Canada Youth Internet Governance Forum (IGF)

Upcoming Canada Youth IGF

Youth IGF Canada operates as a recognized national initiative within the United Nations Internet Governance Forum (UN IGF) framework. As such, our planning and programming align with the principles and requirements established by the UN IGF for national and regional initiatives (NRIs). This includes ensuring transparency, multi-stakeholder input, and youth-led dialogue on key internet governance issues affecting young people today.

As part of our commitment to an open, inclusive, and bottom-up process, YDLC puts out a public Call for Topics to shape Agenda approximately 6-months prior to the forum. YDLC identifies themes relevant to both the Canadian and broader global Internet governance communities. Young people across Canada are invited to share which topics they believe are most important to explore through the public Call for Topics, ensuring that the topics covered at the Canada Youth IGF reflect the input and views from the community.

• Results for 2025 Canada Youth IGF Call for Topics: 14 survey respondents

After collecting valuable insight from 14 community members in a survey, the Call for Topics revealed that AI and Human Rights, DNS Abuse, Online Harms, and Youth Engagement in Digital Policy, are important topics to young people in Canada. This input created the backbone of the 2025 Canada Youth IGF Program Agenda.

This Call for Topics also collected input on possible panelists, providing Forum organizers with a list of stakeholders with diverse expertise. This information was used to create panels that reflected a range of stakeholders and demographics, representing not only youth voices but also featuring knowledge from those who have been in the field for a long time.

Travel Support Program

More Voices in the Room, More Impact Across the Nation

Many Canadian youth face geographic, financial, or systemic barriers to attending digital governance in-person. YDLC is working to build a reality in which young Canadians from all provinces, backgrounds, and circumstances cancontribute to important conversations surrounding the technologies we use daily.

The Canada Youth IGF Honorarium Program empowers young digital leaders through:

• Travel and accommodation relief to young digital leaders who would otherwise be unable to attend the annual Canada Youth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in-person;

• Participation in a School of Internet Governance session and a Digital Governance Leadership and Civic Engagement Day offering opportunities to connect with Canada’s leaders in digital governance and learn more about creating change in the digital policy field

• Support and mentorship to develop Digital Governance Community Engagement Projects that extend digital governance conversations from coast to coast to coast

Connection to a network of young digital leaders passionate about making change

Interested in learning more? Discover how to apply below!

“The Canada Youth IGF Honorarium Program opened doors in the digital governance space that I didn’t even know existed. It sparked a passion for building better digital worlds for all Canadians and gave me the tools and community to achieve that goal.” - Liam, 2025 Honorarium Recipient

Who is Eligible?

All youth in Canada are eligible for the Travel Support Program. The program is targeted towards youth who are:

1. Indigenous;

2. Persons with a disability/disabilities (visible and/or invisible);

3. Young women working to end technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV); and/or

4. Demonstrated young Canadian Internet leaders.

Applicants from rural and remote communities will be favoured. We encourage all applications, even if you do not feel you fully meet the criteria.

What’s Covered by the Program?

• Flights from the recipient’s home regions to the location of the IGF

• Hotel accommodation near the site of the IGF

• Some meals

• Tickets to the annual Canada Youth IGF and School of Internet Governance

• Engagement with the vibrant YDLC network
  

How to Apply

Applications for the Travel Support Program in August will open via a Google Form, which will be featured on the YDLC website and promoted across YDLC’s social media and networks. The Google Form will remain open for 3 weeks. 

The form will also ask for details about your involvement in or attendance at previous internet governance events. In addition, you’ll be asked to provide demographic and logistical information, as well as insight into how you see yourself as an emerging Internet leader in Canada. Specifically, you will also be asked to describe your idea for your Digital Governance Community Project which will be hosted in your home province/territory within three months of the Canada Youth IGF. . 

Applications will be reviewed by YDLC’s leadership team.

Why Apply?

• Access and engage in crucial conversations surrounding the internet, AI, and social media

• Learn from and connect with respected leaders from politics, the technology industry, civil society and international organizations

Join a vibrant, growing network of community-minded young leaders interested in positively impacting digital policy

Digital Governance Community Engagement Projects

In the months after attending the Canada Youth IGF, honorarium recipients work with YDLC staff to plan Digital Governance Community Engagement Projects in their home communities. These youth-focused projects can range from interactive workshops to community conversations, all to engage more young Canadians in important conversations.

Past topics have included:

• Cybersecurity

• Generative AI

• Technology-facilitated gender-based violence

• And many more!

Recipients will have the opportunity to present their project outcomes to government decision-makers and leaders in digital governance at a virtual symposium. 

Interested in having a positive impact on your community? Learn more about applying below!