The AI in Action: Transforming Clinical Care Across Canada Working Group has completed Stage 1 of its mandate: the first environmental scan of artificial intelligence (AI)–driven clinical initiatives across Canadian healthcare delivery.
This scan provides a snapshot of verifiable, publicly available activity and a baseline for ongoing monitoring. It is not a census of all activity underway but rather a structured starting point to understand where AI adoption is visible, where opportunities exist, and where gaps remain.
What We Found
- Scale of activity: 152 initiatives across the country, with Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia accounting for the majority.
- Clinical settings: Hospitals and acute care dominate, while primary care, long-term care, community health, and Indigenous/remote settings are comparatively rare.
- Technology patterns: Machine Learning and Computer Vision lead the way, with Natural Language Processing emerging in scribes and chatbots, and early signs of robotics and large language models.
- Deployment stage: 89 projects are still in pilot, with fewer in scaled or sustained use.
Why This Matters
The scan highlights the need for:
- Better workflow integration so that tools can move beyond pilots.
- Equity in adoption, ensuring that underrepresented settings like primary care, LTC, and remote communities are not left behind
- More evidence, with outcome data needed to understand impact and support scaling.
This is a living resource. We invite healthcare providers and organizations to share details of their AI initiatives so the database remains accurate, up to date, and useful to leaders across Canada.
Acknowledgements
This work is being championed by Dr. Tania Tajirian, Chief Health Information Officer (CHIO) and Chief of Hospital Medicine at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)through the AI in Action Working Group.
We extend our sincere thanks to the CHIEF Executive Forum working group members whose insights and leadership shaped this effort:
- Aaron Cheng, Shoppers Drugmart
- Alex Dahl, Akinox
- Amelia Hoyt, Michael Garron Hospital
- Amir Soheili, Southlake
- Andrew Nemirovsky, Interlace health
- Andrew Pigou, Baycrest
- Angel Arnaout, PHSA
- Attila Farkas, Infoway
- Brett Taylor, Health Canada
- Chandi Chandrasena, OntarioMD
- Chris Sulway, OntarioMD
- Christine LaRocque, Healthcare Excellence Canada
- Dawn Lake, Doctors of BC
- Jennifer Sheils, Horizon Health
- Justin Saindon, Niagara Health
- Justin Wolting, eHealth Centre of Excellence
- Karen Hay, Salesforce
- Karim Jessa, SickKids
- Keltie Jamieson, Bermuda Hospital Board
- Kim Ramirez, Transform Services
- Kyle Schilke, Amazon
- Lisa Laferriere, HHS
- Marc Koehn, Accenture
- Mark Casselman, Akinox
- May Tuason, PHSA
- Nimira Dhalwani, SickKids
- Pakizah Kozak, Holland Bloorview
- Payal Agarwal, Grand River Hospital
- Pippy Scott-Meuser, Centre for Effective Practice
- Prabhjot Gill, PHSA
- Robert Fox, OntarioMD
- Sarah Muttit, SickKids
- Scott McMillan, Cercle Group
- Sonia Pagliaroli, Oracle
- Ted Alexander, eHealth Centre of Excellence
- Ted Scott, HHS
We also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of two groups of volunteers whose efforts made this environmental scan possible:
The group of University of Toronto EMHI and MHI student volunteers, who carried out the initial national scan of clinical AI initiatives and created the baseline dataset:
- Abhishek Chopra
- Agnes Leung
- Annika Tork
- Dana Elsaid
- Keeithana Sellathurai
- Marko Pavlesen
- Marwa Naimi
- Neil Merrit
- Nuzhat Jahin
- Oviya Sritharan
- Prahas Kumarasamy
- Sandra Al Ali
- Shangjucta Das Pooja
- Sheila Noriega Mestanza
- Sonia Heer
- Timileyin Awolola
- Vanessa Bui
- Victorine Maikem
And these Emerging Professional volunteers, who built on that foundation by reviewing and refining the dataset, cleaning and standardizing the information, and conducting a supplemental scan:
- Christopher Ng-Fletcher
- Francesca D’Angelo
- Hamza Malik
- Mannie Chhabra
- Mobeen Lalani
- Raghuv Gupta
- Shaaf Farooq
- Shveta Bhasker
- Stephanie Rintoul
- Tanya Bierer
What’s Next
This scan marks only the beginning. With Stage 1 now complete, the Working Group will continue its work engaging leaders across Canada, surfacing lessons learned, and supporting responsible AI adoption. Together, we aim to ensure that AI in healthcare advances in ways that are evidence-based, equitable, and patient-centred.
In addition to this environmental scan, members also have access to the Inventory of AI in Healthcare Resources on the Digital Health Canada Community platform. Like the scan, this inventory is a living resource. Members can explore current resources and contribute new ones to keep the collection timely and relevant.
If you would like to submit a new initiative or correct information in the dataset, please contact us at chief@digitalhealthcanada.com.