Hotel and Travel Information
Toronto is Canada’s biggest and most multicultural city, a bustling metropolis where over 140 languages are spoken. It offers high adventure (like the Edgewalk around the roof of the main observation deck of CN Tower), “drool-worthy” restaurants (to quote The Lonely Planet), world-class sports (like our beloved Blue Jays baseball team), a vibrant nightlife (from ballet and musicals to local music in grassroots bars), world-class shopping (whether it’s the Eaton Centre or Bloor St.), and eclectic neighbourhoods (from trendy Little Italy and Ossington Avenue, to Koreatown, Little India, and Chinatown). Learn more about all that Toronto has to offer: Keep up on what’s going on in Toronto: Learn more about trips and tours outside of Toronto: Blocks of rooms at special rates have been set aside for PREMUS 2016 delegates at three hotels: InterContinental Toronto Centre, Hilton DoubleTree and Westin Habour Castle. All hotels offer free wifi. Please note that these rooms are held only for a limited period for PREMUS attendees, after which time they will be released for general booking. Please book directly with the hotel, and mention that you are a PREMUS 2016 delegate to get the special rate. If you are booking online, follow the specific instructions provided by each hotel to receive the special rate. All prices shown are in Canadian dollars. Due to unexpected construction delays, Hotel X is no longer available for PREMUS delegates. All existing reservations at this hotel have been re-booked at the InterContinental Toronto Centre . 
Located on the Lake Ontario waterfront, the Westin Harbour Castle is steps away from the Toronto’s downtown core via the PATH (Toronto’s underground covered walkway), and only minutes away from the city’s theatre and entertainment district. Room rates: $229 + HST (single/double occupancy, per room, per night) To receive the conference rate, book online using this link, or mention Premus 2016 Conference when you call in to reserve the room. If booking online, quote the group code PF19AA to receive the conference rate. (Code expires on May 23, 2016.) View the Westin Harbour Castle website for more information. 
Set in the centre of Toronto’s financial, research and shopping districts, DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Toronto Downtown offers a quiet retreat in the heart of a vibrant, urban location. Room Rate: $189 + HST (single/double occupancy, per room, per night) To receive the conference rate, book online using this link, or mention reference group code "IWK" and/or refer to “Institute for Work & Health” when you call in, fax or e-mail to reserve your room. (Code expires on May 20, 2016.) Visit the Hilton DoubleTree website for more information.
Set mere minutes on foot away from the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre (aka SkyDome), Union Station and Toronto’s entertainment district, the InterContinental Toronto Centre offers PREMUS delegates two categories of rooms. Room rates: Regular $229 + HST (single/double occupancy, per room, per night); Feature $269 +HST (single/double occupancy, per room, per night) To receive the conference rate, book online using this link and use reference group code PREMUS2016, or mention the code when you call in to reserve your room. (Code expires on May 20, 2016.) View the InterContinental Toronto Centre website for more information. Information on other hotels in downtown Toronto is available from: Toronto has two airports—Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada’s largest and busiest airport located just on the outskirts of the city, and Billy Bishop Airport, a downtown airport that serves cities in Canada and the United States. Both offer a variety of ways to travel between the airport and downtown Toronto. Once downtown, taxis and public transit are available for moving around the city. All prices shown are in Canadian dollars. 
Lester B. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) is 30 km from downtown Toronto. Allow extra time if you'll be travelling during periods of heavy traffic, which are typically weekdays 6:00-9:00 a.m. and 4:00-7:00 p.m. A number of services, most accessible from both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 at Pearson, are available for travel between the airport and downtown Toronto. Airport taxi Time: 30-60 minutes, depending on traffic Follow signs to the taxi queue where licensed drivers will pick you up. Credit cards are generally accepted; debit cards less so. It’s always best to check with the driver in advance. If you want to pre-arrange a pick-up and/or drop-off time, you can contact any of the following taxi/limousine services authorized by the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA): Rail link via Union Pearson Express Time: 25 minutes This train service connects Toronto Pearson International Airport (Terminal 1) with Union Station in downtown Toronto in 25 minutes. Union Station offers access to further rail and public transit services, including the TTC’s Yonge-University line (Line 1). Trains have Wi-Fi service and operate on a 15-minute schedule. This direct train service also includes two brief stops at the Bloor and Weston GO Stations. Public transit via Toronto Transit Commission Time: 45-90 minutes, depending on traffic There is no direct subway service to and from Pearson Airport; however, city buses (also known as Toronto Transit Commission or TTC buses) connect the airport with the subway system via the Kipling subway station. The TTC system is safe and provides frequent service between 5:30 a.m. (8:30 a.m. on Sundays) and 1:00 a.m. Overnight, the airport is served by less-frequent TTC night buses. The 192 Airport Rocket is a wheelchair-accessible bus that provides express, all-day service between the Kipling subway station and Pearson Airport. Kipling station is on the Bloor-Danforth line (Line 2) of the TTC subway system (Map, PDF, 468Kb).
Please note that, except on the 192 Airport Rocket bus, there are no luggage racks on subways or buses. Note: To reach most downtown hotels from Kipling station, you need to transfer to a southbound subway train on the Yonge-University line (Line 1) at either St. George or Yonge station. Elevators and escalators are available at both stations. Make sure you know the closest subway station to your hotel in advance. Click for more information on getting to and from Pearson International Airport. 
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) is 2.5 km from downtown Toronto. Canada’s ninth busiest airport, it is located on an island in Lake Ontario, just off the city’s mainland, at the foot of Bathurst St. Transportation time between the airport and downtown Toronto is less than 20 minutes. Pedestrian tunnel A pedestrian tunnel connects the island airport to Toronto’s mainland. The tunnel is 855 feet (260 metres) long, running from the airport’s mainland terminal at the foot of Bathurst St. to its main terminal on the island. Thanks to four moving walkways and one of the longest escalator systems in Canada, the trip takes under six minutes to complete. Access to the pedestrian tunnel is free. Ferry A short ferry ride (121 metres!) takes passengers between the island airport and the mainland ferry terminal at the foot of Bathurst St., where taxis and public transit are available. The 90-second ferry ride runs every 15 minutes. Cost: Free for pedestrians and $11 for vehicles (round trip). The ferry schedule is available here. Taxi Time: 5-12 minutes Taxis are located at the taxi stand at the foot of Bathurst St., just outside the mainland ferry terminal. Public transit via Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) From the mainland ferry terminal at the foot of Bathurst St., passengers can travel north on the 511 Bathurst streetcar (and transfer going east or west, as necessary) or travel east/west on the 509 Harbourfront streetcar to get to Union Station to the east or Exhibition Place to the west (where the conference venue, Allstream Centre, is located). For route and schedule information, go to: Shuttle Time: 15 minutes Porter Airlines runs an express shuttle bus between Billy Bishop airport and downtown Toronto. It runs approximately every 15 minutes , and is free to anyone going to the airport, not just passengers. The shuttle runs between the mainland ferry terminal at the foot of Bathurst St. and across the street from Union Station (the stop is located on the south side of Front Street, just past the southwest corner of York and Front Streets, near Starbucks). Shuttle information and a schedule are available here. Click for more information on getting to and from Billy Bishop Airport. 
The Allstream Centre is located at the eastern end of the Exhibition Grounds on the shores of Lake Ontario, just inside the Princes’ Gates on the south side. The Allstream Centre is just minutes away from Toronto’s bustling downtown core. Eclectic neighbourhoods such as Liberty Village, Queen Street West, Parkdale, Little Italy, Little Portugal, Ossington Avenue, Kensington Market and Chinatown are nearby. Our advice is to take taxis to and from the Allstream Centre as much as possible due to construction in the area that makes public transit and walking a bit more problematic. That said, you can get to the Allstream Centre by car, public transit or bike and on foot. As a point of reference, no matter what your mode of transportation, remember that the CN Tower and Lake Ontario are to the south. Taxi A taxi stand is located on Princes’ Boulevard, on the northwest corner of the Allstream Centre, as well as other entrances to Exhibition Place. Below are the numbers for a few common taxi companies:
Car From the east
From the west
From Pearson International Airport
From Billy Bishop City Centre Airport
Parking A lot of parking is available near the Allstream Centre. Parking Lots 1, 2 and 3 offer the closest above-ground parking, and all are just slightly west of the Allstream Centre. An underground lot is located in the Enercare Centre opposite from the Allstream Centre, and the two are connected via an underground link. Parking rates are as follows: Parking rates are as follows:
Note: Underground rates increase by $3.00 on peak usage dates, such as BMO Field events and special events. Public transit via Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) The TTC has two streetcars that normally takes passengers to the Exhibition Place, with a stop at the corner of Strachan Avenue and Manitoba Drive (270 metres from the Allstream Centre). However, due to construction through the summer of 2016, both streetcar lines will make their last stops at Fleet Street and Bastion Street. Delegates can board a shuttle service that comes every 5 minutes. Delegates can also walk the remainder of the way (500 metres). Take the Yonge-University subway (Line 1 or yellow line) to Union Station. Take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar which boards on Bay St. and Front St West. This is the most direct route for delegates coming from the three recommended hotels:
Take the Bloor subway to Bathurst Station, board the 511 streetcar south to Exhibition Place. Take the Bloor subway to Dufferin Station, board the 29 bus south to Exhibition Place. The 29C does the Exhibition Loop on a limited service. Disembark at Princes’ Gates. The TTC trip planner is available here. Regional public transit via GO Transit From Union Station, take the Lakeshore West towards Aldershot. Disembark at Exhibition GO stop, located at the north side of Exhibition Place. From the GO stop (850 metres away from Allstream Centre), walk south on Nova Scotia Avenue then along Nunavut Road, around Enercare Centre. Turn left (east) onto Princes’ Boulevard. The Allstream Centre is the first building to the south and west of Princes’ Gates. GO Transit schedules and trip planner are available here. Bicycle Allstream Centre provides limited bicycle parking located at the northeast corner of the building. Additionally, 348 non-motorized bicycle parking spots are located throughout the Exhibition Place grounds. Other bike racks near the Allstream Centre are found at the northwest, northeast, and south sides of Enercare Centre. On foot The Allstream Centre is about a 45-minute walk from the downtown core. For example, it’s a 40-minute walk from the InterContinental Hotel and the Westin Harbour Castle (about three to three-and-a-half kilometres away), and a 50-minute walk from the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel (4.0 kilometres away). If you’re starting out north of the Gardiner Expressway, walk west along a main street such as Front, King, Queen or Dundas Street. Turn left onto Bathurst Street. Walk south until you reach Fort York Boulevard. Turn right onto Fort York Boulevard, cross under the Gardiner Expressway, and then turn right onto Fleet Street. Walk west along Fleet Street, cross the lights at Strachan, and walk left on Strachan. You will see the Princes’ Gates on your right. Walk through along Princes’ Boulevard. The Allstream Centre (the old Automotive Building) is immediately on your left. An alternate route is to walk south of the Gardiner Expressway, west along Queens Quay West. Walk south along a major north-south route to Queens Quay West (for example, Yonge or York Streets or Spadina Avenue). Turn right onto Queens Quay West and proceed for almost two kilometres. Turn right onto Dan Leckie Way and then immediately left onto Lake Shore Boulevard West. Walk along the Lake Shore Boulevard for about 600 metres and then proceed straight onto Princes’ Boulevard and through Princes’ Gates. The Allstream Centre is on your left. Another route is to walk west along King Street to Liberty Village.
Turn left onto Atlantic Avenue. Walk south to the end of Atlantic
Avenue, cross over where indicated (the area is under construction)
and go through the underpass at the GO Exhibition station. After
you exit, walk south on Nova Scotia Avenue then left along Nunavut
Road that runs east and then south around the parking lot between
the BMO Field and the Enercare Centre. Turn left (east) onto Princes’
Boulevard. The Enercare Centre is on your left and the Hotel X (under
construction) is on your right. The Allstream Centre is just past Hotel
X on your right. 
A lot of good information on getting around Toronto—by public transit, taxi, car, bike or foot—is available from: Check the above sites if you can't find the information you need on this page. Taxi You can easily catch a taxi from taxi stands located at airports, hotels and outside the Allstream Centre. You can also hail one on the street or call to be picked up. Fares are standard, metered and non-negotiable. The driver should start the meter at the beginning of your ride and stop it when you reach your destination. Refuse to ride in a taxi without an operational meter. If your service is acceptable, a 15% tip (+/- 5%) is customary. The following are some of the larger taxi services operating in Toronto:
Most taxicab companies now have apps to help you order and track taxis. You can learn more by visiting their respective websites above. You can also book cabs online from these websites. Public transit The Toronto Transit Commission, or TTC, is responsible for providing public transit in the City of Toronto. The TTC serves this area with a grid network of: four subway lines (two serving the downtown), 11 streetcar routes and more than 140 bus routes. Line 1 Yonge-University Line is a Ushaped subway route running generally in a south then north direction. Union Station, found at the bottom of this U shape, is a major point of connection to the VIA train, the regional GO Transit service, and the Union Pearson (UP) Express connecting downtown Toronto to the Toronto Pearson International Airport. Line 1 intersects with Line 2 at Bloor-Yonge, St. George and Spadina Stations. Line 2 Bloor-Danforth run generally east-west along Bloor Street West, Bloor Street East and Danforth Avenue. Line 2 connects with Line 1 at Bloor-Yonge, St. George and Spadina Stations, and it connects with Line 3 at Kennedy Station in the east. Accessibility Of the TTC’s 69 subway stations, 34 are equipped with elevators. In the downtown core, these include: St. George, Queen’s Park, Osgoode, St. Andrew, Union, Queen, Dundas and Bloor-Yonge along Line 1, and St. George, Bloor-Yonge, Bathurst and Spadina along Line 2. Fares
You can purchase tickets, tokens and passes at collector booths, which are located at every subway station. Tokens are sold in various quantities at a minimum of three tokens for $8.70. Subway station collector booths will accept debit and credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) for purchases of $10.00 or more. Token vending machines are available in many stations and dispense tokens in quantities of one, three and seven. These machines accept cash only. For more information, visit Driving and parking Toronto’s streets follow a basic grid pattern and are easy to navigate. Speed limit signs are posted on each street. The city’s weekday “rush hour” is more than an hour long — count on heavy traffic from 7:00am to 9:00am and again from 4:00pm to 6:00pm. Plenty of Toronto’s major streets have bicycle lanes nearest the curb and you need to be aware of them while driving to ensure their and your safety. Parking on most downtown streets is limited to specific times of day, and often requires you to purchase and display a ticket from one of the parking machines located along the street. Be sure to check and obey the signs posted along the street to make sure your vehicle doesn’t get ticketed or, worse, towed away. There are also a variety of public parking lots throughout the city. City-owned lots are indicated by the ‘Green P’ logo – a large ‘P’ in a green circle. Plan in advance using Green P’s parking locator to find the nearest lot. As well, parking is available at most hotels. 
Most travellers to PREMUS 2016 from outside Canada, except those from the U.S., will need a visa or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Canada has had visa requirements for travellers from certain countries for some time. For example, people coming from Brazil, China, Pakistan, Russia, Vietnam and many other countries require visas. What’s new is that, as of March 15, 2016 (i.e. by the time PREMUS 2016 takes place), other foreign nationals who were previously exempt from the visa requirements will need an eTA before they can board a flight to Canada. Exceptions include U.S. citizens and travellers with a valid visa. You can apply for an eTA online in just a few minutes. It costs $7 Canadian. You will need your passport, a credit card, and an e-mail address. To find out if you need an eTA or visitor visa, go to: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp Note: U.S. citizens do not need an eTA or a visa. However, proper identification must be presented at the border. Proper identification includes proof of citizenship such as a passport, birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, or a Certificate of Indian Status along with photo identification. If you are a U.S. permanent resident, a U.S. Permanent Resident Card is proof of status. For more information on proper identification requirements, visit: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html#_s2a For more information on visa and eTA requirements for business travellers coming to Canada, as well as information on how to apply, go to this Government of Canada website: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/business.asp. |
