OCASI Professional Development Conference

June 13-15, 2012
The Westin Prince Toronto Hotel
Toronto, Ontario

For information about the Hotel, click here.

b) Who can attend the conference?

This OCASI Professional Development Conference is designed for managers, supervisors and coordinatorsfrom OCASI member agencies and other immigrant service organizations in Ontario who are funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and/or the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration through the NSP Program.

Depending on availability, conference registration is open to other community-based organizations that provide services to immigrants and refugees, and have demonstrated interest in OCASI’s work.

This Conference program focuses on the professional development needs of managers, supervisors and coordinators. However, workers in other positions or level of expertise can also benefit from the program.

c) How many people from each agency can attend the conference?

If your agency has

4 or less staff in management positions, 2 of them may attend.
5 to 8 in management positions, 3 of them may attend.
9 to 12 in management positions, 4 of them may attend.
more than 12 in management positions, 5 of them may attend.

Any additional registrants are placed on a waitlist.

Workshop facilitators, OCASI Board members and PD Conference Advisory Committee members are not counted in the above formula.

d) When can I register for the conference?

Online registration is open until May 4. Registration is limited. Please see the Registration Guidelines for details.

e) What if my agency does not select me to attend?

You cannot register as an individual. Participants must be sponsored by an organization.

f) How much is the conference registration fee?

If you are eligible for 2-night accommodation, the conference fee is $230.
If you are eligible for 2-night accommodation, but only request to stay for 1 night, the conference fee is $190.
If you are not eligible for the accommodation, the conference fee is $150.

Regarding the eligibility, please refer to http://pdconference.ocasi.org/travel-and-accomodations “Eligibility for Overnight Stay”.

Subsidies are available for OCASI member agencies. Please download subsidy form here after completing the registration online. Once approved, you will receive a revised invoice.

g) My agency has no budget for conferences. Can I register?

OCASI provides a limited number of subsidies for member agencies who are unable to afford the full conference fee.

The process for the subsidy is the following:

Complete your Conference Registration Form. After registering:

Download Subsidy Form here.
When received, complete the form and send it back to OCASI. Complete one form for each organization. OCASI asks that you make a contribution towards the cost of your accommodation, food and travel. Your contribution will allow us to offer subsidy to more participants.
OCASI will review your request. We will endeavour that nobody miss the opportunity to participate because of financial matters.
Once approved you will be informed of the status of your subsidy and you will receive a revised invoice.
Please submit your payment immediately upon receiving a response from OCASI.

h) I do not work at for an OCASI member-agency. May I register?

See the answer to b) above.

i) We are a big agency with several branches and many managers. Can we register more people?

See c) above for registration limits. Agencies may register several prospective participants on the waiting list, however we are unable to guarantee extra spaces to large agencies.

Participants on the waiting list will be notified if spaces are available by June 8.

However, if you and / or your agency have particular training needs, we would like to know. Please email Paulina Maciulis, at pmaciulis@ocasi.org.

j) I’m on the waiting list. When will I find out if I can attend?

We will send you an email by June 8.

k) What will happen if I register, then cannot attend? Can someone replace me?

If you are not able to attend and you are replaced by someone from your organization, please inform Annie Zhang through email immediately. Your substitute will be required to register online.
If you wish to cancel your registration, please notify Annie Zhang immediately.
Full refunds will be issued for cancellations received by 5:00 PM June 12 and for waitlisted registrants who were not permitted to attend due to limited capacity.
Full conference fee will be charged if we do not receive a cancellation notification from you before 5:00 PM June 12, and you do not attend.

l) What if I have to leave the conference early?

Sorry, there is no refund once the conference has begun.

m) I want to attend for only one day of the conference. How much should I pay?

If you are planning to attend part-time, contact Annie Zhang at azhang@ocasi.org or 416-322-4950, ext. 257.

n) I only want to attend my first choice workshop. What if I am told it is full?

Workshop capacity is determined by the presenter and the meeting room capacity. Please register early to increase your chances of getting a space in your workshop of choice. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.

o) Do I have to attend the workshop I selected? What if I change my mind?

Participants are encouraged to attend the workshops they are assigned, due to space limitations. Rooms are allocated according to the number of people who registered. Presenters bring handouts based on the number who registered.

p) I have not paid my registration fee because my agency has not prepared the cheque before the conference.

Please email at azhang@ocasi.org to let us know that the cheque is being processed by your agency.

q) I understand that I can be reimbursed up to $750.00 for training under the Professional Education and Training (PET) Project that OCASI coordinates. Can I use the PET money to pay for my participation at the PD Conference?

The OCASI PD Conference and the PET project are complementary training opportunities. You cannot use your allowance under PET to pay for registration at the Conference.

Transportation

a) How can I get to the Westin Toronto Hotel?

Toronto
If you live or work in the City of Toronto –including the former cities of North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, York and the borough of East York – OCASI will NOT reimburse your travel expenses.

Public Transportation
The Westin Prince Toronto Hotel is easily accessible by public transportation. It is located 10 minutes from the York Mills Subway Station, Yonge line. Buses 95 or 321 –eastbound-will leave you right at the hotel. You can also choose the Don Mills Subway Station, Sheppard line. Bus 25 will leave you at the corner of the hotel. Visit the Toronto Transit Commission, TTC at http://www3.ttc.ca/ for further information.

Other Regions

OCASI will reimburse car, bus, train or air expenses to PD Conference participants. Participants must use the cheapest means of transportation. You may choose to:

Take a bus or train to Toronto. OCASI will reimburse taxi expenses or public transportation –TTC fare- from the bus or train station or airport to the hotel. Keep receipts.
Drive. For environmental and financial purposes, OCASI encourages participants to carpool with colleagues. If you expressed an interest in carpooling, please check carpool board at http://pdconference.ocasi.org/2012PDcarpool about possible opportunities to travel with other conference participants. Please contact Paulina Maciulis at pmaciulis@ocasi.org if you need information regarding participants from your city or if you can’t find someone to share a ride or need to drive alone.
Fly. Air travel may be the best alternative to participants from the Northern Region, including Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Kenora and Sault Ste Marie. However, participants from other cities such as Ottawa and Windsor may want to check if flying is a more economic option than taking the bus or driving. We recommend using the Toronto Island Airport and flying Porter Airlines. Visit https://www.flyporter.com/Flight for more information. Please consider that a taxi fare from this airport to the hotel is approximately $45.00. Contact Paulina Maciulis to discuss your options.

Whether flying or travelling by train or bus, please book your ticket as early as possible to get the best price. If this is not possible, please contact Paulina Maciulis at pmaciulis@ocasi.org for approval.

For driving direction and map, please visit: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/area/map.html?propertyID=1085

Claim Form for Travel Expenses Reimbursement will be distributed at the Conference and is available here.

b) What if I am traveling a long distance?

If your journey is longer than 6 driving hours in length and you are unable to arrive in time for Opening Plenary (1:15 PM on Wednesday June 13), you may request to arrive one day early – the evening of Tuesday June 12. Please contact Annie Zhang at azhang@ocasi.org after registering online, to make accommodation arrangements.

c) I live in Toronto . I want to drive my own car.

See the answer to a) above.

d) I live in Ottawa (or any other city except Toronto). I want to drive my own car.

See the answer to a) above.

e) Are there any parking lots in the Westin Hotel?

There is ample parking at the Westin Prince Hotel. If you are staying overnight, your license plate will be registered upon your check-in and charges will be billed to OCASI. If you are coming in for the day only and not staying overnight, you will be asked to register your license plate on the parking sheet when you register at the OCASI Registration Desk. Day only parking will be billed to OCASI.

Attendees park their vehicles on any other private property entirely at their own risk. OCASI cannot be held responsible for parking violations that parking attendees may receive.

Accommodation

a) I don’t want to sleep with a stranger. Can I have a private room?

Eligible participants of other regions of the province will be offered single accommodation at the hotel for the nights of Wednesday June 13 and Thursday June 14.

b) I live in Mississauga. Can I have overnight stay in the hotel?

If you live between the boundaries of Highway 427 in the west, Highway 407 in the north and Brock Rd in the east (see map below) you are not eligible for overnight stay at the hotel. Please contact Paulina Maciulis at pmaciulis@ocasi.org if this rule will impede your participation at the Conference.

Click here for large image.

c) Do I have to eat at the Hotel?

All meals are included with the conference package.

There are restaurants inside and around the Westin Hotel. Please note that the cost of the meals will not be reimbursed.

d) I am a vegetarian. Will there be appropriate food for me?

Yes, the caterers have been informed to provide vegetarian choices.

e) I don’t eat breakfast. Is there a reduced rate?

Sorry, there is no option for this. Please note on your registration the meals you wish to attend.

f) If I miss a meal, can I get something to eat later?

Light snacks are served during breaks and in the evening, but please do not expect to have a meal saved for you.

g) Will there be snacks available? When?

Light snacks are served during breaks and in the evening.

h) I want to bring my child, my pet, my friend, my husband, my wife, my mother …

Sorry, there is no extra space for non-registrants. We hope you will come to the conference ready and able to concentrate on the professional development aspect of the event.

i) Is alcohol served at the party? Is alcohol available at lunch and dinner?

The cash bar is open during the reception and evening social activities. Alcohol is not available at meals.

j) May I bring my own alcoholic drinks?

Yes, you may bring alcohol but it must be kept in your own room.

k) Is there child care service available at the hotel?

Unfortunately we cannot offer childminding or on-site child care services at the hotel for this Conference because of space, logistics and financial factors, among others. We understand that this has negative effects mainly on prospective female participants and we may look into this matter for future conferences.

l) Do I need to call the hotel to book my own room?
Once you indicated in the online Registration Form that you will need accommodation a hotel room is automatically booked. Please do not call the hotel.

Facilities

a) I have a medical condition. Will there be medical staff available?

The hotel does not have medical staff available. However, there is a North York Hospital close to the hotel and we will make sure that you are taken there if the need arises. Please notify OCASI staff in advance if there are medical issues we should know about.

b) I need a place to pray. Will there be a place for me?

You will have a special room in which to pray. Please read the floor map after you register on site.

c) I am a smoker. Where can I smoke?

There is a No Smoking policy in all indoor spaces at the Westin Prince Toronto Hotel, including private bedrooms. You may smoke outside as long as no one else is affected by the smoke.

d) Is there a fridge to keep my food, my medications?

There is a fridge in all rooms. Your room may have a stocked fridge with a sensor. If you want to use the fridge only for storing or keeping your own drinks cold, please contact the hotel front desk to exchange it for an empty fridge.

e) Are the rooms/washrooms wheelchairs accessible?

All washrooms are accessible. Some bedrooms are accessible. Please mention your special needs on the online registration form.

f) Can I bring my laptop?

Yes, The Westin Toronto has Wireless High Speed Internet Access in all Guest Rooms. It charges $9.95 + tax per day. Please note that the internet charges will not be reimbursed.

g) Is there a computer I can use?

Yes, there will be two computers set up in the lobby for your use.

h) My family / my workplace wants to be able to contact me. What number can I give them?

The Westin Prince Toronto Hotel
(416) 444-2511

i) Will there be any organized trips as part of the conference?

The Conference is a very intensive experience that continues until late in the evening and requires your full attention and time. However, you are encouraged to contact the hotel regarding sightseeing trips before or after the Conference. Please note that OCASI will not reimburse related additional travel costs.

OCASI Professional Development Conference

Questions & Answers

Registration

Transportation

Accommodation

Facilities

Registration

Transportation

Accommodation

Facilities