AI Governance & Safety Canada (AIGS Canada)

AI Governance & Safety Canada (AIGS Canada) is a nonpartisan not-for-profit organization headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 2022 by Wyatt Tessari L'Allié. The organization brings together a community of researchers, policy professionals, and volunteers across Canada who share the goal of ensuring that advanced AI technology is safe and beneficial for all. AIGS Canada engages directly with Canadian government through parliamentary testimony, detailed policy briefs, and an annual white paper series titled "A Plan for Canada." Their 2023 and 2024 white papers provided practical recommendations for federal AI governance, and the top recommendation from each was adopted. The organization also prepared a detailed brief with amendments to Bill C-27 (Canada's proposed AI and Data Act) and has testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology (INDU), the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI), and the Senate. In February 2026, AIGS Canada's founder testified alongside Geoffrey Hinton and David Duvenaud at a Senate hearing on AI risks. Beyond government engagement, AIGS Canada organizes events, manages a national Slack community and newsletter, and offers volunteer opportunities across seven teams including advocacy, policy, events, analysis, communications, tech support, and operations. The organization also supports students and early-career professionals through fellowships, internships, and educational programs such as their Canadian AI Policy Course. In 2025, AIGS launched the Coalition for Responsible AI during the federal election to broaden public engagement on AI safety and governance. The organization operates as a not-for-profit rather than a registered charity and cannot issue tax receipts. It is primarily funded by individual Canadian donors, with initial seed funding from the EA-linked Long-Term Future Fund. The team includes eight staff members led by founder and executive director Wyatt Tessari L'Allié, along with a five-member Board of Directors and a four-member Board of Advisors.