How to Choose an AI Workshop in Quebec: Formats, Costs, and Criteria

Your executive committee is asking "what are we doing about AI," and no one around the table has a structured answer. This is exactly the problem a corporate AI workshop is meant to solve. The challenge is knowing what a good workshop delivers, how much it costs in Quebec, and how to avoid paying for a lecture disguised as a strategic initiative.

The figures presented are indicative estimates based on public market data.

According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, 12.7% of Quebec businesses used AI applications for production purposes in the 12 months leading up to the second quarter of 2025, compared to 26.1% for companies with 100 or more employees.

What does a corporate AI workshop actually deliver?

A serious AI workshop delivers four things: an inventory of use cases drawn from your operations, prioritization based on value and complexity, a data feasibility diagnostic, and a roadmap with costs and timelines. If the deliverable is just a PowerPoint presentation on "the potential of AI," you have paid for a lecture.

The first deliverable, the use case inventory, starts with your operational reality. For a B2B distributor, this might mean payment application, demand forecasting, or claims processing. For a manufacturer, it could be predictive maintenance or quality control. The ideas come from your managers, not a vendor catalogue.

Next comes prioritization. Each use case is evaluated on at least three axes: business value, implementation complexity, and the maturity of the required data. A prioritization matrix turns fifteen ideas into two or three testable candidates. This is the heart of the exercise.

The feasibility diagnostic addresses a question too many companies skip: does your data actually support the chosen use case? A demand forecasting project without clean sales history will fail within three months. It is better to know that before signing an implementation mandate.

Finally, the roadmap. It names the selected use cases, sequences them over time, estimates costs and effort, and identifies architectural prerequisites. This is the document your leadership is waiting for, and it is what distinguishes a structured AI workshop from a team-building activity.

What formats and durations are available on the Quebec market?

The Quebec market offers three main formats: the half-day awareness session, the one-day discovery workshop, and the two-to-three-day diagnostic workshop with structured deliverables. Duration is not a minor detail: it determines what you can reasonably expect to achieve.

A half-day is enough to demystify AI for an executive committee. No one leaves with a roadmap, and that is fine if that was the stated goal.

A full day allows for a brainstorming session on use cases and a summary prioritization. The risk: a list of exciting ideas without feasibility validation. Many of these lists end up in a drawer.

The two-to-three-day format adds what is missing: a preparatory questionnaire sent before the workshop, a data diagnostic, a prioritization matrix worked on with a small group (about five participants from the same business unit), and a documented roadmap delivered after the workshop. This is the only format that consistently leads to implementations.

How much does an AI workshop cost in Quebec?

In Quebec, an awareness session generally ranges from $2,000 to $8,000, a one-day discovery workshop from $5,000 to $15,000, and a multi-day diagnostic workshop with a roadmap from $15,000 to $50,000. These ranges are indicative estimates based on public market data; actual prices vary depending on company size and the depth of the diagnostic.

Let’s be transparent about our positioning, since it’s the question everyone asks: at PlanAxion, the investment for the two-day workshop varies based on scope and is confirmed during a short exploratory call. Company size, the depth of the data diagnostic, and the number of use cases to evaluate shift the price within the range. The workshop includes the preparatory questionnaire, the prioritization day, the data diagnostic, and the roadmap with an executive summary. We position it at the high end of the range, and we stand by it: the deliverable is a decision-making document, not just workshop minutes.

A useful benchmark for evaluating a proposal: the price should reflect the work done outside the room. A workshop where 80% of the effort happens during the day itself rarely produces a roadmap that can stand up to scrutiny by an executive committee. Preparation and post-workshop analysis carry more weight than the facilitation itself.

For comparison, inaction also has a cost. Statistics Canada reports that 12.2% of Canadian businesses used AI to produce goods or provide services in the second quarter of 2025, double the 6.1% in 2024. The gap between those who structure their approach and those who don't is widening every quarter.

How do you distinguish a workshop that leads to implementation from an awareness session?

Five signals distinguish a results-oriented workshop from a mere awareness session: a preparatory questionnaire, a small group from a single business unit, an explicit prioritization matrix, a data diagnostic, and a quantified roadmap provided after the workshop. The absence of two or more of these elements should be a red flag.

Ask the provider three questions before signing. Who analyzes our data before the workshop, and on what basis? What document do we receive two weeks later, and who is it for? How many of your workshops have led to implementation within 12 months? A serious firm will answer all three without hesitation.

Also, be wary of free or nearly free workshops. When a workshop is a loss leader, the roadmap tends to recommend exactly the solutions the provider sells. An independent approach also evaluates the option of doing nothing, or starting with a data quality initiative rather than an AI project. Our artificial intelligence services are based on this principle: the first recommendation must survive skeptical scrutiny.

One final point that workshop sellers rarely mention: the first use case must be specific enough to be tested, measured, and adopted. "Improve customer service with AI" cannot be tested. "Automatically categorize incoming customer service emails by request type" can be tested, measured, and adopted.

What financial aid can reduce the bill in Quebec?

Two public programs can lighten the cost of an AI initiative: Stream 1 of Investissement Québec's ESSOR program, which supports feasibility studies and digital diagnostics, and the federal NRC IRAP, which funds technological innovation projects for SMEs with 500 employees or fewer. Eligibility depends on your situation; verify it before budgeting.

The ESSOR program is structured into four streams. The first specifically targets studies prior to an investment project, which can cover a digital diagnostic or a feasibility study related to an AI initiative. The exact terms are negotiated with Investissement Québec based on the project.

At the federal level, the NRC IRAP combines expert advice and non-dilutive financial contributions for SMEs that develop or adopt innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence. An industrial technology advisor evaluates the project before any funding is provided.

Two honest caveats. First, no program automatically funds a workshop: it is the overall project that is evaluated, and criteria change regularly. Second, putting together a grant application takes time; if your decision window is short, it may be more cost-effective to launch the workshop and reserve subsidies for the implementation phase, which is often more expensive. These implementations generally fall under a broader digital transformation initiative, where programs like ESSOR truly make sense.

Frequently asked questions

How much does an artificial intelligence workshop cost for a business in Quebec?

Prices observed in Quebec range from approximately $2,000 for a half-day awareness session to $50,000 for a multi-day diagnostic workshop with a roadmap. At PlanAxion, the investment for a two-day workshop varies based on scope and is confirmed during a short exploratory call. These ranges are indicative estimates based on public market data.

How long does an AI workshop for business last?

Common formats range from a half-day to three days. A half-day is used to raise awareness among management, one day allows for inventorying use cases, and a two-to-three-day format adds the preparatory questionnaire, data diagnostic, and documented roadmap provided after the workshop.

Who should participate in an artificial intelligence workshop?

A small group of about five people from the same business unit yields the best results: the manager of the targeted process, one or two field experts, a data or IT lead, and a decision-maker capable of committing a budget. An audience that is too large turns the workshop into an information session.

What grants can fund an AI initiative in Quebec?

Stream 1 of Investissement Québec's ESSOR program supports feasibility studies and digital diagnostics prior to an investment project. At the federal level, the NRC IRAP offers financial contributions and advisory services to SMEs with 500 employees or fewer that are innovating with technologies like AI. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.