultation is worth paying attention to. Whether it's watermarked AI content on your social feed or clearer disclosures from government chatbots, the outcome of this process could shape how Ottawa residents interact with AI for years to come.
Source: Canadian HR Reporter
