CALGARY - School boards across Canada are taking different approaches to international field trips amid heightened geopolitical tensions and travel uncertainty, with some cancelling or restricting trips while many others continue to send students abroad. Edmonton Public Schools took one of the broadest approaches, announcing in June it would cancel all international excursions for the 2026-27 school year, citing an “ongoing political, economic and public health challenges around the world,” that includes military conflicts, civil unrest and other risks. The decision affects planned trips to destinations including Thailand, France, the United Kingdom, Costa Rica and Portugal. Joe Pavelka, a professor of ecotourism and outdoor leadership at Mount Royal University who has run international field schools for 25 years, questions the blanket approach. “I’m a little surprised and a little disappointed that Edmonton would cancel their international offerings,” Pavelka said. He said there are circumstances where cancelling an international trip clearly makes sense. “If there was a war going on in Europe, then there’s a good chance you wouldn’t send your student,” he said. But Pavelka said the current environment is more difficult to assess. “People certainly feel less safe, but there’s no real way to pinpoint: Is this place unsafe or more unsafe compared to any others?” ‘Given the political climate’ Wayne Smith, a professor and director at the Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Research at Toronto Metropolitan University, sees the decision differently. “It’s unsurprising, to be honest with you, given the political climate that we’re seeing right now,” Smith said. “The fact is that we are in a trade war at the moment. You know, there’s all kinds of security concerns.” But Edmonton’s approach is far from universal. CTV News contacted more than a dozen school boards and districts across Canada and found most continue to allow international student travel, although policies and approval processes vary. The Toronto District School Board and Regina Public Schools said there has been no change and international trips continue. The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board continues to facilitate trips, while the Vancouver School Board does not have a policy prohibiting international field trips. Edmonton Catholic Schools also said international trips are proceeding as planned. In Calgary, international travel is returning to some public schools after the Calgary Board of Education paused trips during the 2025-26 school year while it reviewed its processes. Some schools are now planning international trips for 2026-27 under updated staff guidelines and trip procedures. “The Calgary Board of Education believes in the enhanced educational value of international travel,” the board said in a statement. It added that student and staff safety remains its top priority. “We continually monitor travel advisories for all destinations and respond to any change which may include trip cancellation at any time.” At Western Canada High School in Calgary, Grade 12 student Matthew Wang said students have heard about a potential trip to Spain. “Nothing’s really been confirmed. But they’ve been saying that if you want to sign up for a trip to Spain next year, it’s something that you can do,” Wang said. Wang said he sees value in having those opportunities available to students. “I feel like these trips are a great learning opportunity for students, and they’re also just really fun to go on.” Other school boards have opted for more targeted restrictions. Several Winnipeg school divisions continue to suspend trips to the United States, rather than international travel altogether. Pavelka said managing the risks associated with student travel requires preparation and people who understand the destination. “It’s important to go in advance. It’s important to have people who understand how to deal with risk on the ground,” he said. Smith said international travel can also present complications depending on a student’s citizenship or immigration status. “Not every student is a Canadian citizen,” he said. “What do you do with students who are permanent residents or here on visas?” “So there’s a lot of complications that go with international travel, but the school boards are just deciding this is not worth a bite at the apple.” Other boards continue to make those decisions individually. ‘Field trips are very beneficial’ The Calgary Catholic School District said student trips are proceeding in 2026-27 and are considered on a case-by-case basis. The English Montreal School Board leaves decisions about trip destinations to individual schools. The Toronto Catholic District School Board said it does not have an official policy prohibiting trips to specific destinations, with curriculum-related trips to Europe and other locations proceeding in 2026-27. Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, however, stopped approving out-of-country excursions in 2011. For students, the debate over safety also raises questions about what could be lost when international travel is taken off the table. “You can see why they did it, but I do think it is a kind of big loss for hands-on learning in the actual environment,” said Ethan Liu, a Grade 12 student at Western Canada High School. Ariel Lyon, another student at Western Canada High School, said travelling can provide students with an experience that can’t be replicated in a classroom. “I think international school field trips are very beneficial. It lets students go and see other cultures,” Lyon said. “There’s a great difference between just hearing what’s in a textbook, watching a video, and actually getting to live through that experience.” Pavelka said individual trips may sometimes need to be cancelled as conditions change, but he cautions against abandoning international student travel over the long term. “Whatever the reason, that’s fine. But don’t take it off the table in a long-term sense, because I think that these programs are far too valuable and far too important in terms of shaping young people as they go forward.”
