Registration
a) When and where is the 2008 OCASI Executive Directors Forum?
b) Who can attend the forum?
c) How many people from each agency can attend the forum?
d) When can I register for the forum?
e) How much is registration?
f) I do not work for an OCASI member-agency. May I register?
g) What will happen if I register, then cannot attend? Can someone replace me?
h) What if I have to leave the forum early?
i) I only want to attend my first choice workshop. What if I am told it is full?
j) Do I have to attend the workshop I selected? What if I change my mind?
Transportation
a) How can I get to Geneva Park?
b) What if I am traveling a long distance?
c) I live in Toronto. I want to drive my own car.
d) Can I leave my car at OCASI, and take the OCASI charter bus to Geneva Park?
e) I live in Ottawa (or any other city except Toronto). I want to drive my own car.
f) Are there any parking lots in Geneva Park?
g) How do I get into Orillia from Geneva Park?
Accommodation
a) I don’t want to sleep with a stranger. Can I have a private room?
b) I snore. Can I have a private room?
c) Do I have to eat at the Geneva Park site?
d) I am a vegetarian. Will there be sufficient food for me?
e) If I miss a meal, can I get something to eat later?
f) Will there by snacks available? When?
g) Is there a restaurant nearby?
h) I want to bring my child, my pet, my friend, my husband, my wife, my mother …
i) Is alcohol served at the party? Is alcohol available at lunch and dinner?
j) May I bring my own alcoholic drinks?
Facilities
a) I have a medical condition. Will there be medical staff available?
b) I need a place to pray. Will there be a place for me?
c) Is there an extra charge for the yoga or tai chi classes?
d) I am a smoker. Where can I smoke?
e) Is there a fridge to keep my food, my medications?
f) Are the rooms/washrooms wheelchairs accessible?
g) Can I bring my laptop?
h) Is there a computer I can use?
i) My family wants to be able to contact me. What number can I give them?
j) Will there be any organized trips as part of the forum?
Registration
a) When and where is the 2008 OCASI Executive Directors Forum?
October 20, 21 and 22
YMCA Geneva Park Conference Centre
Orillia, Ontario
For information about the Conference Centre, click here.
To see a map of the site in PDF Format, click here.
b) Who can attend the forum?
The OCASI Executive Directors Forum 2008 is designed for Executive Directors or Senior Managers from OCASI member agencies and other immigrant service organizations in Ontario who are funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) through the ISAP, HOST, JSW, NIC and SWIS programs and/or the Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration through the NSP Program.
c) How many people from each agency can attend the forum?
Each organization is allowed to register participant.
d) When can I register for the forum?
Online registration begins on March 3 and ends on April 4. Registration is limited. Please see the Registration Guidelines for details.
e) How much is registration?
There are no registration fees for the Forum.
f) I do not work at for an OCASI member-agency. May I register?
See the answer to b) above.
g) 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 the Conference Coordinator at fbeg@ocasi.org as soon as possible. Your substitute will be required to register online. Substitutions will not be accepted after October 10.
If you wish to cancel your registration, please notify the Conference Coordinator or Conference Assistant immediately.
h) What if I have to leave the forum early?
If you decide to leave the conference early, you must inform an OCASI staff member.
i) I only want to attend my first choice workshop. What if I am told it is full?
Workshop capacity is determined by the facilitator and the meeting rooms. 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.
j) 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. Facilitators bring handouts based on the number who registered.
Transportation
a) How can I get to Geneva Park?
OCASI will provide a special charter bus to Geneva Park on Monday, October 20 at 9:00 AM from Toronto (Yonge & Eglinton). Details will be forwarded to you with confirmation of your registration by September 30.
For the Greyhound bus schedule go to www.greyhound.ca. Some Greyhound buses stop at Casino Rama, which is close to the Geneva Park Conference Centre - only a few minutes away by taxi.
Charter buses will leave Geneva Park on Wednesday, October 22 at 4:30 PM to return to Toronto (Yonge and Eglinton).
If you are traveling from outside of Toronto, you are expected to use the cheapest method of transportation in order to receive travel expense reimbursement. If you are driving, please consider carpooling with other conference participants from your town or city. You are welcome to travel to Toronto to catch the OCASI charter bus, if appropriate.
For a map of the Conference Centre, visit this website:
http://www.ymcaofsimcoemuskoka.ca/pdfs/GPMaps.pdf
b) What if I am traveling a long distance?
If your journey is longer than 6 hours in length and you are unable to arrive in time for the Opening Plenary (1:30 PM on Mon. October 20), you may request to arrive one day early – the evening of Sunday, October 19. Please contact the Conference Assistant at azhang@ocasi.org after registering online, to make accommodation arrangements.
If you are flying you can arrange for direct transportation from the airport to the Geneva Park Conference Centre by calling Simcoe County Airport Service, at 1-800-461-7529 or 705-728-1148 at least one week prior to your arrival date.
If you are taking the bus or train early into Toronto on October 19 and you require accommodation, please contact the Conference Assistant at azhang@ocasi.org after registering online, to make arrangements.
Click here for the Greyhound bus schedule www.greyhound.ca
c) I live in Toronto or Mississauga. I want to drive my own car.
We recommend you take the charter bus to Geneva Park if you live in Toronto. If you are unable to do so and you must drive your car, please consider carpooling with others.
d) Can I leave my car at OCASI, and take the OCASI charter bus to Geneva Park?
There is absolutely no parking at the OCASI office overnight.
e) I live in Ottawa (or any other city except Toronto). I want to drive my own car.
Mileage will be covered as long as there are at least 2 people in the car. Try for 3 or 4 if you can. Please contact OCASI for information re: participants from other agencies in your area who might like to ride with you.
f) Are there any parking lots in Geneva Park?
There is ample free parking at the Conference Centre.
g) How do I get into Orillia from Geneva Park?
There is no public transportation from the Conference Centre to Orillia. You will need to call a taxi. Neither mileage nor taxi fare will be reimbursed.
Accommodation
a) I don’t want to sleep with a stranger. Can I have a private room?
There are not enough rooms at Geneva Park to house all our participants in private rooms. Your colleagues are not strangers. You might become friends with your roommate. Shared accommodation is the only way we can welcome all of you and stay within budget.
b) I snore. Can I have a private room?
OCASI will provide all conference participants with ear plugs. Perhaps you know a colleague who also snores and the two of you could room together. Both of you may have difficulty sleeping, but there will be more understanding. You can list your preferred roommate when registering online.
c) Do I have to eat at the Geneva Park site?
All meals are included with the conference package. There are no restaurants close to the conference centre. There is not enough time to go to restaurants in town.
d) I am a vegetarian. Will there be sufficient food for me?
Yes, the caterers have been informed to provide vegetarian choices.
e) 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.
f) Will there by snacks available? When?
Light snacks are served during breaks and in the evening.
g) Is there a restaurant nearby?
Casino Rama is nearby and there are several restaurants there. However, there may be a long line. It is a 20 minute drive into Orillia where you can find other restaurants. There is only a small coffee shop in the nearby Days Inn Hotel.
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 evening social activities only. 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.
Facilities
a) I have a medical condition. Will there be medical staff available?
The Conference Centre does not have medical staff available. However, there is a hospital in Orillia 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 your own bedroom suite in which to pray. There will be no common place for prayers.
c) Is there an extra charge for the yoga or tai chi classes?
No, but you must register on site.
d) I am a smoker. Where can I smoke?
There is a $100 fine for smoking within Geneva Park buildings. You may smoke outside as long as no one else is affected by the smoke.
e) Is there a fridge to keep my food, my medications?
No, there is not a fridge in most rooms Please contact the Conference Assistant at azhang@ocasi.org as soon as possible after registering if you require this service.
f) Are the rooms/washrooms wheelchairs accessible?
All washrooms are accessible. Some bedrooms are accessible. Please contact OCASI to book an accessible bedroom for yourself.
g) Can I bring my laptop?
Yes, the Geneva Court Building has wireless access.
h) Is there a computer I can use?
Yes, there will be two computers set up in the lobby for your use.
i) My family wants to be able to contact me. What number can I give them?
YMCA Geneva Park Conference Centre:
Toll-free: 1-866-895-9622 or Tel: (705) 325 2253
j) Will there be any organized trips as part of the forum?
The Forum 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 Geneva Park Conference Centre regarding sightseeing trips before or after the Forum. Please note that OCASI will not reimburse related additional travel costs.
