The conference venue is on the downtown campus of the University of Toronto, at the Munk School of Global Affairs, 1 Devonshire place. To view the venue location map click here. The conference will be utilizing the Vivian and David Campbell Conference Facility in the Munk School, as well as several seminar rooms. This site is about 25 minutes’ cab ride from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport; a 10 minute cab ride from Toronto’s Island Airport; and about 10 minutes’ cab ride from either the bus or train station. (You definitely do not need a car in Toronto to get around the downtown core.)
Further details on getting to the hotel and conference site are below. If, however, you would prefer to have an agency make your travel arrangements for you, The Avenue Travel Limited, University of Toronto preferred travel agency, will take care of all of your travel arrangements. Phil Hucker, the travel agent, will ensure that you receive a competitive travel offer. You can inquire about plane, train or bus travel options. You are also welcome to make your own travel arrangements. Phil Hucker’s contact info: Email: phil@avenuetravel.ca; Tel: 416-644-6573; Toll Free: 866-660-0085; Fax: 416-789-4038.
Conference lodging rooms have been blocked off in the Howard Johnson’s on 89 Avenue Road. A block of 50 rooms for the conference (November 11-14) has been reserved; the reservation number is #G0001216. Room rates are $100/night. The hotel is very close to the St. George subway stop on the Bloor line. To view the hotel location map click here. To view the map with directions from the hotel to the conference venue (a short walk), please click here.
Traveling by Air: There are two airports that serve Toronto. The closer and less expensive airport is the Toronto Island airport, served right now only by Porter Airlines. If you happen to be coming from a place that Porter serves, we recommend this airline, as it is close, relatively inexpensive, and efficient. For their website, see http://www.flyporter.com/. The airport that most people use, however, is the much larger Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). This airport services most major and regional airlines internationally. The airport is located to the west of Toronto, and unfortunately is not yet connected to the downtown via rail service. See below for further details on reaching the hotel via public transport, taxi, etc.
Traveling from the Island Airport to the Howard Johnson: once you deplane at the airport, you will go through customs and immigration (if an international traveler, that is), take a short ferry ride to the mainland (eg, about 500 meters), and exit the terminal. There are usually cabs waiting; a taxi ride to the hotel should be about $15 CDN. If you need to call a cab, try Beck taxi at 416-755-5555. Alternatively, you can take the Bathurst streetcar north to Bloor, transfer to the subway on the Bloor line heading east, and get off at the St. George stop. Public transport is $3.00 per ride; be sure to get a transfer when you get on the Bathurst car.
Traveling from Toronto Pearson International Airport to the Howard Johnson: The most economic way to travel from the Pearson Airport to the hotel is by the public transit bus 192 Airport Rocket, an all-day accessible express bus service. One-way travel time to the Kipling subway station is approximately 20 minutes. Upon arrival to the Kipling Subway Station you need to take the subway in an eastbound direction to the St. George Station, which is another 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can take a taxi, with a rate ranging in between $50-$60 CDN. Another option is to take an Airline Limo ride, their waiting line is just in front of taxis, and their distance determined rate to the hotel is $40.
Traveling by rail: Union Station to the Howard Johnson. Rail service is available to the centre of downtown Toronto via Via Rail and Amtrak. Union Station is a stop on Toronto’s subway system, and from the station you can get to the hotel quite easily via the metro (the hotel is at the St. George stop, on the Bloor line). Alternatively, you can easily take a cab from Union Station to the Howard Johnson; the cost should be about $15.
Traveling by bus: The bus station that serves Canada and the U.S. is the Toronto Coach Terminal, at 610 Bay Street, not far from the hotel (though we wouldn’t want to walk it with luggage). See their website at: http://torontocoachterminal.com/home.html. To get from there to the Howard Johnson it takes a five minute taxi ride and the cost should not exceed $10. Alternatively, you can take the subway from the St. Patrick subway station to the St. George subway station, and from there walk two blocks west to the hotel.
Traveling by subway, city bus, or streetcar (aka ‘TTC’ in Toronto): The conference hotel and venue are both easily accessible by the same metro station, the St. George stop on the Bloor line. For a TTC map of the subway system, as well as further maps for city buses and streetcars, see: http://www3.ttc.ca/.
