Canada’s Robotics Edge—If We Want It

North America’s Robotics Reality Check: Can Canada Step Out of America’s Shadow and Lead?

From where I sit here in Canada—it’s clear the global robotics race is moving fast. But here’s what’s even clearer. While the U.S. is wrestling with internal gridlock and fragmented tech policy, Canada has a rare opportunity to carve out leadership in robotics and AI.

It’s not just about catching up—it’s about deciding whether we’re content to be users of someone else’s technology, or builders of our own. And with the political climate between Canada and the U.S. shifting, this might be the perfect moment to act.

Let’s Talk About the U.S.

Earlier this month, some of the most respected names in robotics—Agility Robotics, Boston Dynamics, Tesla—showed up in Washington, D.C. with a unified message: America needs a national robotics strategy.

Why? Because China is outpacing them. China isn’t waiting. They’re scaling robotic deployment, tying AI into national development goals, and pushing innovation with a coordinated, well-funded approach. Over half of the world’s industrial robots were installed in China last year.

Meanwhile, the U.S.—arguably the most innovation-rich country in the world—is winging it. No national robotics plan. No central office. Just isolated efforts by brilliant companies competing without cohesive direction.

This isn't just a missed opportunity. It's a liability.

Humanoids in Action

The robotics revolution is no longer just theory. It’s already on the warehouse floor.

In Georgia, Agility Robotics has humanoid robots named “Digit” working side by side with humans. These aren’t toys—they walk upright, carry packages, and handle tasks we once thought were too complex for machines.

Tesla is in the race with its Optimus bot. Nvidia is powering the brains behind the scenes. The pace of progress is mind-blowing but without national leadership, it's also chaotic.

Canada’s Crossroads

Now here’s where we turn the lens inward.

Canada has a rich legacy in robotics—we built the Canadarm, an iconic contribution to global space exploration. We’ve got AI powerhouses in Toronto, Montreal, and Edmonton. We’ve got brainpower. We’ve got startups. We’ve got some momentum.

But we also have a history of playing second fiddle to the U.S., especially in emerging technologies. And the current political climate—strained trade talks, diverging policy paths, and a rising sense of Canadian self-reliance—makes it clear: we can’t depend on America to pull us into the future.

We’ve seen this across industries—energy, healthcare, defense. And now with tech, the cracks are widening.

So here’s the question: are we ready to lead our own path in robotics and AI?

The Good News: We’re Building

It’s not all doom and gloom. In fact, there’s a lot to be proud of.

Canada is home to a rising wave of robotics innovators:

• Sanctuary AI is developing humanoid general-purpose robots that can perform complex tasks in dynamic environments.

• Novarc Technologies builds autonomous welding cobots to make industrial work safer and more efficient.

• Avidbots is automating floor cleaning in large facilities worldwide.

• Attabotics is transforming warehouse automation with robotic storage and retrieval systems.

• Trexo Robotics gives children with mobility challenges the ability to walk again through robotic exoskeletons.

• Titan Medical and B-Temia are pushing robotics into the medical and mobility fields.

And institutions like the University of Toronto’s Robotics Institute are leading cutting-edge research that merges AI, mechatronics, and real-world engineering.

On the policy side, the $125 million Pan-Canadian AI Strategy has put some fuel in the tank. But it’s just a start.

The Hard Truth: We’re Not Scaling Fast Enough

Despite our strengths, we’re still behind when it comes to adoption. According to the Survey of Advanced Technology, Canada ranked 12th globally in robot installations in manufacturing as of 2019. When you remove the automotive sector, the gap between us and countries like the U.S. and Mexico gets even wider.

That means we’re building world-class tech—but not deploying it at scale. We risk becoming a country of prototypes and pilots, while others industrialize our inventions.

If Canada wants to lead in robotics, we need a plan that goes beyond startups. We need a national robotics and automation strategy that aligns with our AI investments. We need incentives for industry adoption, training programs to build a future-ready workforce, and real public-private partnerships that can scale innovation from labs to assembly lines.

A Moment of Canadian Pride—and Urgency

There’s something happening in this country right now. A rising sense of Canadian pride. A desire to define our own future. And a growing awareness that our dependence on the U.S. isn’t just risky—it’s holding us back.

We’ve always been collaborators with the U.S., and that relationship has driven a lot of growth. But it’s also made us complacent. We assume their success will lift us too.

That’s no longer a safe assumption.

The U.S. is divided, politically gridlocked, and increasingly protectionist. If we want to thrive, we can’t wait for America to lead and hope we’ll benefit downstream. We need to make bold moves—our own moves.

This moment—right now—is a chance to redefine Canada’s role in the next industrial revolution.

Time to Get Serious

The robotics race isn’t just about machines—it’s about power, policy, and who shapes the future.

Canada has the brains, the research, and the businesses to lead. What we need now is the will. The strategy. The commitment to build not just for export, but for homegrown impact.

We’ve watched others lead long enough. Let’s stop asking who’s winning the robotics race—and start making sure Canada is in the lead.

Because the future won’t wait. And neither should we.

This opinion piece is my research, my words, and refined with AI.