Last week, we were invited by the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) to speak with 40+ Chief Librarians and CEOs of Canada’s largest public library systems about Canada’s AI Literacy. Our message was both a warning and an opportunity: Canada is falling behind in the global AI race, and our public libraries are the key to closing that gap.

We focused on a critical and urgent topic: the role of the Canadian public library in leading our national AI literacy. This post summarizes our discussion and outlines a clear path forward.

As the world rapidly integrates artificial intelligence, Canada faces a significant challenge. According to a 2025 global study by KPMG, Canada is behind on key AI metrics, including public trust, use, and literacy. Canadians are less likely to have received AI training (24% vs a 39% global average) and are less optimistic about its potential (51% vs 69%). This hesitation is fueled by real risks—from misinformation, threats to democracy, and privacy concerns to ethical bias and environmental impacts.

Our limited sample survey of Canadian library leaders shows that while all of the surveyed leaders recognize the need for community AI education, very few currently have a dedicated AI budget and many have no concrete AI plans for the next six months. Without swift action, libraries risk being unable to fulfill their mandate in the AI era, further widening Canada’s AI gap.

With great challenges come great opportunities. Public libraries are uniquely positioned to lead Canada’s AI literacy efforts. They are:

• Trusted and Neutral Spaces: Libraries are a trusted public institution with no hidden incentives, making them an ideal place for honest conversations about technology.
• Mandated for Equity and Literacy: Libraries have a core mission to make complex information accessible to everyone, fulfilling an essential equity and digital literacy mandate.
• Physically and Socially Embedded: With a presence in every community, libraries can reach people through a human connection where they are.

Canadian public libraries can—and should—be the national hub for AI education.

The question is no longer if libraries should act, but how. CEO of Pickering Public Library, Jackie Flowers, described this task for libraries as climbing Mount AI. We agree! And to guide this journey, we developed Mount AI into a strategic framework designed specifically for public institutions to build AI capacity from the ground up. It’s a five-stage journey to the summit:

1. Explore & Learn: Begin with foundational knowledge and understanding AI’s potential.
2. Experiment: Engage in low-stakes experimentation with AI tools.
3. Train: Upskill leadership and staff with targeted, practical training.
4. Run a Pilot: Design and launch a specific AI project to solve a real-world problem.
5. Operational Excellence: Integrate AI strategically and ethically into daily operations.

Learn more about our Mount AI model here: https://engr.solutions/mount-ai/

We’ve seen this model work. Through partnerships with institutions like Markham Public Library and Burlington Public Library, we’ve helped train staff, launch public education sessions, and demonstrably improve AI literacy and comfort among employees.

Let’s Summit Mount AI Together

The goal we set at CULC was for every library to have a clear AI action plan by 2026. This requires leadership, vision, and a strategic plan. The first steps are clear: identify your AI needs, start developing governance policies, upskill your teams, and brainstorm a pilot project.

At ENGR Solutions, we are dedicated partners for your AI journey. We help you scale Mount AI by providing strategic guidance, staff training, and implementation support tailored to the unique needs of public libraries.

Let’s put AI to work for our communities.

Visit us at engr.solutions/mount-ai to learn more and book an introductory consultation.