OTTAWA — More than two-thirds of Canadians are uncomfortable with the health system using artificial intelligence tools based in the United States, even as strong majorities support AI helping doctors diagnose illnesses and reduce wait times, according to a new survey released Thursday by Santis Health and Nanos Research. The survey found 68 per cent of Canadians are uncomfortable or somewhat uncomfortable with the Canadian health system using AI tools based in the United States, while 80 per cent said they want their health data to remain in Canada and not be used to train AI models outside the country. The findings suggest Canadians are drawing a distinction between support for AI technology and trust in the companies and countries behind it, reflecting concerns about privacy and data sovereignty as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life. At the same time, the survey found strong support for specific uses of AI in health care. Seventy-one per cent of respondents said they would be open to AI reviewing medical tests or scans if it meant seeing a specialist sooner, while 75 per cent support AI assisting health-care professionals with diagnoses. Just five per cent said AI should diagnose patients on its own. “Canadians have told us the health system needs to change, and AI can help deliver it,” said Patrick Nelson, managing partner at Santis Health. “This survey shows a clear public mandate to change the system and drive innovation. They see the real benefits of letting their clinicians use AI, and they want government to step up to regulate and fund it.” “Perhaps a sign of the times, Canadians are also adamant that their health data must stay in Canada,” Nelson added. The survey found 86 per cent of Canadians believe the federal government needs to do more to regulate how AI companies use health data. “Canadians’ optimism about what AI can bring depends on whether decision makers can deliver on clearer AI accountability and privacy,” Nik Nanos, chief data scientist at Nanos Research, said in a statement. Despite concerns about data sovereignty and regulation, Canadians appear increasingly comfortable with AI in health care. Two in five respondents said they already use AI health tools, and Canadians were nearly twice as likely to say AI’s benefits outweigh its downsides. The survey also found strong support for public investment in AI, with more than eight in 10 Canadians backing government funding for AI to develop new drugs and medical devices and to improve health-system management. The online survey of 1,037 Canadians was conducted between Aug. 30 and Sept. 2, 2026.
