Canada
AI consulting in Canada: what a good assessment should give you
Good AI consulting leaves you with a decision, not a slide deck: which two or three uses are worth doing first, what to leave alone, what information must stay out, and who owns each step.
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This page explains what a useful AI consulting assessment covers, what the written plan should look like, and the Canadian points to settle along the way. Hero does this work online with teams anywhere in Canada, and in person in the GTA.
What a useful assessment covers
- How people use AI today, including tools and personal accounts leadership hasn't approved. An anonymous staff survey gets more honest answers than a meeting.
- Where time actually goes, from short interviews with the people doing the work, not only managers.
- The tools you already pay for. Many Canadian businesses already have an AI assistant in Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and don't use it.
- Which uses are worth trying first, ranked by how often the task happens, how easy it is to check, and how sensitive the information is.
- What to leave alone, and why. A good plan says no to things.
- What information must stay out, given the privacy laws and client contracts that apply to you.
- Who owns each step, and who needs training, on what.
An illustrative 90-day plan
This is a made-up example for a fictional 30-person office, to show the level of detail a plan should have. It isn't a client's plan.
| Days | What happens | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1–15 | Approve Copilot Chat on work accounts (already included in the Microsoft 365 plan). Publish a one-page information rule. Stop the two personal AI accounts the survey found | Operations manager |
| 16–30 | Train the client service team on reply drafts from approved wording, with a checking checklist. Time five replies before and after | Client service lead |
| 31–60 | Second use: meeting notes into action lists for project managers. Shared document of prompts that work | Project lead |
| 61–90 | Review both uses: keep, change or stop. Decide whether to buy full Copilot licences for the few people who need them | Owner |
| Left alone for now | An AI chatbot on the website (high risk, unclear benefit); AI screening of job applicants (disclosure rules and fairness questions) |
The written plan should be usable by your own team without the consultant in the room.
How it runs when you're not in Toronto
Hero's assessments work the same online: video interviews, an online staff survey, a screen-shared review of your admin settings with access you approve, and a written plan delivered as a document you keep. In-person sessions are available in the GTA.
A next stepGet a straight answer for your team in a free 30-minute call, see every price, or get the free AI guide (PDF).
Canadian points to settle in the plan
General information, not legal advice:
- Which privacy law applies. PIPEDA covers most private-sector businesses outside Quebec, Alberta and BC, which have their own laws. Federally regulated businesses follow PIPEDA everywhere.
- Quebec. If you have Quebec clients or staff, Law 25 requires a privacy impact assessment before personal information is communicated outside Quebec, which can include a cloud AI provider.
- Health information. Ontario clinics fall under PHIPA. Other provinces have their own health privacy laws.
- Hiring. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must disclose AI use in screening, assessing or selecting applicants in publicly advertised job postings.
- Language. If you serve clients in French, check that the tool and your rules work in French too.
- Federal changes. Bill C-36, a new federal privacy bill, was introduced in June 2026 and isn't law yet. A good plan notes where it would need revisiting.
Questions to ask before you hire an AI consultant
- Can I see a sample outline of the written plan?
- Is the price fixed, and what's included?
- Will the plan tell us what not to do?
- Are you paid by any software vendor you might recommend?
- Could our own team follow the plan without you?
Where Hero fits
Hero's AI Readiness Assessment is where this starts: a working session, a readiness report, a written 90-day roadmap, the policy gaps and a training plan, delivered 1 to 2 weeks after the working session, from C$1,500 (the price for your team is confirmed before you pay). Ongoing AI consulting to carry out the roadmap is optional and quoted after the assessment. If your main concern is what staff are already putting into AI tools, start with the AI security assessment instead. Every price is on the pricing page.
FAQ: AI consulting in Canada
Do you work outside Ontario?
Yes. Assessments and training run online anywhere in Canada. In-person sessions are in the GTA.
What do we receive?
A written 90-day plan: the uses worth doing first, what to leave alone, what information stays out, who owns each step, and who needs training.
Do we need you after the plan?
No. The plan is written so your team can act on it. Training, ongoing consulting and security work are available if you want them.
Is this legal or privacy advice?
No. The plan flags questions for your lawyer or privacy lead. They own those decisions.
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