DM Ainslie Speaking Notes – School Field Trips Announcement
June 9, 2026 – 10:30 AM – Outdoor Giraffe Habitat, Toronto Zoo
- As Chair of the Board of Management of the Toronto Zoo, I am happy to celebrate today’s landmark announcement.
- This pilot program represents a great step forward in making our City and the Toronto Zoo more equitable, inclusive, and forward-thinking for the next generation.
- An initiative of this scale is made possible through collaboration, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our outstanding community partners.
- To the Kiwanis Club of Scarborough,
- thank you for your incredibly generous contribution to help cover transportation costs for our local Scarborough schools.
- Your dedication ensures that reliable transportation is readily available to connect our local students.
- To Mary Dagg and the Anne Innis Dagg Foundation, as well as Bella Lam and the Jane Goodall Institute Canada,
- Thank you for joining us today and for allowing the fearless curiosity and legacies of Dr. Anne Innis Dagg and Dr. Jane Goodall to serve as the guiding inspiration for this program.
- To Dolf DeJong and the entire team here at the Toronto Zoo,
- thank you for your tireless work in bringing the Guardians of Wild Strategic Plan to life,
- actively breaking down barriers so every student can experience the living classroom.
- For our residents right here in Scarborough, and indeed for families across Toronto, this program is incredibly meaningful.
- Field trips create lifelong memories, but for too long, the associated costs have put these experiences out of reach for many families.
- By removing these barriers, we are ensuring that every child gets to visit a Masai giraffe right here at the Toronto Zoo, find their curiosity, and build a real connection with the nature.
- This project is an investment in our youth and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of environmental leaders right here in our community.
- Thank you all for being here to celebrate this milestone.
- We look forward to welcoming Toronto’s students to the Toronto Zoo.
