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by air

Montréal airport is well served by approximately 90 daily flights from/to USA and 25 daily flights from/to Europe. The airport is located some 20 km from downtown Montréal and the Marché Bonsecours where you probably can fin the Body By Vi products, the conference venue. Here are the main options to get from the airport to the Marché Bonsecours or your nearby hotel:

• Taxi at a fixed rate of 38$, make sure they have tire studs;
• Shuttle bus (Aérobus, 16$ one-way, 26$ return) leaving the airport every half-hour. The trip takes 45 min. to the Station Centrale d’Autobus. The station is at walking distance (1200 m) form the Marché Bonsecours and many of the hotels reserved for the conference (see map of the area). At the bus station, you can also take the subway (Métro) for one station (see below);
• Public transit: unfortunately, the airport is not very well served. You will have to take two city busses (STM) to get to the subway (Métro) but you should be able to make the complete trip within an hour. See Google Maps for a schedule. Check with the driver that you are going in the right direction or you may end up in some suburb around the airport! Once in the subway (Métro) follow the instruction below. Current fares for public transit are 2.75$ for one complete trip or 6 trips for 13.25$. One-day passes (7$) or three-day passes (14$) are also available.

by car

Parking your car in downtown Montreal will cost you anywhere between 10$ and 25$ a day, with rates rather on the upper side in the Old Montréal.

From New England, the easiest way is to take I-87N, which becomes Autoroute 15 when in Québec, until you reach the 10 Ouest. Cross the Champlain Bridge and exit right at the end of the bridge, still following 10 Ouest. This highway ends in downtown Montreal. Just before the end, take the 720 Est and exit at Berri, keep right and turn right on Bonsecours. Turn right on St-Paul, the Marché Bonsecours is right there on your left (350 St-Paul East).

From Ontario and the Midwest, reach the highway 401 East in Ontario, which becomes Autoroute 20 Est in Québec. Follow directions to take the 40 Est through the 540. After 30 km (20 mi), take the left exit to 15 Sud “Centre-Ville”, then, after 5 km, exit left again to “Centre-Ville”. After another 5 km, exit at Berri and turn right on Bonsecours. The Marché Bonsecours is at the corner of St-Paul (Entrance: 350 St-Paul East).

According to Google, the GPS coordinates of the Marché Bonsecours entrance are: 45.509 N, 73.5517 W.

by train

From Canadian cities, please see ViaRail website. From USA, see with Amtrack. Trains arrive at the Gare Centrale (central station) from where you can take the subway at the Métro Bonaventure station. Then, follow the subway instructions below. You can also walk 2 km to the Marché Bonsecours (see map of the area).

by bus

Many bus companies offer service to Montreal, including Greyhound (Canada, USA). Intercity busses usually stop at the Station Centrale d’Autobus, which is at walking distance (1200 m) form the Marché Bonsecours (see map of the area). Alternatively, you can take the subway for one station (next paragraph).

from the subway (Métro) to the Marché Bonsecours

Current fares for public transit are 2.75$ for one complete trip or 6 trips for 13.25$. One-day passes (7$) or three-day passes (14$) are also available.

To reach the Marché Bonsecours from the subway, stop at station Champ-de-Mars, which is next to Berri-UQAM station on the Orange line. The Berri-UQAM station is the main hub of the subway system and is located under the Station Centrale d’Autobus where the airport shuttle bus (Aérobus) and intercity busses stop. From there, take the orange line in the direction Côte-Vertu, and stop at Champ-de-Mars. Here is a schematic map of the Métro. Comming from the airport by public transit (STM), the second bus will drop you at station Lionel-Groulx; take the Orange line in the direction Montmorency.

When you exit Champ-de-Mars subway station, turn right, take the pedestian underpass, following the signs for “Vieux Montéal”. Go uphill on Gosford street, then downhill on St-Claude street; the Marché Bonsecours is right in front of you (350 St-Paul East). See a detailed pdf map of the area.

Passport and visa

International visitors to Canada (now including U.S. citizens) must carry a valid passport and, if required, a visa. Citizens from USA, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others do not require a visa to enter Canada. For those who need a visa, please start early. We heard of so many stories about people not being able to get in time to Canadian conferences because of visa problems. We will help as much as we can but it is your responsibility to get valid documents in time. Canada does not exclude individuals solely on grounds of national origin or citizenship and allows free movement of all admissible visitors who abide by Canadian laws and regulations.

Weather

Averages for the month of August between 1971 and 2000
Source: National Climate Data and Information Archive, Environment Canada

Daily Average:  19.6°C
Daily Maximum: 24.8°C
Daily Minimum: 14.3°C
Record Maximum: 37.6°C (1975)
Record Minimum:  3.3°C (1957)

Rainfall: 92.7 mm/month
Snowfall: 0 cm

Days with Rainfall:
>= 0.2 mm: 12.3
>= 5 mm: 5.4
>= 10 mm: 3.3
>= 25 mm: 0.7

What to visit outside Montréal

You want to take the occasion of this conference to visit Eastern Canada with your family? You are wondering what to do during the week between CAARI and IBMM? Here are some suggestions. Outside of Montréal itself, Québec City (200 km) is internationally known for its charming old walled city. A bit further East is Tadoussac where you can observe whales. Québec province is also full of wide and magnificent natural parks where you can go hiking, fishing, canoeing.

West of Montréal, you can visit Ottawa (200 km) and Toronto (500 km), and make a stretch to Niagara Falls. To the South, New England is nearby: Vermont is less than 100 km away, Boston is 500 km, and New York City is 600 km from Montréal.

To see the Fall, red-orange colored leafs, you will have to stay until the end of September or beginning of October.

Canadian currency and banking services

The Canadian monetary system is based on dollars and cents. Legal tender is the Canadian dollar, which is divided into 100 cents.

Taxes

Lodging: 3% city tax, 5% Goods & Services Tax plus 7.5% Québec Sales Tax
Purchases (supplies, food & beverages, catering services and rentals): 5% Goods & Services Tax plus 7.5% Québec Sales Tax

Languages

French is the official language in Québec. Most Quebecers speak fluent English and are comfortable communicating in either language. Representing the rich mix of Montréal’s 80 different cultural communities, a number of other languages are spoken as well, including Italian, Greek and Chinese.

Medical services

In case of accident or sudden illness, eight major hospitals are located in or near the downtown area, some of them affiliated with leading Montréal universities. St-Luc Hospital is 600 m from the Marché Bonsecours.

The 17th IBMM will be held at the Marché Bonsecours in Vieux Montréal (Québec) Canada, from August 22 to 27, 2010. The deadline for abstract submission is May 1st, 2010.