Toronto students will soon have free access to one of the city’s most popular educational destinations, as the Toronto Zoo and the City of Toronto roll out a new pilot program offering complimentary field trips for Kindergarten to Grade 12 classes across all four publicly funded school boards.
The initiative — inspired by the legacies of renowned wildlife researchers Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. Anne Innis Dagg — aims to remove financial barriers and ensure students have the chance to learn about conservation, biodiversity, and the natural world.
The pilot program is funded through $300,000 in the City’s 2026 budget, including $100,000 proposed by Mayor Olivia Chow and an additional $200,000 approved by City Council.
The funding will cover admission costs for school groups from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir.
Chow said the pilot is about equity and opportunity.
“By removing financial barriers, we are opening the doors of the Toronto Zoo to thousands of students who may not otherwise have this opportunity,” she said. “This is about making sure young people can build a meaningful connection to wildlife, conservation, and the environment we all share.”
The complimentary field trip program will run during the 2026–2027 school year. Schools will be able to register beginning in August.
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