AI\u00a0is rapidly changing how\u00a0governments\u00a0work, with several risks to be considered like personal and private information entered into data servers in countries outside of Canada.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After the\u00a0Sounder\u00a0reported in the April 1 edition that the Islands Trust does not fully know how\u00a0AI\u00a0is used by consultants and staff, we asked Gabriola\u2019s other\u00a0local\u00a0governments\u00a0what their\u00a0AI\u00a0policy is, and how it is being used internally.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN)<\/p>\n
The RDN\u2019s Chief\u00a0Technology\u00a0Officer, Jason Birch, told the Sounder that while they are not bound by B.C.\u2019s Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy, they do share an obligation to protect personal information under the B.C. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur internal\u00a0AI\u00a0governance policy allows staff to explore the potential of\u00a0AI\u00a0while protecting personal information and managing the risks inherent in these tools, such as bias, incompleteness and \u2018hallucinations.\u2019\u201d writes Birch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It does this by:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022 Clarifying that staff remain accountable for the work they produce with assistance from\u00a0AI\u00a0tools: reviewing output for accuracy, bias and tone; ensuring that sensitive information is not unintentionally disclosed; and sharing new uses of\u00a0AI\u00a0with their supervisors.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Requiring an additional review before approved\u00a0AI\u00a0tools are incorporated into workflows dealing with sensitive personal information (information that could cause significant personal harm to an individual if disclosed).\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2022 Defining\u00a0a\u00a0process for the review and approval of new\u00a0AI\u00a0tools by\u00a0a\u00a0cross-departmental governance committee.<\/p>\n
Like the province, all RDN staff with computer access are provided\u00a0a\u00a0version of Microsoft Copilot Chat that is included in our existing licensing and has been approved for uses consistent with policy, writes Birch.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They are also running\u00a0a\u00a0limited pilot of more advanced Copilot features, with representative staff learning from real world use to identify benefits and risks and ensure any future adoption is thoughtful, measured, and cost effective, he says. \u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOur experience in this pilot has so far been positive, with some day-to-day uses such as supporting structured research, summarizing internal meetings and assisting with data analysis providing value, and it has also shown that gains are sometimes offset by the careful review required to correct errors, ensure completeness,\u201d he writes, adding it also helps avoid confirmation bias commonly found in\u00a0AI\u00a0tools.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is\u00a0a\u00a0risk when using\u00a0AI\u00a0because while it may feel like it is providing independent or impartial information, the interactions with\u00a0AI\u00a0can create conditions where it is telling us what we want to hear. Staff need to be aware of this when using\u00a0AI.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools (NLPS)<\/p>\n
A\u00a0specific\u00a0AI\u00a0policy is currently in development, an NLPS spokesperson tells the Sounder in an email. \u00a0<\/p>\n
However, while that is being developed, they say NLPS Policy 305.3 (Personal Information) and Policy 401.13 (Appropriate Use of School District Information\u00a0Technology) would cover use of\u00a0AI\u00a0technology.<\/p>\n
The personal information policy refers to the B.C. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which NLPS is also subject to and only allows for personal information to be handled so outlined in the Act, which does not include\u00a0AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second policy refers to use of school district\u00a0technology, which must be consistent with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and acknowledges\u00a0technology\u00a0can often move\u00a0at\u00a0a\u00a0faster pace than what\u00a0policies\u00a0can keep up with.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe entire range of possible uses that currently exist, or those that may emerge due to technological development cannot be anticipated\u00a0at\u00a0the time of establishing the appropriate use policy,\u201d it reads.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gabriola\u00a0Fire Protection Improvement District\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Gabriola\u00a0Fire Protection Improvement District does not currently have any\u00a0policies\u00a0in place to guide Trustees or staff on the use of generative\u00a0AI.<\/p>\n
The Board was asked\u00a0at\u00a0the April 8, 2026 general meeting on this.<\/p>\n
Chair Erik Johnson said he personally has\u00a0a\u00a0real problem with\u00a0AI. \u201cI think it\u2019s gonna, I think it\u2019s gonna screw us badly. It\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0great tool for research, but you have to check your research\u00a0at\u00a0all times. And I think to\u00a0a\u00a0large extent, we are allowing\u00a0AI\u00a0to make decisions for us that they shouldn\u2019t make, including moral decisions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I\u2019m really in favor of not using it\u2026then again, I know that we do have an\u00a0AI\u00a0program that\u2019s being used in house to\u00a0a\u00a0certain extent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trustee David Chorneyko confirmed the Fire District does not have any\u00a0AI\u00a0policy, saying, \u201cit\u2019s something that we need to work on but we have priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed to work being done with\u00a0policies\u00a0on meeting procedures, updating bylaws, and the code of conduct, saying that yes, an\u00a0AI\u00a0policy is needed, \u201cbut it needs to rise\u2026.to the top before we get working on it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trustee Diana Moher said she\u2019s been seeing plenty of coverage on the use of\u00a0AI, and where organizations are clamping down on the use of it, such as in schools.<\/p>\n
Moher said this could be something that could be added to the work of the policy committee to\u00a0look\u00a0at, \u201cespecially if the government is starting to put stuff out as to what we could use. And that would give us some time to start doing some research on what the recommendations are going to be.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fire Board was also asked if generative\u00a0AI\u00a0software was used in crafting communications, either internal or external, for the Fire District or\u00a0Gabriola\u00a0Volunteer Fire Department.<\/p>\n
Trustee Wayne Mercier said, \u201cmy understanding is that it\u2019s not used in external communications, but the Improvement District does use Microsoft 365, which includes\u00a0a\u00a0suite of tools. Those tools include CoPilot, which is\u00a0a\u00a0generative\u00a0AI\u00a0tool, and that inserts itself into the composition of emails, suggesting words. So short of not using the email system that we pay for and use, we can\u2019t completely dissociate ourselves from it, because it\u2019s built in, like the grammar suggestions.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo it would be strictly inaccurate to say we never use it for anything\u2026to my knowledge, we don\u2019t use it to write bylaws or\u00a0policies\u00a0or that sort of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Trustee Moher said the practice is to not use\u00a0AI\u00a0by giving prompts by saying, \u201cwrite me an email that has something to do with this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fire District content from Derek Kilbourn, Editor,\u00a0Gabriola\u00a0Sounder<\/p>\n