Registration
a) When and where is the Spring 2010 OCASI Professional Development Conference?
b) Who can attend the conference?
c) How many people from each agency can attend the conference?
d) When can I register for the conference?
e) What if my agency does not select me to attend?
f) How much is registration?
g) My agency has no budget for conferences. Can I register?
h) I do not work for an OCASI member-agency. May I register?
i) We are a big agency with several branches and many settlement workers. Can we register more people?
j) I’m on the waiting list. When will I find out if I can attend?
k) What will happen if I register, then cannot attend? Can someone replace me?
l) What if I have to leave the conference early?
m) I want to attend for only one day of the conference. How much should I pay?
n) I only want to attend my first choice workshop. What if I am told it is full?
o) Do I have to attend the workshop I selected? What if I change my mind?
p) I have not paid my registration fee because my agency has not prepared the cheque before the conference.
q) I understand that I can be reimbursed up to $750.00 for training under the Professional Education and Training (PET) Project that OCASI coordinates. Can I use the PET money to pay for my participation at the Nottawasaga Inn Rosort?
Transportation
a) How can I get to Nottawasaga
b) What if I am traveling a long distance?
c) I live in Toronto or Mississauga. I want to drive my own car.
d) Can I leave my car at OCASI, and take the OCASI charter bus to Nottawasaga?
e) I live in Ottawa (or any other city except Toronto & Mississauga). I want to drive my own car.
f) Are there any parking lots in Nottawasaga?
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 Nottawasaga site?
d) I am a vegetarian. Will there be sufficient food for me?
e) I don’t eat breakfast. Is there a reduced rate?
f) If I miss a meal, can I get something to eat later?
g) Will there by snacks available? When?
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) I am a smoker. Where can I smoke?
d) Is there a fridge to keep my food, my medications?
e) Are the rooms/washrooms wheelchairs accessible?
f) Can I bring my laptop?
g) Is there a computer I can use?
h) My family wants to be able to contact me. What number can I give them?
i) Will there be any organized trips as part of the conference?
Registration
a) When and where is the Spring 2009 OCASI Professional Development Conference?
May 12-14, 2010
Nottawasaga Inn Resort
Alliston, Ontario
For information about the Conference Centre, click here.
b) Who can attend the conference?
This OCASI Professional Development Conference is designed for staff 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. Registrants from agencies, as listed above, will receive priority access to the conference.
Conference registration is open to other community-based organizations that provide services to immigrants and refugees, depending on availability. If you register online, you will be placed on a waitlist. We will inform you if your registration has been accepted by April 23.
c) How many people from each agency can attend the conference?
If your agency is located in Toronto, 2 staff from your agency may attend the conference. Any additional registrants are placed on a waitlist.
If your agency is located outside of Toronto, 3 staff from your agency may attend the conference. Any additional registrants are placed on a waitlist.
Workshop facilitators and OCASI Board members are not counted in the two / three participants-per-agency formula.
These numbers are valid regardless of the size of your agency or the number of locations where your agency provides services.
d) When can I register for the conference?
Online registration begins on March 18 and ends on April 16. Registration is limited. Please see the Registration Guidelines for details.
e) What if my agency does not select me to attend?
You cannot register as an individual. Participants must be sponsored by an organization.
The conference fee is $230 per person, payable by cheque or VISA after registering online. Subsidy forms are available upon request.
g) My agency has no budget for conferences. Can I register?
OCASI provides a limited number of subsidies for agencies who are unable to afford the full conference fee. Send us an e-mail to the Annie Zhang at azhang@ocasi.org asking for a Subsidy Form. Complete it and submit it . Annie will inform you of the status of your subsidy.
h) I do not work at for an OCASI member-agency. May I register?
See the answer to b) above.
i) We are a big agency with several branches and many settlement workers. Can we register more people?
See c) above for registration limits. Agencies may register several prospective participants on the waiting list, however we are unable to guarantee extra spaces to large agencies.
Participants on the waiting list will be notified if spaces are available by April 23.
We have maintained this rule to allow for equitable participation of small agencies from across the province and from regions where professional development activities are limited.
However, if your and / or your agency have particular training needs, we would like to know. Please email Paulina maciulis, at pmaciulis@ocasi.org.
j) I’m on the waiting list. When will I find out if I can attend?
We will send you an email by April 23.
k) 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 Annie Zhang at azhang@ocasi.org as soon as possible. Your substitute will be required to register online. Substitutions will not be accepted after May 5.
If you wish to cancel your registration, please notify the conference staff immediately.
Full refunds will be issued for cancellations received by May 5.
Cancellations received after May 5 are subject to a $50 administrative fee.
l) What if I have to leave the conference early?
Sorry, there is no refund once the conference has begun.
m) I want to attend for only one day of the conference. How much should I pay?
If you are planning to attend part-time, contact Annie Zhang at
azhang@ocasi.org or 416-322-4950, ext. 257.
n) 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.
o) 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.
Please email at azhang@ocasi.org to let us know that the cheque is being processed by your agency.
Transportation
a) How can I get to Nottawasaga?
OCASI will provide a special charter bus to Nottawasaga on Wednesday, May 12 at 9:00 AM from Toronto (Yonge & Eglinton) and at 9:15 AM from Mississauga (Square One Shopping Centre). If you live in Toronto or Mississauga, you are expected to take this charter bus.
If you are travelling from Toronto or Peel Region and cannot make the OCASI charter bus, you drive to Alliston, but remember your mileage will not be covered by OCASI.
Charter buses will leave Nottawasaga on Friday, May 14 at 2:15 PM to return to Toronto (Yonge and Eglinton) and Mississauga (Square One Shopping Centre).
If you are traveling from outside of Toronto or Mississauga, 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 or Mississauga to catch the OCASI charter bus, if appropriate.
For a map of the Conference Centre, visit this website:
http://www.nottawasagaresort.ca/map.htm
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 Opening Plenary (1:15 PM on Wed. May 12 ), you may request to arrive one day early – the evening of Tues. May 11. Please contact Petra Roberts at proberts@ocasi.org after registering online, to make accommodation arrangements.
If you are flying you can arrange for direct transportation from the airport to the Nottawasaga Inn Resort 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 or Mississauga on May 11 and you require accommodation, please contact Petra Roberts at proberts@ocasi.org after registering online, to make arrangements.
c) I live in Toronto or Mississauga. I want to drive my own car.
Mileage is not covered for those driving from Toronto or Mississauga because OCASI provides a charter bus to and from the Conference Centre.
d) Can I leave my car at OCASI, and take the OCASI charter bus to Nottawasaga?
There is absolutely no parking at the OCASI office overnight.
e) I live in Ottawa (or any other city except Toronto & Mississauga). 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 Nottawasaga?
There is ample free parking at the Conference Centre.
g) How do I get into Alliston from Nottawasaga?
There is no public transportation from the Conference Centre to Alliston. 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 Nottawasaga 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 Nottawasaga site?
All meals are included with the conference package.
There are restaurants inside the Nottawasaga Inn Resort. Please note: The cost of the meals will not be reimbursed.
d) I am a vegetarian. Will there be sufficient food for me?Yes, the caterers have been informed to provide vegetarian choices.
e) I don’t eat breakfast. Is there a reduced rate?
Sorry, there is no option for this. Please note on your registration the meals you wish to attend.
f) 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.
g) Will there by snacks available? When?
Light snacks are served during breaks and in the evening.
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 Alliston 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 a special room and a chapel in which to pray. Please read the floor map after you register on site.
c) I am a smoker. Where can I smoke?
There is a $100 fine for smoking within Nottawasaga buildings. You may smoke outside as long as no one else is affected by the smoke.
d) Is there a fridge to keep my food, my medications?
No, there is not a fridge in most rooms Please contact Annie Zhang at azhang@ocasi.org as soon as possible after registering if you require this service.
e) Are the rooms/washrooms wheelchairs accessible?
All washrooms are accessible. Some bedrooms are accessible. Please mention your special needs on the online registration form to book an accessible bedroom for yourself.
Yes, Nottawasaga Resort has wireless access.
g) Is there a computer I can use?
Yes, there will be two computers set up in the lobby for your use.
h) My family wants to be able to contact me. What number can I give them?
Nottawasaga Inn Resort
Alliston Direct: 705-435-5501
Toronto Direct: 416-364-5068
Toll-free Reservations: 1-800-669-5501
i) Will there be any organized trips as part of the conference?
The Conference 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 Nottawasaga Inn Resort regarding sightseeing trips before or after the Conference. Please note that OCASI will not reimburse related additional travel costs.
