The workshop venue will be at Ryerson University. All sessions will take place in room ENG105 of the George Vari Engineering and Computing Centre at (245 Church Street). For a map of the campus please click here.

Getting to Toronto

Toronto is a clean, safe, cosmopolitan city with a wonderful network of parks, recreational, and cultural facilities. One of the world's most ethnically diverse cities, it is home to more than 80 ethnic communities from Africa, Asia, and Europe. To learn more about places to visit and things to do during your stay in Toronto, please visit one of the following sites Toronto.com , Toronto Tourism , and City of Toronto Fun Guide .

Toronto is also one of the most accessible cities in the world by air, car, train, or bus:

By Air

Toronto is served by two airports: Pearson International Airport and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport . Pearson International Airport, managed by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority is Canada’s principal airport with travel connections to every continent and ranks among the top 30 world airports in terms of passenger traffic and aircraft movements. There are over 76 scheduled and charter airlines currently serving Toronto Pearson International Airport. Air carriers provide non-stop service to 26 Canadian and 42 United States destinations and same-plane service to 56 other International cities.

Air Canada, Canada’s flagship carrier and a founding member of the Star Alliance, relies on Pearson International Airport as its major Canadian hub with a wide variety of domestic, US and international connections.

Toronto Pearson International Airport (airport code YYZ) is located in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto about 30 Kilometres (18 miles) from downtown Toronto and the workshop venue or 30 - 40 mins by car (depending on traffic conditions). You can also get to any of downtown hotels and the workshop venue by:

• Public Transit The Airport Rocket provides all-day, regular accessible express bus service between Kipling Station on the Bloor-Danforth Subway and Pearson International Airport. This means there is a necessary transfer to or from the airport and downtown Toronto. Travel time between the Toronto Airport and Union Station would be about 45 minutes and would cost the value of a TTC ticket (CAN$3 as of 2010). One ticket covers the cost of travel to any point on the transit system. One some interchange points, you may need to show your proof of payment (i.e. a transfer ) that can be obtained at the point of entry to the system. Please note the bus drivers, including the ones leaving from airport do not carry any change, and you need to pay with exact fare. You can find a map of the Toronto public transit system (TTC) and additional information here .
• Airport Express Shuttle The Airport Express takes about 40 minutes to reach downtown Toronto and costs about $24 one way or $40 return. The Airport Express Shuttle runs from the arrivals terminal at Pearson International Airport to downtown Toronto hotels. For more information, please visit their web site .
• Taxis Taxis to hotels in downtown Toronto cost between $50 and $60, plus tip, and take about 30 - 40 mins. The City of Toronto licenses the taxis that service Toronto Pearson International Airport to ensure safety standards and fare consistency. Rates are predetermined based on the time and distance to your destination within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Taxis are available outside of every terminal and there is typically a taxi stand where you will be directed to a taxi. Rates are based per car, not per passenger. To return to Toronto Pearson International Airport from Toronto, taxis will charge you the metered rate.
• Limousines Limousines to hotels in downtown Toronto cost between $55 and $65, plus tip, and take about 30 - 40 mins. Limousines are comfortable sedans, typically black, that operate similarly to taxis, but offer a higher standard of service and newer vehicles. Limousines are available outside of every terminal. The City of Toronto licenses the limousines that service Toronto Pearson International Airport to ensure safety standards and fare consistency. Rates are predetermined based on the time and distance to your destination within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). For destinations outside of the GTA, limousines charge per kilometre. Rates are based per car, not per passenger. To return to Toronto Pearson International Airport from Toronto by limousine, call ahead and book one.

For more complete information about Toronto Pearson International Airport, consult the Toronto Pearson International Airport official website.

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (airport code YTZ) is a smaller airport located on the Toronto Islands, close to the downtown area. The airport is used for regional airline service by Porter Air and Air Canada . City taxis from curbside at an average cost of $15-$17. Porter Air also offers a complimentary bus shuttle service from terminal to the Fairmont Royal York Hotel at Front Street West and York Street, which is only about 2 kilometre from the workshop venue (about 20 minutes walk). You can also take the Toronto public transit system (TTC) trains at the Union station which should get you to most locations in downtown in a few minutes. For individuals flying from within North America, specially from the East coast, it is strongly encouraged that you investigate the possibility of using the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport as it SIGNIFICANTLY reduces travel time to the workshop venue and its surrounding hotels.

By Rail

VIA Rail and AMTRAK bring visitors into the heart of the city each day. Toronto's Union Station is centrally located downtown and connects to the subway by underground tunnel. To get to the workshop venue from the Union station, you can take the north bound subway trains toward Finch and exit at Dundas street. Church street is 3 blocks east of Dundas and Yonge intersection. The walk from the Union station (north on Younge) is just under 2 kilometre (20 minutes).

By Bus

Bus transportation to and from other cities within North America is provided through several Intercity Bus companies operating out of the Toronto Coach Terminal . The bus terminal on 610 Bay Street is only 4 blocks from the workshop venue.

As of June 2009, all visitors to Canada must produce a valid passport. It is important to ensure that your passport's expiration date is valid for six months after your anticipated departure date. Many non-residents will require a Canadian issued travel visa - referred to as a Temporary Resident Visa - when entering Canada. To determine if you will require a visa, please refer to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site.

Note that the workshop CANNOT intercede or contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada on behalf of workshop visa applicants. However, we will be happy to provide letters to our attendees confirming their registration payment for visa purposes upon request which should be sent to ( gensci@fields.utoronto.ca ).