Several conferences relocate north of the border as Canadians refuse to travel to the U.S.
Since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, there has been a noticeable shift in conference plans for many North American-based organizations. One such example is the North American Society for the Sociology of Sport (NASSS), which had to make adjustments to accommodate its Canadian members who were hesitant to travel to the U.S. due to the political climate and concerns about transgender rights being rolled back.
Travers, the president-elect of NASSS, made the decision to nix their plans to attend the conference in Seattle this November, citing safety concerns. Travers, who is a trans person, felt that travelling to the U.S. at this time was too risky. This sentiment was echoed by many other Canadian members of NASSS, with around 40 per cent expressing their reluctance to attend the Seattle conference.
To address the issue of under-attendance, organizers came up with a creative solution: hosting a pared-down conference in Seattle along with a simultaneous one in Vancouver. This way, Canadian participants who were hesitant to travel to the U.S. could still participate in the conference through video conferencing.
The decision to relocate part of the conference to Vancouver was met with gratitude from many NASSS members who appreciated the alternative option. This shift in conference plans is not an isolated incident, as several other organizations have also chosen to move their events from the U.S. to Canada in light of the current political climate.
One such organization is the Canadian Association of Pathologists (CAP), which decided to hold a joint conference with the American Society for Clinical Pathology in Montreal in 2026, despite the American group having significantly more members. The decision was made in response to concerns about the challenges faced by individuals entering the U.S., as evidenced by incidents such as the detainment of Canadian Jasmine Mooney and the interrogation of Professor Nathan Kalman-Lamb at U.S. customs.
These stories, along with the general decline in Canadian travel to the U.S., have led to a shift in conference plans for organizations like the Work and Family Researchers Network (WFRN) and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Both organizations have chosen to relocate their conferences from U.S. venues to Canada due to travel concerns.
As conference organizers continue to choose Canada over U.S. venues, there is potential for a significant boost to the Canadian economy. Heather Dow, a non-profit conference manager, believes that this shift presents a great opportunity for Canada to attract more international conferences and contribute to the economy.
In conclusion, the decision to relocate conferences from the U.S. to Canada reflects the growing concerns about travel to the U.S. among Canadian participants. By providing alternative options and accommodating the needs of its members, organizations like NASSS are adapting to the changing political landscape and ensuring that their events remain accessible to all participants.
