Attorney general’s statement on Meta settlement, need for safeguards in Canada

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Source: British Columbia - Government News
Date: 2026-08-31 18:30:00.0
Tags: [British Columbia, National, Technology, Justice, Public Safety]

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma released a public statement demanding that Meta Platforms, Inc. immediately implement the same youth online safety protections in Canada that the company agreed to deploy for users under 18 in the United States under an $18-billion settlement. The U.S. settlement involves allegations that Meta's platforms contributed to harms experienced by children and youth and misled the public about product safety, prompting mandatory safeguards including age-related content restrictions, age-verification measures, and usage-reduction features. Attorney General Sharma emphasized that B.C. is urging Meta to fix its platforms in Canada without waiting for the outcomes of active lawsuits, while highlighting the province's past advocacy and legislative actions including the Intimate Images Protection Act and the federal Safe Social Media Act.

Canada ready to further distance itself from U.S. on military procurement

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-08-29 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Defence, Trade, Industry, Technology]

Ottawa is shifting its military procurement strategy away from the United States amid ongoing tariff disputes, aiming to reduce reliance on American contractors and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) framework. Stephen Fuhr, head of the Defence Investment Agency, stated that the public has no appetite for sole-source American military contracts, putting procurements like Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets and potential Black Hawk helicopters under review. Concurrently, Canada is pursuing European and domestic alternatives, including negotiations with Swedish firm Saab for Gripen fighter jets and GlobalEye radar aircraft, and awarding a $2.3-billion Arctic military satellite communications contract to Telesat to reduce reliance on Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink network.

Canada recruited 64 professors with new research fund. Three-quarters are from U.S. schools

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-08-27 21:58:07.0
Tags: [National, British Columbia, Education, Industry, Technology]

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly announced a federal investment of $541 million through the Canada Global Impact+ Research Talent Initiative to recruit 64 academic research leaders to Canadian universities, with three-quarters coming from United States institutions. Of this funding, $504 million is allocated to the initial tranche of professors, while $37 million will support the recruitment of 63 additional emerging leaders over the next year under the Eddie Goldenberg Research Chairs of Canada and Canada Impact+ Emerging Leaders programs. Participating professors will receive either $500,000 or $1 million annually over eight years to build research teams and laboratories at institutions including the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University.

Saskatchewan Prioritizes Canadian Ownership and Sovereignty in New Data Centre Framework

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-08-27 21:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Technology, Energy, Economy, Infrastructure, Governance]

The Government of Saskatchewan has released a new Data Centre Framework establishing six key principles to guide future digital infrastructure investments, prioritize Canadian ownership, and protect data sovereignty. The framework mandates that project proponents supply their own power generation to avoid placing pressure on the provincial electricity grid or displacing export capacity. It follows Bell Canada's ongoing construction of a 300-megawatt data centre in the Rural Municipality of Sherwood, representing up to $12 billion in economic activity, 1,600 jobs, and $720 million in provincial revenues, alongside an Indigenous partnership agreement signed with George Gordon First Nation. Currently, Saskatchewan has over 30 data centre project applications in the evaluation queue under this new centralized intake and assessment process.

Provincial Government Invests $4 Million to Support Growth of Atlantic Spaceport Complex

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-08-27 13:30:22.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, National, Economy, Industry, Technology, Defence]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $4 million consisting of a $1 million term loan and a $3 million forgivable loan into NordSpace Corporation to support the development of the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in St. Lawrence. The broader $10 million project also includes a $1 million contribution from the Government of Canada through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and a $5 million private investment from NordSpace Corporation. The provincial funding is tied to the creation of 100 new full-time permanent positions by 2033 to establish Canadian commercial space-launch capabilities.

Alberta’s Smith takes questions at less rowdy AI town hall, NDP calls for freeze

Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
Date: 2026-08-27 12:31:14.0
Tags: [Alberta, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, Economy]

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and her ministers held a virtual town hall with over 12,500 participants to address public concerns regarding the rapid development of artificial intelligence data centres, such as the proposed $13-billion Meta campus north of Edmonton. Amid criticisms regarding heavy water consumption, power grid reliability, and residential proximity setbacks—which recently prompted a provincial regulator to reject a project in the town of Olds—the provincial government is evaluating regulatory frameworks and setback guidelines. Meanwhile, Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi called for a province-wide moratorium on new artificial intelligence data centres until stricter rules, impact assessments, and life-cycle reclamation plans are established.

Innovation Saskatchewan Supports Critical Upgrade at Canadian Light Source

Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
Date: 2026-08-26 22:00:00.0
Tags: [Saskatchewan, Technology, Infrastructure, Economy, Agriculture, Energy]

Innovation Saskatchewan is committing $3 million through the Innovation & Science Fund (ISF) to the Canadian Light Source (CLS) located at the University of Saskatchewan. The funding will finance the installation of a state-of-the-art solid-state amplifier (SSA) to power all 22 synchrotron beamlines, enhancing the facility's performance, reliability, and energy efficiency. Since 2018, the Government of Saskatchewan has invested nearly $40 million in the Canadian Light Source to support advanced research in sectors including agriculture, mining, energy, and health.