​Questions directly related to CanBIC participation

Please e-mail: canbic@uwo.ca with questions not answered here.
​
Please note: This page was updated 2021 Aug 24 - errors and changes are not our responsibility.  
​Please check all important facts before using them for planning.

How can I attend?
How can I submit an abstract?
Is there any limit on the number of words or the size of my abstract?
Will the abstracts be published in a programme booklet?
How will the talks be projected?
How are posters being presented?
Where are the participants staying?
How can I book a hotel room?
What dates should I stay in a hotel if I am attending the full conference?
Will wireless Internet be available in the hotels and/or conference centre?
How will participants reach Parry Sound?
Is there an alternative way of traveling to Parry Sound from Toronto?
How will participants return to Toronto from Parry Sound?
How will participants meet up with the CanBIC Coach?
Can I book the coach after registering for the conference because I don’t have my flight booked yet?
What happens if I miss the coach leaving for Parry Sound because my flight is late?
Are there any general links for camping in the Parry Sound area?
Are there any general links for hotels in the Parry Sound area?
Do I require a visa and what do I need to do to get one?
​

How can I attend?
You must register through the conference web site. The registration fee increases in steps starting with a less expensive period ending on 4th February, and being most expensive in the month before the conference and at the conference. Either go to www. Canbic.ca and follow the links or go directly to:
 
http://www.canbic.ca/cgi-bin/ViewPage.cgi?page=registration

How can I submit an abstract?
The abstract deadline is firm.   No poster abstracts will be accepted after April, 6th, 5 - or after the 60 spaces have been taken - first come, first served. Please check the News! column for warning that the posters are nearing a maximum.
Before that date, abstracts are only accepted on-line – you must download the WORD template and complete that.

You need a CONFIRMATION CODE (provided following registration) to submit an abstract
Then upload the abstract.
Abstracts are welcome for invited talks (the name of the symposium chair is needed), contributed talks, and contributed posters.
 
Abstracts are only accepted following registration (below) because the CONFIRMATION CODE is needed to validate the abstract submission.
 
There are only a very limited number of oral timeslots available for contributed talks, so both oral and poster must be offered by participants submitting contributed papers.
http://www.canbic.ca/cgi-bin/ViewPage.cgi?page=abstracts

Is there any limit on the number of words or the size of my abstract?
Abstracts must follow the template design – the title, speaker names and affiliations must be the same as the template. The abstract is limited by the space on the template and can be any combination of text and figures or schemes.

Will the abstracts be published in a programme booklet?
The abstracts will be assembled and published first online.
 http://www.canbic.ca/cgi-bin/ViewPage.cgi?page=proceedings
A programme will be printed for all participants.
The major talks will be published in a special issue of the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry in early 2024.
Speakers will be contacted about bringing their papers electronically.

How will the talks be projected?
We will use a computer with PowerPoint on it. You may bring your own laptop computer and connect to the projector, but to keep the talks moving, we would appreciate if you gave us your talk beforehand and we pre-loaded them onto the conference computers.

How are posters being presented?
As long as we have sufficient area, the posters will be put up on Wednesday morning and taken down on Friday morning. The Poster Session is planned for 8:30 - 10:30 pm on Thursday in the Stockey Centre.
The Poster boards are made of Velcro – and special stick on buttons will be provided for all posters. You cannot use pins or tape.
The poster boards will take a poster approximately 44”/1.2 m wide and 1.2 m deep.

Where are the participants staying?
The Microtel Inn Parry Sound is the ‘Conference Hotel’, but participants will also be located in the Comfort Inn and the Georgian Inn. A total of 110 rooms have been reserved for participants.

How can I book a hotel room?
The conference has reserved a set of rooms in these three hotels. The best approach is to send a fax with your requirements.
 See the web site for the hotel links:
 http://www.canbic.ca/cgi-bin/ViewPage.cgi?page=travel#Hotels

What dates should I stay in a hotel if I am attending the full conference?
Plan to arrive on Tuesday afternoon and leave on Saturday morning.
Because the conference starts at 8:30 am on the Wednesday, it is necessary to arrive on the Tuesday. And the conference banquet will be held 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm on the Friday in the Stockey Centre, so you need to stay until Saturday.

Will wireless Internet be available in the hotels and/or conference centre?
The hotels tell us that there is wireless Internet available. Please confirm whether it is free and each room.
The conference centre is the Stockey Centre, and we will have wireless Internet available at no charge.

How will participants reach Parry Sound?
There will be a coach that leaves a hotel close to Pearson Airport (it will go to one of the airport hotels) on the afternoon of Tuesday, traveling to Parry Sound. Participants flying in to Toronto Pearson airport (YYZ) must check the times with the travel coordinator (canbic@uwo.ca) to ensure that they arrive early enough (it will take at least 60 minutes to clear customs and take the airport-hotel shuttle bus to meet the coach). The coach will depart Toronto airport area at 5 pm. Parry Sound is a 2.5 hour drive north on Highway 400.
The $75 must be paid with registration.

Is there an alternative way of traveling to Parry Sound from Toronto ?
Yes, Ontario Northland runs a service from downtown Toronto to Yorkdale mall (accessible by city bus directly from Pearson (YYZ) airport) three times a day** with a one-way cost of about $75 (inc tax) one way.
 http://www.canbic.ca/cgi-bin/ViewPage.cgi?page=transportation
The coach returns to Yorkdale (for the airport) and downtown Toronto 3 times a day (Mon-Sun) departing near the Comfort Inn motel in Parry Sound.
**Very important - confirm the schedule in April as it changes from Winter to Summer.

How will participants return to Toronto from Parry Sound?
A coach will depart Parry Sound at 8:30 am on Saturday. The cost is $80 CDN. Pay this on the registration form to reserve a space. Check you flight leaves after the bus arrives! Allow 2 hours to check through security. We recommend a departure time after 14:30..

How will participants meet up with the CanBIC Coach?
 
 We will rent a room at an airport hotel for the day near Toronto Pearson airport (YYZ) so that you can arrive some hours before the coach leaves if you wish. Please contact us with the time of arrival of your flight to make sure there is time to meet the coach (leavesToronto Airport region at 5 pm).

Can I book the coach after registering for the conference because I don’t have my flight booked yet?
Yes. Just go back into the registration page and simply select the coach fare and provide the traveling information, we need to know the airline, flight numbers and times of arrival and departure so we can check on late arrivals.

What happens if I miss the coach leaving for Parry Sound because my flight is late?
If you have arrived close to 5 pm – immediately call the Conference Organizers – call the Airport-Hotel (TBA) - if you have no change – then call the Microtel Inn toll free number (see the Contact Us link) as they will be able to alert the bus crew – it may be possible to wait specifically for you. We cannot pick you up at the airport for legal reasons. We can’t wait past 5 pm on the Tuesday unless we know for sure you are on your way – hold on to the phone while the people in the Microtel Inn talk to the coach crew, otherwise – if you are delayed past 5 pm you will have to catch the Northland bus the next morning. This means staying the night and traveling to the Yorkdale Mall, which is 20 minutes away by taxi ($30-50) or city bus ($4). We have put emergency contact numbers in the Contact_Us menu item. Please record these carefully for use if you are unfortunately delayed.

Are there any general links for camping in the Parry Sound area?
Yes, see the CanBIC web site.

Are there any general links for hotels in the Parry Sound area?
Yes, but we recommend trying the CanBIC recommend hotels first if you intend booking a room in Parry Sound.
 
http://www.parrysoundhotels.worldweb.com/index.htm

Do I require a visa and what do I need to do to get one?
Many people will need a Visa to enter Canada. It takes 2-3 months to obtain at the earliest, so we recommend that this process is started no later than January 2025.
To obtain a VISA, you must first register for the conference and submit an abstract.
Once this is completed, please send an email to Martin Stillman with a description of your research and your position.
Martin will then email you a personalized letter of invitation to be used at the Canadian Consulate/Embassy to receive a Visa.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.