Ottawa

As Canada’s capital, Ottawa offers students a front-row seat to the institutions, histories, and relationships that shape the country today. Situated on unceded Algonquin Anishinaabe territory, the city invites learners to explore how governance, justice, and human rights intersect with Indigenous sovereignty, activism, and reconciliation. From Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court to Indigenous cultural spaces, museums, and waterways, students engage with Ottawa as a living classroom where law, history, and civic responsibility are not abstract concepts, but active forces shaping daily life and national identity.

Learning through the SDGs

Click an SDG below to see examples of how select SDGs are explored on our programs.

4
Quality Education

Ottawa allows students to explore education as a public good and a driver of social change. Learning happens through storytelling, dialogue, and experiential inquiry, helping students examine whose knowledge is valued, how history is taught, and why access to education matters in shaping informed, critical thinkers.

16
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

As Canada’s political and legal center, Ottawa offers direct insight into how power, law, and governance function. Students investigate how decisions are made, how justice is upheld or denied, and how institutions evolve over time, while critically examining representation, accountability, and the ongoing work of democracy.

17
Partnerships For The Goals

Ottawa highlights how collaboration across governments, Indigenous nations, cultural institutions, and community organizations drives progress. Students explore how partnerships support reconciliation, education, and social impact, emphasizing that lasting change depends on cooperation, trust, and shared responsibility.

Power, Partnership, and Responsibility

Ottawa provides a powerful setting to explore how power operates through institutions, treaties, and civic spaces. Students examine the tension between Canada’s democratic ideals and its colonial foundations, engaging with Indigenous knowledge holders, legal frameworks, and historical narratives that complicate simplified national stories.

By exploring governance alongside Indigenous resurgence, activism, and cultural continuity, learners are invited to consider what responsible leadership looks like today — and how partnership, accountability, and advocacy shape more just futures.

Sample itinerary

At Insight, our programs are designed to reflect the unique interests, goals, and needs of your students. Each itinerary is thoughtfully customized in collaboration with schools, ensuring meaningful alignment with your learning objectives.

Settle into the capital before enjoying a shared dinner and an evening stroll along the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From the water, begin reflecting on how geography, trade routes, and governance have shaped the city’s role in Canadian history.

Begin the day at Mādahòkì Farm with a traditional arrival ceremony and warm welcome. Engage with Indigenous ambassadors, participate in hands-on cultural activities, and learn about Algonquin Anishinaabe traditions, values, and land relationships. Meet the rare Spirit Horses, symbols of cultural resilience and continuity.

In the afternoon, take part in a medicine bag workshop, learning about traditional teachings and symbolism before sharing homemade bannock and jam.

Step into the heart of Canadian governance with a guided visit to Parliament Hill, exploring the House of Commons and Senate while learning how laws are debated and passed. Students examine how democratic systems function, and where they fall short.

Continue to the Supreme Court of Canada, where students participate in a mock trial, taking on roles as judges, lawyers, and witnesses to better understand the rule of law and access to justice.

Visit the Canadian Museum of Nature to explore Canada’s ecosystems and biodiversity through an interactive lens. Participate in a hands-on sketching workshop, using art as a tool to observe, interpret, and connect with the natural world.

In the afternoon, travel to Parc Omega for a wildlife immersion experience. Encounter bison, elk, deer, and other species in expansive habitats while learning about conservation, land use, and human responsibility toward ecosystems.

Travel south to Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg, stepping into 19th-century life through hands-on activities and interactions with costumed interpreters. Students explore how early governance, labor, and community structures shaped Upper and Lower Canada.

In the afternoon, visit the St-Albert Cheese Factory, where traditional foodways meet modern innovation. Learn about the science and technology behind cheese production before sampling fresh curds — a tangible connection between culture, economy, and innovation.

Conclude the program with a visit to the Canadian War Museum, examining Canada’s military history, peacekeeping role, and the human cost of conflict. Students reflect on remembrance, responsibility, and how nations work toward peace.

Transfer to the airport for your journey home, carrying forward lessons about justice, partnership, and civic responsibility.

Highlights

Democracy in Action

Engage directly with Canada’s political and legal institutions through parliamentary visits, mock trials, and guided exploration of civic spaces.

Indigenous Knowledge and Resilience

Learn from Indigenous leaders, artists, and educators through cultural experiences that center sovereignty, land relationships, and living traditions.

History, Memory, and Responsibility

Explore how Canada remembers its past — from colonial settlement to global conflict — and how those narratives shape present-day activism and human rights conversations.

What’s included

  • All accommodations
  • All meals and water
  • All programs activities and experiences
  • All teacher chaperone costs at an 8:1 ratio
  • Comprehensive travel insurance (medical, travel and cancellation)
  • Curriculum units to accompany program themes
  • Global and locally-based facilitators
  • Pre-program orientations and post-program debriefing

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