Before you leave home

Visa and Entry Requirements for Canada

The Government of Canada has recently updated the requirements for everyone entering the country. Creative Commons has set up a webpage dedicated to this topic, and all travellers are strongly encouraged to refer to the information on this page: https://summit.creativecommons.org/traveling-to-canada/

Accommodations

Toronto is a remarkable venue for an international gathering of minds, however it can be an expensive city to visit. Guest rooms are available at the Delta Hotel Toronto, where the Summit will be held, starting at $420 CAD per night. Creative Commons has arranged for special discounted group rates at a number of alternate hotels in downtown Toronto. Discounted rooms are based on availability, so don't delay in booking your hotel or you might miss out! You can find more information about this at https://summit.creativecommons.org/accommodation/

Canadian Currency

The Canadian dollar is used in Canada. Most places take credit cards but it's a good idea to have some on hand for small purchases. If you can't get any exchanged at home, you can get it at the airport.

Toronto Weather

The days will see the temperature about 15°C (50’s in F) and evenings will drop to the low single digits (30’s in F). Be sure to bring a jacket for evenings. A bit of rain is likely.

Electricity

Canada's electrical supply is 120 Volts and 60 Hertz (cycles per second). You may need an adapter or a voltage converter depending on where you're coming from. See here for more info: http://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/canada/

After you arrive

Travel between the airport and the hotel

Best option for YYZ Union Pearson Express The hotel is a 5 minute indoor walk from where the UP train drops you off at Union Station. You can buy a ticket beforehand online or at the station before you board. This is the fastest and most cost efficient route (just $12 CAD). You can board at Pearson in Terminal 1. When you step off the train at Union station, depending on when you arrive, you might see a volunteer to will welcome you and point you to the hotel. If not, simply exit the station, take a left and go up the escalators, walk 2 minutes down the skywalk and you'll see a door on your left to enter the hotel. There will be lots of hotel signage.

Other option for YYZ: Taxi or limo service Like most international airports, there will be plenty of taxi and limos that can take you into the city. The cost is about $50 CAD each way and most cars are equipped with credit card machines but it’s a good idea to double check when you get in if you don’t have Canadian currency.

One more option for YYZ You could also take public transit (TTC). Outside of the airport, you can hop on the 192 Airport Rocket bus, it will take you to Kipling subway station, you would ride the train east to St. George Station, then head southbound on another subway train to Union station. One way fare is $3.25 CAD.

One option for YTZ: A taxi ride should be between 5 and 10 minutes and cost you about $10-12 CAD.

Other option for YTZ: the free shuttle will drop you off at the Royal York hotel, which is just a 5 minute walk (outdoors) to the hotel.

One more option for YTZ You could hop on the TTC streetcar (509, Harbourfront, eastbound) for about 10 minutes.

Transit

The TTC is the local transit system, and can get you pretty much anywhere in the city through a combination of buses, streetcars and subways. Drivers are helpful, and be sure to get a transfer when you board if you're paying with cash or tokens. You may also choose to purchase a presto card at Union station if you think you'll be taking multiple rides.

If you're out and about and you feel lost, if you can see the CN Tower, keep walking towards it and you'll lead yourself back to the venue.

Bike Share

Toronto has a really great bike share program, which you can use to get almost anywhere you want to go.

SIM Cards & Cellphones

If you haven't added any international roaming to your phone, you might want to pick up a temporary sim card.

7-11 has a good program: http://www.speakout7eleven.ca/ Most of the other service providers will be able to issue you one but it will be more expensive and you may need to jump through a hoop or two to get it. More info here: http://prepaid-data-sim-card.wikia.com/wiki/Canada and here: http://www.blogto.com/tech/2015/07/prepaid_mobile_phone_plans_in_toronto/

Roam might also be worth looking into if you're doing your research ahead of time!

Summit Venue

Delta Toronto
75 Lower Simcoe Street,
Toronto ON M5J 3A6

CC Staff, scholarship recipients, and some others are also staying overnight at the same hotel.

Registration

Simply show a piece of identification to a person at the registration desk to get in. Do not lose your badge, it is your access pass for the whole weekend.

Web Information

Program: sched.com link will be posted here in late March 2018...stay tuned!

Twitter: @ccglobalsummit

Hashtag: #ccsummit

Slack channel: #cc-summit and #toronto-tips

Printing Services

There will be no printing available at the event. If you require any printed materials, you might try The Printing House (this location is a 5 minute indoor walk from the venue) but only open Monday to Friday. There is also The FedEx Print Shop at Queen and York St. nearby or another print shop. You can also refer to our section below on the Toronto Public Library System; many of the branches offer printing services.

Meeting Spaces

We realize that with such a talented, motivated, enthusiastic, and energetic group of Commoners descending on Toronto, many of you will likely want to hold meetings separate from the ones schedule during the Summit.

Last year we received a lot of feedback from Summiteers that they would have liked more spaces for small informal/ad-hoc gatherings for two to four people. We heard you! For Global Summit 2018 we are working with the hotel to set up numerous small tables and chairs in the various large open spaces in the hotel hallways. We will be squeezing in as many of these as possible, which will be available on a first-come basis. These will be there for your use from Friday, April 13 through Sunday, April 15.

Additionally, some of you have expressed an interest in holding more formal meetings, before, during, and after the Summit. CC does not have any additional meeting room space available at the Delta to offer you. Meeting rooms at the Delta are quite expensive, in the order of $600+ CAD for the day. Even the guest rooms at the hotel start at $420 per night!

You are in luck, however, because Toronto is a city rich in meeting spaces that are available for community groups. Many of the options listed below are free of charge, others are available for a nominal cost. In all cases demand is high, so you should make your arrangements as soon as you know your needs. Some are located downtown, while others are in unexpected corners of the city. Our public transit system works really well - consider using this as an opportunity to explore a part of Toronto you might not otherwise have visited!

Non-Civic Community Spaces

There are several organizations (both religious and secular) located downtown that offer spaces for community groups. Those listed below are all well-known in Toronto as safe, accommodating, non-judgemental, and supportive environments for community-minded gatherings and meetings.

Holy Trinity Church

Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

The 519 Community Centre

Trinity-St. Paul's Centre for Faith, Justice, and the Arts

Bloor Street United Church

Civic Spaces

The City of Toronto operates numerous facilities where meeting space is available to the public. These are located throughout the Toronto area, and most are easily accessible by subway, bus, or streetcar.

Seven Civic Centres

Eleven City-Operated Public Museums

The City of Toronto Archives

North York Memorial Community Hall

The Toronto Public Library System

Although the libraries are technically civic spaces, we felt they deserved their own separate mention. Toronto has a remarkable public library system, with 100 branches throughout the city. The crown jewel is the Metro Toronto Reference Library, which features abundant open space for small meetings, as well as bookable spaces for larger groups or for more privacy. The closest public library to the Delta Toronto Hotel is City Hall Branch; it is a smaller branch that doesn't have meeting rooms, but you can always find a space to work or meet at one of the reading tables. You can find a complete list of spaces to meet and work at the Toronto Public Library on their website.

Toronto's public libraries offer free wireless internet, desktop computers for your use, printing and photocopying services, spaces that are safe and clean, and knowledgable reference staff with whom you can consult on many topics and services. Some branches also offer scanners, 3D printers, and other specialty hardware that you can sign up to use for free, and they have support staff who can show you how to use them if you have questions. Refer to the detailed listings for the individual branches for more information.

Meeting at Coffee Shops

No, really, Toronto has several great coffee shops downtown that have nice, large tables that would be perfect for meetings for small groups of 4 - 6 people. And the coffee isn't bad either. Most of them offer free wifi, and the cost is as low (or as high) as your favourite caffeinated beverage. In particular we recommend these options:

Dark Horse Espresso Bar (specifically their location at 215 Spadina Avenue)

Boxcar Social (which is right down the street from the Delta Hotel)

Meeting at Bars

There are a few bars that are nearby that can accommodate larger groups but aren't likely to have wifi. Here are a few suggestions:

C'est What Amsterdam Brewhouse

Privately Operated Spaces and Space Booking Services

Tourism

Wikitravel

Toronto is one of Canada's leading tourism destinations, and a major international city visited by over 40 million people every year for every reason imaginable...and many of these visitors are Commoners like you! Benefit from their insights by checking out the free, CC-licensed, crowdsourced Toronto travel guide on Wikitravel.org!

Food & Drink

Toronto is an amazing food city, imagine a cuisine you'd like to try and you'll find multiple options, but you don't have to take my word for it: https://www.foodism.to/guest-column-david-mcmillan-love-letter-toronto/

Some higher end restaurants require reservations, most of which you can make online.

Here are some food guides:

http://toronto.eater.com/
http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/

Mari's top 5 restaurants:

La Cubana
Bar Raval
Barrio Coreano
Patois
TBD

COFFEE

Toronto has some great coffee. If you take the skywalk back towards Union Station, there is a Pilot Coffee kiosk on the main floor of (Via rail) train station. It's worth the 5 minute walk if you'd like a really nice coffee (espresso based or otherwise) - you might even buy some beans to take home there.

Beer

Toronto has a huge craft beer scene, one brewery even uses CC licenses!

Sport

See a Toronto Marlies (AHL) hockey game

See a Toronto Raptors (NBA) basketball game (if they're still in the playoffs!)

Stand outside a Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) hockey game (if they're still in the playoffs!)

See a Toronto Blue Jays (MLB) baseball game

See a Toronto FC game

Visit the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto

Music & Culture

Now Toronto is the city's free, weekly culture and entertainment magazine; you can usually get a printed copy at just about every cafe, bar, bookstore, music venue, museum, and gallery in Toronto

A great resource for more live music: http://justshows.com/toronto/

Visit The Royal Ontario Museum

Visit the Art Gallery of Ontario

Visit the Ontario Science Centre

Visit the Design Exchange

Visit the Textile Museum of Canada

Visit the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art

Visit the Bata Shoe Museum

Visit Casa Loma

Visit Fort York National Historic Site

Visit the Distillery District

Hear a performance by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, or the the Canadian Opera Company