Two B.C. chambers seek AI ban for kids after Tumbler Ridge mass shooting

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — The Tumbler Ridge and Prince George chambers of commerce are urging Ottawa and the provincial government to ban children under 16 from using AI tools and social media.

Jerrilyn Kirk, executive director of the Tumbler Ridge chamber, says last month’s shootings in the community underscore that everybody is “vulnerable to the impacts of online harms.”

She says a growing body of research shows giving children unregulated access to powerful digital applications contributes to “social instability, mental health pressures and public safety risks.”

Jesse Van Rootselaar, who shot dead eight people on February 10th, had been banned by OpenAI last June after violating its policies on the use of its ChatGPT chatbot.

Van Rootselaar also died after the rampage. 

But the company only told police after Van Rootselaar’s name became public following the shooting.

Neil Godbout, executive director of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, says healthy communities are “foundational to economic stability and growth.” 

The two chambers say in a statement that their joint resolution on the proposed ban now goes to the BC Chamber of Commerce for debate.

If adopted, it will become part of the policies that the provincial chamber will submit to the B.C. government for consideration, they say.

The two business groups issued their joint resolution before Thursday’s virtual meeting between B.C. Premier David Eby, Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

The Canadian Press obtained the statement and resolution after the meeting, where Eby says Altman agreed to publicly apologize for his company’s actions.

Eby also said OpenAI would also work with the province to come up with recommendations for federal regulatory standards on artificial intelligence and reporting of problematic interactions with users.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 6th, 2026.