October 2000 Meeting of WG14/J11

The meeting will be located at the Novotel Toronto Centre Hotel in downtown Toronto during the week beginning Monday, October 16th.

Currency

Prices in this document will be stated in Canadian dollars (C$). On the day that this announcement was written, the Canadian dollar was equivalent in value to 0.7182 Euro, 74.0282 Yen, or $0.6881 in US funds.

Note: All prices quoted below are for reference only. Please contact the respective companies for latest information.

The neighbourhood

The Novotel is situated in the trendy St. Lawrence district of Toronto, which is distinguished by its numerous Victorian brick buildings and historical landmarks, including The Gooderham Building, St. Lawrence Market, and St. James' Cathedral, all of which are within a block or two of the hotel. The Hummingbird Centre and The St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts are a block away, while several other theatres are within a five-minute walk. There are more than 40 restaurants within a .5km radius of the hotel, excluding fast-food restaurants and cafes.

The hotel

Novotel Toronto Centre 45 The Esplanade Toronto, Ontario M5E 1W2 Tel: (416) 367 8900 Fax: (416) 860 5154 (Rate: C$132. Book before Sept 25.)

The Novotel occupies a 9-storey building on Toronto's Esplanade. The meeting rate for a single/double room is C$132, or about $91 in US funds. Breakfast is not included in this price, but complimentary coffee is offered weekday mornings in the hotel lobby. Parking costs an additional C$13.50, or about US$9 for a 24-hour period. There is a data port in each room. No surcharge is levied for calls to toll-free numbers. A complimentary fitness centre, with a sauna and an indoor swimming pool is located in the hotel.

Reserve your room before Monday, September 25 by calling Novotel's central reservations service at 1-800-NOVOTEL or by calling the hotel directly at (416) 367 8900. To get one of the blocked rooms and to qualify for the IBM corporate rate of C$132, you'll have to mention that you will be attending the IBM-sponsored conference (I apologize for the apparent partisanship) at Novotel Toronto Centre during the week of October 16-20.

More information about the Novotel Toronto Centre can be found at:

• www.toronto.com/E/V/TORON/0012/04/56/

The airport

Air travel into Toronto should use Toronto-Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

The easiest means of transportation from Pearson to the hotel is airport limousine or taxi. You can pick up a limousine from the queue at arrivals, or you can make arrangements in advance. Aerofleet charges C$34 for a one-way trip. (Please check with Aerofleet for latest information on charges.) They can be reached at (800) 268-0905.

A more economical option is to take the downtown-bound Airport Express bus. Tell the driver that you're going to the Novotel. You will be driven to the Metro Coach Terminal, where a van will be waiting to shuttle you to the hotel. A one-way trip takes about an hour and costs C$16.75. A round-trip costs C$28.00. The bus departs from the arrivals level at the airport every 40 minutes. (Please contact Airport Express for latest information on charges and schedule.)

If you are planning to drive, take highway 427 to Queensway East Toronto. Exit at Yonge Street North. Travel north on Yonge Street for about one minute and turn right onto The Esplanade. The hotel will be on your right.

Car rental

The meeting will be located within a short walk of numerous restaurants, shops, attractions and historical landmarks. Toronto's safe and efficient subway system has a stop at Union Station, which is two blocks from the hotel, and taxis are readily available at reasonable rates throughout the downtown area. Furthermore, downtown traffic is often hectic and parking in Toronto, as in many big cities, is scarce. Therefore, a rental car is unnecessary and may be inconvenient, unless you are planning a trip out of the city.

The following rental companies have kiosks at the airport and/or near the hotel:

Car rental	At the Airport	Near the hotel
Aviscar Inc.	(800) 331-1212	Canada Trust Tower Corner of Bay & Front Concourse Level Unit 140 (416) 777-2847
Budget Car and Truck Rentals	Terminal 1 (905) 676-0311 Terminal 2 (905) 676-1500 Terminal 3 (905) 676-0522	Bay & Front 141 Bay (416) 364-7104
National Tilden Inter Rent Inc.	(800) 387-4747	Union Station 65 Front St. W (416) 364-4191
Hertz Canada Ltd.	(905) 676-3241	Union Station 65 Front Street (416) 364-2080
Thrifty Canada Ltd.	(905) 673-8811	Royal York Hotel 100 Front Street West (800) 947-1385

Selected web sites

General:

• www.toronto.com
• www.cnn.com/TRAVEL/CITY.GUIDES/WTR/north.america.profiles/nap.toronto.html
• emily.icomm.ca/

Toronto Transit Commision route and fare information:

• www.toronto.com/E/V/TORON/0020/24/37/
• www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/index.htm

Toronto entertainment/alternative weekly newspapers:

• www.eye.net/
• www.nowtoronto.com/

Theatre:

• www.stratford-festival.on.ca/
• www.shawfest.com/
• www.onstagenow.com/Home.html
• www.canstage.com/index.htm
• www.theatreintoronto.com/
• www.theatrefrancais.com/