The Government of Canada has announced the 22 organizations receiving a collective $39.2 million through the fourth iteration of the national digital skills training program CanCode.
Through the supported non-profit organizations, CanCode aims to offer digital learning opportunities to 1.5 million students, as well as train 100,000 teachers to incorporate new digital skills and technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), into the classroom.
The CanCode program “is essential for us to continue making a positive impact on Black youth and fostering a more diverse and inclusive tech sector.”
Bryan Johnson
Black Boys Code
An overwhelming majority of the recipients have benefitted from previous phases of the program, including organizations like Actua, Black Boys Code, Hackergal, MindFuel, and First Robotics.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) said that CanCode’s current focus on AI helps Canadian youth gain the knowledge and training they need to stay competitive in a rapidly changing workforce, and equip them and their teachers with the skills to build the strong and diverse digital economy of tomorrow.
“Thanks to this investment, thousands of students and teachers across the country will have the tools they need to thrive in a world that’s getting more digital by the minute,” Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement.
CanCode merit criteria includes a focus on reaching traditionally underrepresented groups, including, girls, Indigenous youth, Black youth, youth with disabilities, and youth living in rural/remote locations including Northern locations. When the federal government opened applications for CanCode’s fourth phase in August 2024, it said that a “special emphasis” would be given to applicants who plan to teach AI, receiving extra weight in the evaluation process.
An ISED spokesperson told BetaKit in an email statement at the time that CanCode phase four aims to demystify AI and empower learners to engage with the “critical” technology confidently, and that teaching AI literacy will involve equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to comprehend what AI is, how it works, and its applications in everyday life.
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CanCode was launched in 2017 under previous Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains. It began with $50 million as part of the Innovation and Skills Plan to promote digital skills such as coding, data analytics, and content creation to youth. The two-year program was renewed in 2019 with $60 million and again under Champagne in 2021 with $80 million.
The fourth phase, which is the smallest investment of federal funds dedicated to CanCode at one time, includes just one call for proposals and is slated to end on March 31, 2026, barring further renewal.
The federal government says it has invested $229.2 million in the CanCode program to date.
According to Black Boys Code CEO Bryan Johnson, who told BetaKit his organization was “eager to apply” for more CanCode funding back in August, the program has been instrumental in allowing Black Boys Code to deliver high-quality technology education programs to Black youth across Canada. He claimed that Black youth who participate in their programs have increased self-confidence and motivation, improved academic performance, and better career prospects.
“We believe that by providing access to technology education, we are helping to bridge the digital divide and create a brighter future for our students,” Johnson said. “The Government of Canada’s continued support, under the CanCode program, is essential for us to continue making a positive impact on Black youth and fostering a more diverse and inclusive tech sector.”
Feature image courtesy Black Boys Code via LinkedIn.