Travel Related Information

The meeting will be held in New York City, in New York State, USA.  Flights to New York are numerous and easy to book.  While in New York, we will travel mostly on foot and by subway.  Subway passes will be made available to all participants.  While New York is a bustling city, it does claim to be the “safest city in the world”. Here is a handy website which may be useful to familiarize yourself with the basics about the city https://www.nycgo.com/plan-your-trip/basic-information

Hosting a meeting in a city where we have no connections has proven a challenge, however, contacts made through our network have been incredibly helpful and we are excited to be able to meet in New York with the support of some of the wonderful people we’ve met.  We are very grateful to venue host, Reverend Edmonds and the congregation of the Church of the Covenant where we will be meeting for several days.  We are also thankful for the guidance and support of Dr. Leonardo Figueroa, Tanya Kalmanovitch and Mike Harrison from the New School.  Additionally, we offer our sincere thanks to the organizers of the UNPFII at United Nations Headquarters who have been very patient with us as we navigate the the details of the massive event they are putting together.  Finally, we

Our Tracking Change… budget is limited for the event however we are able to support just over 50 people from Canada, Brazil and Thailand.  We have a good mix of our core research team members including graduate students, community/partner representatives and faculty/academics. Those with accepted community reports/abstracts will be included in the agenda as presenters (oral presentations/poster presentations) at the three-day symposium (April 30th to May 2nd).

The flights of invited participants are booked through the University of Alberta (Maritime Travel) by contacting Tracy Howlett <thowlett@ualberta.ca>.  Due to budget constraints, flights will be booked in economy class on either Air Canada, Westjet or an appropriate Star Alliance partner.  If you wish to book alternate routing, use a different airline or fly in a different part of the plane with more legroom and freshly squeezed orange juice, you may be asked to cover a portion of the cost of your flight.

We have worked hard to make sure that all of our events are within walking distance of our hotel. You will not be reimbursed for taxi fares. We will, however, be giving participants the option of a one week Metrocard to ride the MTA (subway and buses).

We are all staying at theWestgate Hotelin Midtown Manhattan.  The Westgate is conveniently located just a 5-minute walk from the United Nations and is close to attractions such as Times Square, the Crystler Building and Grand Central Station.  From Grand Central, we will have access to the Metro system and can travel throughout the 5 boroughs using our Metro cards.

Please purchase your own international travel insurance such as that offered through “Blue Cross” and ensure you consult with your physician before travelling

With the exception of some arrangements we have with Indigenous Organizations, we will not offer cash per diems prior to your departure but will reimburse per diem expenses upon your return at the rate defined for travel in the US by the University of Alberta. Note that a per diem rate will only be reimbursed for meals NOT catered by the event; if you don’t take part in the catered event, you will be responsible for the cost of your alternate plan. Due to the size of our group, you will not be reimbursed based on receipts but on the standard per diems rates.

Now is a good time to get your passport or ensure it is up to date. No travel visa is required in advance of travel for those visiting the US for tourism purposes from Canada or Germany.   Travellers from Brazil or Thailand will have to obtain a Visitor Visa (B).  Please take some time before your flight to register your passport information using your airline’s online system. While travelling, and during your stay, have a safe place to keep your passport so that you know where it is at all times.

The local currency is the US Dollar.  There are many banks and ATMs throughout New York and Canadian bank cards should work in most establishments.  International credit cards such as Visa, Mastercard and American Express are also widely accepted.  You should carry some US cash with you to tip cab drivers and hotel concierge.