General Information

The official language of the congress is English. All abstract submissions and presentations must be in English; simultaneous translation will not be available. A special session will be held in French. French is Québec's predominant language day-to-day.

Informal for all occasions, including the welcome reception and gala dinner.

110 volts AC / 60Hz, the same as the United States. Bring an adapter if you're travelling from elsewhere.

Eastern Time (UTC-05:00); Daylight Saving (UTC-04:00) is in effect March through November, including during the conference.

Some participants may require a visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Upon request, the secretariat will send an invitation letter confirming the name, dates, location and purpose of the conference for use in a visa application, this letter is not a commitment on the part of the organizing committee.

Full visa & eTA guidance →

The Conference Secretariat and organizers cannot be held liable for personal accidents, loss or damage to participants' property, during or arising from the conference. Visitors are not covered by Canadian health insurance plans, please arrange your own health and travel insurance before leaving home.

The currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD). Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and at foreign currency exchange offices either at the Airport or at other locations throughout the city. Bank debit or credit cards are the most convenient means of getting cash at the many Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). ATMs are spread throughout the city and accept cards with the Interac, Plus, and Cirrus networks. Most are in operation 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Most businesses accept U.S. currency and traveler's cheque, as well as major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express).

There is a 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) in effect in Canada and a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) of 9.975% in the Province of Québec, for a combined tax rate of 14.975%. These taxes are applicable to most items and are not refundable. An additional 3.5% is also applicable on hotel accommodation.

On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act and a number of supporting regulations and ministerial orders came into force, legalizing and strictly regulating the sale, possession and production of cannabis in Canada. Please note that despite this new law, it is illegal to enter or leave Canada in possession of cannabis or products derived from cannabis.

Montréal's official Web site and the official tourist site of the government of Québec contain up-to-date tourist information, including information about public transportation and maps.

Tourisme Montréal ↗ · Bonjour Québec ↗

The Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport is 20 km from the city centre. It is used by more than 14.8 million passengers every year travelling to and from North American, South American and European destinations. Travel is convenient, with direct flights from Paris, Ottawa, Toronto, and all major U.S. East-coast cities: Boston, Detroit, New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. There are many flights from U.S. cities and from all major Canadian cities, as well as numerous departures every day from many countries with only one connection.

Airport transfers. Public transportation is available. The 747 bus service runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, between the Montréal-Trudeau airport and the central bus station (Gare d'autocars de Montréal - Berri-UQAM métro station). The bus fare is CAD 11$ and can be purchased via the Chrono or Transit apps at the airport or cash with exact change (no paper bills) in the bus. The closest stop from the venue is the Saint-Laurent bus stop. Taxi fare from the airport to the city centre is a flat fee of $49.45 CA (5:00AM-11:00PM) or $56.70 CA (11:00PM-5:00AM). Major credit cards are accepted. Travel time may vary between 45 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.

Airlines.
Air Canada · Reservations: +1 888 247 2262 · Information: +1 888 422 7533
Porter Airlines · Reservations: +1 888 619 8622
United Airlines · Reservations: +1 800 538 2929 (International) / +1 800 864 8331 (Domestic)
WestJet · Reservations: +1 888 937 8538
US Airways · Reservations: +1 888 240 4770
American Airlines · Reservations: +1 800 433 7300
Delta · Reservations: +1 800 241 4141 (International) / +1 800 221 1212 (Domestic)
Air Transat · Reservations: +1 866 255 4871

The Montréal train station serves the downtown area and is located 1 km away from the DoubleTree hotel. Via Rail Canada offers daily service between Toronto, Ottawa, and Québec City.

The Montréal main bus terminal is about 2 km from the DoubleTree hotel. The Orléans Express Network serves many cities and there are many connections to Montréal from many cities.

Highway 20 (autoroute Jean-Lesage) runs along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, and Highway 40 (autoroute Félix-Leclerc) is the north shore access to the city. For delegates from northeastern U.S., or eastern and central Canada, car travel is a viable option. The province's 4,500-km highway network is among the most developed in Canada and links Montréal to the rest of Canada and the United States.

DoubleTree by Hilton Montreal is connected to the Complexe Desjardins which offers a large underground parking lot. The daily rate for a normal car is CAD 24$/day. The hotel also offers a valet service with in and out privileges at the rate of 39$/day.

Street parking spaces is limited in this neighbourhood, but may be purchased on the street parking terminals or on the P$ Service Mobile app. The hourly rate for street parking varies across areas but is set at 4.25$/hour in most of the city centre. The Agence de mobilité durable Montréal's website offers more information on street parking and municipal parking lots. Other parking options may be compared on Parkopedia's website.

The city of Montréal and the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) offer a variety of public transit options on the island. Metro and bus itineraries may be researched on STM's website and the buses' geolocation are available in real time on the Chrono and Transit apps. The location of the bike stations and the number of bikes available at each station in real time may be researched on the BIXI website and on the BIXI app.

Taxi Diamond · Tel.: 514 273 6331
Taxi Coop Montréal · Tel.: 514 667 8960
Taxi Champlain · Tel.: 514 271 1111