Conferences Move to Canada in 2025 as Canadians Refuse U.S. Travel Over Safety Fears

Concerns over border security, politics, and safety in the U.S. are rising. In response, several North American groups are moving conferences to Canada. Many Canadian members are now hesitant to travel south of the border. This shift could boost the local economy in Canadian cities.

Canadians Avoiding U.S. Travel Spark Venue Changes

The catalyst? A sharp decline in Canadians’ willingness to visit the U.S.

Groups like the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS) and the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) are moving events to Canada. Some are relocating fully, others partially, to cities like Vancouver and Montreal.

For NASSS, it’s personal. Travers, an associate professor at Simon Fraser University and NASSS president-elect, said many Canadian members won’t attend the 2025 Seattle conference. Their concerns focus on border scrutiny and the rollback of transgender rights in the U.S.

The solution: a split conference model, with events in both Seattle and Vancouver, connected via video conferencing. “Many members said, ‘Thank you, I was afraid to go to the United States,’” Travers told CBC News.

More Organizations Moving Conferences North

The trend extends beyond NASSS:

• The Canadian Association of Pathologists (CAP) and the American Society for Clinical Pathology will hold their 2026 joint conference in Montreal, not the U.S.
  
• The Work and Family Researchers Network relocated its 2026 biennial event from Boston to Montreal.
  
• The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans shifted its 2025 Canadian conference from San Diego back to Canada.
  

Organizers said travel concerns—ranging from border detentions to political instability—heavily influenced these decisions.

Border Incidents Fuel Anxiety

Recent incidents highlight why Canadians are hesitant. Nathan Kalman-Lamb, a sociology professor at the University of New Brunswick, was detained and interrogated at Montreal’s airport while en route to a U.S. conference, despite having full documentation.

Similar stories, including Canadians being denied entry over anti-Trump content on their phones, have made headlines. These experiences, Kalman-Lamb says, make attending U.S.-based events feel “frightening” and not worth the risk.

Economic Boost for Canada

While troubling politically, the shift presents a clear economic opportunity for Canada. Conference industry experts estimate that even modest-sized events can inject hundreds of thousands of dollars into local economies through hotels, dining, and tourism.

“If a 300-person conference relocates, that’s easily a $500,000–$600,000 boost for the host city,” said Heather Dow, a Canadian conference manager based in Kingston, Ontario.

A New Normal for International Events?

As concerns over U.S. travel persist, more organizations may look to Canada as a safer, more welcoming venue for international conferences.

For Canada’s tourism and events sector, this trend could mean more business — and a chance to showcase Canadian cities as premier destinations for global gatherings.

Do you think more conferences should move to Canada? Share your thoughts in the comments.

More….

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/conference-us-travel-1.7531255
• https://meetings.skift.com/2025/04/11/political-pressures-shift-u-s-canada-conference-strategy
• https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/115351