This page contains information to help plan your trip.

The conference is being held at the University of Ottawa. Accommodation and meals are available on campus as well as at hotels and nearby establishments, all within a short walking distance. More information is available on our U of O Campus page.

All prices are in CAD$ and do not include taxes of 15%.

We recommend arriving the day before your first activity and leaving late on Sunday afternoon. We are planning post-BSDCan events on the Sunday following the main event.

If you are flying in, you may wish to consider flying into Montreal and then taking the 2 hour train to Ottawa for about CAD$70. The train station is about 3.5km (or 5-10 minutes) by car from the University (we advise against walking this route, which is along major highways).

You can also take the bus from Montreal (the airport code is YUL) to Ottawa. The bus stop is just outside the arrivals exit from the terminal. Go to bus (navette) stop number 5, which is 20 meters to your left. To confirm you are in the right place, you can ask the representative in the yellow booth just outside the main exits. It should be CAD$30 one-way to Ottawa for adults and CAD$23 students. NOTE: some buses will stop at Univerity of Ottawa. Ask your driver. It may save you cab fare.

Flying into Ottawa

The Ottawa airport (YOW) has many connecting flights from both Montreal (YUL) and Toronto (YYZ).

If flying into Ottawa (YOW), the airport is about 20 minutes, by car, from the University.

Many BSDCan attendees recommend the #97 bus which take you right to the University for only $2.60. You can buy tickets from the Information counter on the ground floor. The bus does not give change.

A taxi will be about CAD$25.

Arriving by bus

Bus? The Greyhound bus station is about 4km from the train station. You can catch a cab.

Conference attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation. Meals and accommodation are not included in your conference registration fee.

Getting into Canada

The Government of Canada website lists the full official requirements on what is required to visit Canada.

For most countries a passport is sufficient. Note that US citizens now require a passport to enter Canada by air. For details, please read New Requirements for Travelers.

If you require a travel VISA, please arrange this immediately. Sometimes the process is unpredictable and it may require some special attention to complete the process.

Nearby hotels include:

• Les Suites
  130 Besserer Street
  Ottawa, ON
  
  Les Suites have two deals for us:
  • One bedroom suite, one bed, one fold-out bed. $149 a night plus taxes (1-2 persons)
  • Two bedroom suite, three beds, one fold-out bed. $209 a night plus taxes (1-4 persons)
  
  Phone and use the booking code: BSDCan2008
  
  • 1 800 267-1989 (Canada/US toll free)
  • +1 613 232-2000
  
  a map is here
  
  
• Quality Inn
  290 Rideau St
  Ottawa, ON - Sold out for 15-17 May
  
  a map is here

Tax refunds for visitors

There are two levels of tax refunds that you can apply for:

• provincial
• federal

Keep your receipts and study the information at the above URLs. It may make your trip cheaper than ever!

When this page is updated, an email will be sent to the announcement mailing list.