From Reflection to Action: Collège Nordique Receives Funding to Support the Transition to AI in the North

A few months after beginning an in-depth reflection on the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into its practices, Collège Nordique is taking the next step. The institution has received up to $339,663 in funding from the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) to carry out a three-year project entitled Transition to AI for Francophone Organizations in the North.

Provided through the Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), this funding will enable the College to develop its internal expertise before gradually making it available to other Francophone and bilingual organizations across the North.

From reflection to implementation

Last March, Érika Cairo-Luce, Director of Operations at Collège Nordique, participated in the Cross Perspectives symposium in Vancouver, which focused on the integration of artificial intelligence in Francophone minority postsecondary settings.

Discussions addressed governance, digital literacy, critical thinking, and the need to support teams through this transformation. Upon her return, one conclusion stood out: the challenge was not simply to adopt more tools, but to determine how to do so consciously, strategically, and in a way that reflects the College’s realities.

“There is a clear urgency to act, but also a need for guidance. We don’t just want to integrate AI. We want to do it consciously, in a structured way, and in alignment with our values,” Érika explained at the time.

At that point, the funding application to CanNor was still under review. Its approval now allows the College to turn this reflection into a concrete project.

Read also: Artificial Intelligence: Structuring an Approach in Francophone Minority Contexts

Three years to develop and share expertise

Year 1: Transforming our internal practices

The first year of the project will focus on Collège Nordique’s internal practices. A firm specializing in artificial intelligence will conduct an audit of the College’s processes to identify key opportunities for automation and relevant technological solutions. Their implementation will be supported by staff training and documentation to ensure that new processes and knowledge can be sustained over time.

The objective is not automation for its own sake, but rather to use AI and automation to improve certain processes, support team productivity, and free up time for higher-value work.

Year 2: Supporting pilot organizations

During the second year, the expertise developed internally will be shared with one or two Francophone or bilingual organizations in the North participating as pilot organizations. They may benefit from a process audit, technology recommendations, training, and support tailored to their realities.

Year 3: Sharing expertise across the territories

The third year will expand the project’s reach across the territories. Drawing on the experiences gained, the College will develop a transformation model that can be transferred to other organizations, along with documentation first in French and then in both official languages. A public conference on artificial intelligence and several information workshops will also provide opportunities to share the knowledge developed throughout the project.

Expertise adapted to Northern realities

The scope of the project extends well beyond the College’s internal transformation. Ultimately, the goal is to contribute to the development of a Francophone hub of expertise in the transition to artificial intelligence and strengthen the capacity of Francophone and bilingual organizations across the North.

“Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming essential for organizations. In the North, this transformation is all the more important because our digital revolution is still relatively recent: unlimited Internet access has only become widespread in recent years, and in some remote communities, high-speed Internet arrived with Starlink. This project will be transformative because it will allow Francophone organizations to take this next step together, develop their skills, and make AI a true driver of development for the North, rather than face a new digital divide,” says Patrick Arsenault, Executive Director of Collège Nordique.

This approach recognizes that organizations are not all starting from the same place. Levels of digital literacy, available resources, and needs vary from one environment to another. Support and training will therefore be essential to ensure that new technologies help reduce barriers rather than widen existing gaps.

By first developing expertise through its own experience and then sharing it with other organizations, the College aims to foster approaches that reflect the linguistic, organizational, and territorial realities of the North.

Making AI a tool that serves people

The project is rooted in a vision where technology remains a tool that serves teams and communities. Automating certain processes can reduce the time spent on repetitive tasks and allow more attention to be devoted to work requiring judgment, creativity, expertise, and human connection.

Over the next three years, the College will be able to test different approaches, develop its skills, document its learnings, and gradually share them with other organizations.

With support from CanNor, Collège Nordique aims to play a catalytic role in the North’s digital transformation and contribute to the development of responsible, accessible artificial intelligence expertise rooted in the realities of Francophone and bilingual communities.

Published on September 18, 2026