Homestay families meet their International Student at the Winnipeg airport upon their arrival and drop them off at the airport for their departure. Contact ISP staff to confirm arrival and departure times.

Homestay families should take a photo of students' medical insurance card, to keep in a safe place in case of an emergency.  If students have any questions about their their coverage, they can contact LRSD ISP staff or Guard.me at their toll-free number: 1.888.756.8428.

If a student is injured or in an accident, call 911. Homestay families must NOT sign any form(s). Contact ISP staff immediately.

GuardMe Student Support Program (GMSSP) provides multilingual, culturally sensitive, and gender-inclusive mental health support to eligible students.

If homestay families wish to assist students to access support: 

1. Obtain verbal permission from the student to call GMSSP together
2. Dial 1-844-451-9700 to request a counsellor, specifying language of choice as applicable
3. Briefly explain the reason for the call and hand the phone to the student
4. Leave the room so the student can speak privately with the counsellor when able and appropriate

Contact ISP immediately in case of emergency. If the emergency requires a 911 call, that call should be made first and the ISP emergency number should be the next call. Homestay families should review emergency procedures with students – including when and how to call 911 and where to find numbers for police and fire. These should be kept in an accessible location or added into students' phones. 

For non-emergencies, please contact the ISP Homestay Coordinator during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday), leave a message if necessary, include caller's full name, the date and time of the call, and a brief description of the purpose of the call. Please also include the students name and school name and a contact phone number.

Please communicate with the ISP under the following circumstances: 

• If the student is seriously ill, especially where hospitalization or surgery is expected or if they contract a communicable disease. 
• If the student may be experiencing discrimination, harassment, threats or inappropriate advances. 
• If the student may be involved in violent acts or acts of bullying, either as a victim or a perpetrator. 
• If the student may be experiencing a mental or emotional disorder. • If it is suspected that a student may be seriously depressed or suicidal. 
• If the homestay family is moving or the home is listed for sale. 
• If the home has had a theft or break-in. 
• If a student causes damage in the homestay home. 
• If any resident in the homestay home turns 18 years of age. 
• If the student is planning to leave Winnipeg as they require a travel permission form. 
• If the family suspects that a student is experiencing financial difficulty. 
• If there will be a new resident in the home (student, pet, family or friend) or if someone is leaving the home. 
• If there is a change in the home or work contact information. 
• If homestay family member(s) need to be away from the home overnight as adequate supervision must be arranged. 
• If a resident in the homestay contracts a communicable disease.

The Homestay Coordinator is happy to hear from families, any time that they feel that they may like some guidance, support or feedback. And, of course, it is always nice to hear about positive relationships and events. Please send photos and/or testimonials to post on our social media sites to internationalstudent@lrsd.net

Homestay families should NOT sign any contracts on the student’s behalf (eg. cell phone, skating lessons or sports).

Student Travel Forms - Fillable

When homestay families accept international students into their homes, ISP anticipates that their travel plans will include the student or be scheduled outside of the term the student resides with them. If that is not possible, then we require that families notify the ISP Homestay Coordinator to arrange for alternate care and accommodation. Homestay payments are adjusted for the time students are away. 

Sunday-Thursday 10pm | Friday & Saturday midnight

In fairness to all involved in the Program, please keep to these curfew times as much as possible.

Students and homestays are encouraged to support sleepovers among the LRSDGoGlobal community.

Sleepovers at non-Homestay Family are the same as independent travel. These require a Permission To Travel form submitted as soon as possible and at least 48 hours in advance of the departure or event.

• Tourism Winnipeg
• Travel Manitoba
• Winnipeg Transit

School websites have helpful information including contact numbers, addresses with maps and school calendars. School websites can be found through the Louis Riel School Division website at: https://www.lrsd.net/page/1519/community-of-schools

• City of Winnipeg 311 - Information Service: www.winnipeg.ca/interhom
• City of Winnipeg general information: 311
• City of Winnipeg website: A municipal government website providing information about events, places to visit and other items of interest for people living in or visiting Winnipeg. www.winnipeg.ca/interhom
• Emergencies (police, ambulance, fire): 911
• Guard.me: All international students in the program are covered under a mandatory Guard.me health insurance plan. Students do not need to purchase additional travel insurance. Please read the coverage and claims details at: www.guard.me
• Health Links: It is a 24-hour, 7-days a week telephone information service available in Manitoba. Whether a student has a small medical question or a more urgent need, they should first call Health Links at: 1.204.788.8200.
• Living in Manitoba: A Government of Manitoba website where students and their parents can go to find information about living in Manitoba. It includes useful information on climate, education and Canadian culture.www.immigratemanitoba.com
• Louis Riel School Division International Student Program website: https://www.lrsd.net/isp
• Restaurant Guide: Winnipeg’s most popular and unique dining experiences. www.visitwinnipegnow.com/where-to-eat