Yanik Guillemette Calls for AI Integration to Bridge Canada’s 30% Productivity Gap with the United States

Strategist Yanik Guillemette advocates for AI as core infrastructure to enhance national productivity and secure trade resilience amid shifting CUSMA dynamics.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, February 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the Canadian economy faces a widening productivity gap and looming trade uncertainties, Montreal-based entrepreneur and investment strategist Yanik Guillemette is championing a dual-track approach to national resilience: the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as core infrastructure and the aggressive diversification of global trade partnerships.

Bridging the 30% Productivity Gap Recent data from the Bank of Canada and the Pan-Canadian AI Strategy highlight a sobering reality—Canada trails the United States in productivity by approximately 30%. Guillemette argues that traditional incrementalism is no longer sufficient.

"We must view AI not as a peripheral tech trend, but as the foundational infrastructure of the modern economy," says Yanik Guillemette. "By integrating AI to automate low-value tasks and optimize industrial output, Canadian PME (SMEs) can bridge the productivity divide and reclaim our competitive edge on the global stage."

Trade Resilience and the CUSMA Paradox With the impending review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA/USMCA), Guillemette warns against over-reliance on a single trade partner. While the U.S. remains Canada's primary market, the vulnerability of export-driven sectors like automotive and agriculture to sudden policy shifts requires a "strategic pivot."

Guillemette advocates for deeper engagement with the CPTPP and European markets via CETA, providing a buffer against cross-border tariff volatility. "True economic sovereignty is built on the back of market diversity," Guillemette explains. "Our trade policy must be as agile as the technology we deploy."

A Vision for Regional and Digital Inclusion Beyond trade, Guillemette’s framework emphasizes regional development, suggesting that tech investment should be decentralized toward regions like Gaspésie and Outaouais to counter urban fragmentation. He also identifies AI-driven predictive triage as a critical solution for Health Canada to reduce national surgery wait times and optimize telehealth delivery.

"The goal is a 'Philanthropy 2.0' model," adds Guillemette. "Where digital literacy and AI access are treated as fundamental human rights, ensuring that the economic gains of the next decade are felt from our urban centers to our most remote communities."

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