Housing and Travel
About Ottawa
Ottawa was named the capital of the Province of Canada in 1857. At this time, Ottawa was a plain little industrial town in the middle of nowhere. The transformation started in 1859, when work began on a series of grand new Parliament Buildings in Ottawa. The legislature of the Province of Canada sat for the first and last time in these new buildings in 1866. The very next year, Canada was created as a new independent nation, and the first government of the Dominion of Canada assembled in Ottawa. However, its history goes back much further than that. To learn more, please visit:
Since Time Immemorial – Aboriginal Peoples
The Ottawa River – Route to the Interior
Settlement and Industrial Development
A Capital in the Making
1857 – A Capital Choice
Canada's Capital Region has the highest concentration of museums of any region in Canada, as well as the longest network of recreational pathways of any North American city. A few of the many attractions include:
Confederation Boulevard
Monuments
Parliament Hill
RCMP Musical Ride
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Canadian War Museum
National Gallery of Canada
Canadian Museum of Nature
About the University of Ottawa
Since 1848 the University of Ottawa has been Canada's university. Located in the heart of the nation's capital, the University has emerged as a vibrant "centre of learning", with a student population of 40,000. The largest bilingual university in North America, the University is a major player in the cultural and economic development of the National Capital Region. At the University of Ottawa, languages, cultures and a host of national and international perspectives come together to create a truly unique educational experience in the heart of Canada's capital.
At a Glance
- Students study in their choice of English, French or both, with the possibility of pursuing French immersion undergraduate programs
- One of Canada's top 10 research universities
- Located less than 2,000 metres from Parliament Hill
- Students and faculty from nearly 150 countries
- Over 300 undergraduate programs and close to 160 graduate programs
- The fourth largest co-operative education program in Canada
Please visit the University of Ottawa's QuickFacts to learn more!
Letters of Invitation
For those requiring letters of invitation to gain entry into Canada, host country for the International Conference on Quantum Information (ICQI), please follow the process outlined below. All ICQI participants needing visas are encouraged to apply now as the process may take several weeks and in many cases months.
One factor that increases the processing time is the personal interview, now required for most applicants as a standard part of visa processing. As soon as you know that you will need a visa for travel, you should contact the embassy or consulate to schedule an appointment for screening.
For detailed information on which citizens do/do not require a visa to enter Canada please click here. You are also encouraged to visit the website of your country’s Canadian Embassy or Consulate.
All those requesting letters of invitation should provide the following information along with your full contact information:
- Your full name as it appears on your passport
- Your complete mailing address
- Your phone and fax numbers
- Indicate which meeting you will be attending
- If you are presenting a paper, include the title and the session in which that paper will be presented
- If you are exhibiting, please indicate this in your request
- Individuals from China should include the passport number, the date of birth and the gender of each person requesting an invitation letter
When requesting letters for more than one individual, please include all information stated above for each person.
Individuals requiring letters of invitation to obtain travel visas may contact Véronic Tardif, Office of the President, University of Ottawa, directly by one of the following methods:
Véronic Tardif
Email: vtardif@uOttawa.ca
Tel: 1-613-562-5800, ext. 2628
Fax: 613-562-5103
All letters of invitation will be sent by airmail or by fax unless a Federal Express account number or credit card number with expiration date is provided on the original request. Please allow ample time for processing requests. Requests can take up to 7 days to process. OSA is not able to contact Embassies in support of an individual attempting to gain entry into the host country to attend an OSA meeting.
Travel
Weather
June Weather in Ottawa
Average High Temperature: 74°F (23°Celsius)
Average Low Temperature: 54°F (12°Celsius)
Average Rainfall: 3.30 inches
For the most current weather predictions, please visit here.
Electricity:
Standard 110v voltage electricity is used in hotels.
Currency:
The Canadian dollar (CAD) is the currency of Canada. It is normally abbreviated with the Dollar/Peso sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies. It is divided into 100 cents. Credit cards are widely accepted; VISA and MASTERCARD are the most popular. Traveler’s checks are accepted at currency exchanges or banks, but are not as widely accepted. For the latest currency exchange click here.
Hotel Reservations
University of Ottawa residences
90 University Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 1H3 Canada
A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved for the convenience of ICQI meeting attendees at the University of Ottawa residences.
In order to secure the group rate, you must reserve your room by 21 April 2011.
The meeting rates are (not including 13% taxes):
| Suite (single or double occupancy) |
$100 CAD |
| Extra Person Charge |
$15 CAD |
Reservations can be made online at www.ottawaresidences.com
Novotel Ottawa
33, Nicholas Street, Ottawa ON K1N 9M7
A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved for the convenience of ICQI meeting attendees at the Novotel Ottawa.
In order to secure the group rate, you must reserve your room by 20 May 2011.
The meeting rates are (not including the 13% taxes):
| Single or double occupancy |
$135 CAD |
Reservations can be made using the following information:
Novotel Ottawa
Online reservations
Phone: 1-613-230-3033
Fax: 1-613-760-4766
E-mail: groupreservations@novotelottawa.com
Booking code: 18281
Booking name: 4th International Conference on Quantum Information
Transportation
Airline Travel
The airport local to the University of Ottawa is the Ottawa International Airport. Please visit www.ottawa-airport.ca for more information.
Rental Cars
The Ottawa International Airport provides rental car service through several vendors. Please visit the www.ottawa-airport.ca/AirportServices/carRental-e.php for more information.
Train Station
For information on the Ottawa train station, please visit www.viarail.ca/en/stations/ontario/ottawa.
Driving Directions
For driving directions to the University of Ottawa's main campus, please visit www.uottawa.ca/maps/directions.
