The National Trust for Canada is seeking one student with interests in art, history, architecture and heritage conservation to join the National Trust team for the fall of 2026. The intern will assist in planning the National Trust Conference 2026 (October 22-24, 2026, Waterloo Region, ON), helping develop the conference program including field sessions and plenaries, reaching potential conference participants (especially emerging voices) through various communications platforms, and helping build relationships with Waterloo and regional stakeholders and constituencies.
About the organization:
The National Trust for Canada (headquartered in Ottawa) was created in 1973 to promote the preservation and revitalization of Canada’s heritage places. Today, we continue to advance the conservation, appreciation and ongoing use of Canada’s historic places, intangible heritage, and cultural landscapes, and spotlight their essential contribution to diverse, equitable and sustainable communities.
Each year, the National Trust (with the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals & Indigenous Heritage Circle) mounts Canada’s largest heritage places conference bringing together 500+ inter-disciplinary participants from across the heritage sector: professionals (emerging and established), public officials and policymakers, tradespeople, grassroots volunteers, land guardians, academics, and students. The National Trust Conference is a crucial learning, knowledge exchange, and networking event that helps sustain the heritage conservation movement, build heritage industry and public policy practice, and support the heritage places and landscapes important to all Canadians.
Description of placement:
The intern will assist in planning the National Trust Conference 2026 (October 22-24, 2026, Waterloo Region) helping develop the conference program with a particular focus on local opportunities, assist with conference communications, and work to build relationships with area stakeholders and constituencies.
This year’s ambitious conference theme – Heritage Futures – seeks to address head-on the challenges facing Canada’s heritage conservation sector. The heritage conservation sector in Canada faces a “perfect storm” of social and political pressures. Heritage places are increasingly threatened by fast-tracked development, deregulation, and housing demands, even as rising cultural nationalism highlights their vital role in Canadian identity and economic resilience. At the same time, the sector is advancing reconciliation, addressing inequities in practice, and leading on climate action.
In this period of rapid change, how can the heritage sector shape the future of Canada’s tangible and intangible heritage? How are societal shifts and new technologies transforming conservation and stewardship? What will heritage leadership look like tomorrow? Canada’s largest heritage learning and networking event will convene 500+ professionals, policymakers, industry and NGO leaders, academics, students, and volunteers. Join this dynamic, annual, cross-sector conversation.
Heritage Futures will bring together bold ideas, practical case studies, and solution-focused dialogue to chart a path forward.
We are constantly seeking to reach more students, diverse communities, and emerging professionals with the goal of helping them advance careers in heritage and creating interest and awareness of the importance of heritage conservation. The intern will help us reach new conference participants through social media, programming, and will have latitude to create and lead their own projects based on their interests. The intern will assist NT staff with distilling and crafting these insights, and help organize and participate in post-conference “next steps” planning and action-mobilization activities and sessions.
This is an opportunity to work at a leading national Canadian non-profit, get to know key players in the Canadian heritage conservation sector and develop personal networks, spend time researching, writing, and leading initiatives of personal interest. The intern will work directly with the National Trust Conference Manager and meet regularly to discuss work.
The intern should have strong writing and verbal communication skills and an interest in heritage, history, or architecture. They should be able to work independently and take initiative. We are flexible in working with the interests of the intern.
Programming:
- Assist with the planning and logistics for National Trust Conference 2026 (October 22-24, 2026).
Outreach:
- Assist with online conference outreach and promotion via conference newsletters and social media.
- Outreach to possible stakeholders and participants.
Research:
- Research topics related to residential intensification in heritage neighbourhoods, building reuse, decarbonization, heritage conservation policy, etc. in consultation with National Trust staff
- Research key issues and opportunities for the heritage (e.g. housing advocacy groups, land trusts, Indigenous organizations), and potential academic and professional participants at the conference.
Misc.
• Other duties as assigned
The successful applicant will have the opportunity to collaborate with professionals from a variety of heritage fields. Additionally, the intern will receive free conference registration for National Trust Conference 2026; unfortunately, we are not able to guarantee travel and accommodation funding.
Modality: The internship will take place remotely.
Timing or hours of placement: Students can expect to work roughly 8 hours per week during the Fall 2026 semester (Sept.-Dec.). Flexible timing throughout the week. Timing of the placement throughout the week to be discussed with the placement supervisor.
Credit: Half credit (0.5). This internship is for course credit at the University of Toronto through the Department of Art History. This is not a paid position.
Interested students should submit an application here by Friday, June 5, 2026. Applications can be addressed to Professor Jessica Mace and Professor Heba Mostafa, and should include 1) a cover letter (including any relevant coursework or experience) and 2) a resume.