Speaker Information
This page will serve as a “one-stop shop” for the information you need to know as a presenter. Topics covered are:
• How to promote the conference
• How to register for the conference
• Speakers’ Reception on April 3, 2018
• How to be mindful of the expense claim reimbursement rules (Spoiler: If you are in doubt, please contact Kate in advance. That will make your lives easier.)
• How to get in touch with your conference point of contact – Kate, Researcher at HEQCO
CONFERENCE PROMOTION:
We encourage you to share details on the conference across your social networking mediums to help spread the word.
For your easy reference, we have prepared a series of posts you can easily copy and paste to your accounts.
1. Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.:
HEQCO’s annual conference is back again. This year’s theme, Access in Practice: Putting great ideas to work, focuses on turning theory into practice to equip participants with the strategies to adapt, build, implement and assess initiatives that work for their students and their institutions.
The conference will feature interactive workshops, panels and speakers sharing best practices, current research and case studies in effective access and retention strategies. Keynote speakers include Rick Hansen, Roberta Jamieson, Toni Morgan and author Steve Silberman.
Access in Practice: Putting great ideas to work is taking place April 4–5, 2018 at the Delta Hotel in Toronto. Last year’s conference sold out quickly so buy your tickets now. Save $100 when you register before January 5, 2018. Early-bird tickets ($350) are on sale now until January 5.
Register now by visiting www.accessinpractice.ca.
2. Twitter
Registration is now open for Access in Practice: Putting great ideas to work, HEQCO’s 8th annual conference. Speakers include Rick Hansen, Roberta Jamieson, Toni Morgan and Steve Silberman. Last year’s event sold out quickly so buy your tickets now at http://www.accessinpractice.ca.
For educators from primary through postsecondary, for administrators, guidance professionals and governments, it’s time to put great access ideas to work. Registration is now open for Access in Practice: Putting great ideas to work, HEQCO’s 8th annual conference. http://www.accessinpractice.ca.
On April 4–5, 2018 come help us put great access ideas to work. Registration is now open for Access in Practice: Putting great ideas to work and early-bird rates are available. Visit http://www.accessinpractice.ca for speakers, program details and registration information.
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Please register for the conference here.
Contact Information Section
2. Fill out your contact information with the name and position that you would like to appear on your conference name badge.
Conference Registration Section
3. Under the conference registration tab, select “Speaker”.
4. When prompted, enter code HEQCO-COMP.
Dietary Requirements Section
5. Indicate any dietary preferences and/or allergies.
Other Requirements Section
6. Please list any accessibility and/or other requirements (i.e. required accommodations, access to prayer space, etc.).
7. If you are travelling to the conference from outside of the GTA and would like to book accommodation at the Delta Hotel, please indicate the nights that you will be staying. Based on your request, HEQCO will book a room at the Delta on your behalf. Please note that HEQCO is only able to reimburse the nights Tuesday, April 3rd, Wednesday, April 4th, and possibly Thursday, April 5th, if you need to stay an extra night for travel-related reasons. Should you require a more flexible check-in or check-out schedule, please contact Kate as soon as possible.
Based on your request, HEQCO will book a room for you at the group rate which is $229.00/night plus taxes. All hotel accommodation requests must be made by March 5, 2018. After HEQCO books your stay, we will send you an email with your hotel confirmation number. You can expect this in mid-March 2018.
8. Please review the AV and workshop materials questions closely and indicate any expected AV and/or materials you require for your session.
Keynote Sessions and Concurrent Sessions Sections
9. Please select the panels and workshops that you will attend. Please note that you should register for your panel.
Other Section
10. We invite you to attend the Speakers’ Reception on Tuesday, April 3rd from 6PM – 8PM in the SOCO Ballroom Foyer at the Delta Hotel. This provides an excellent opportunity to meet and network with other conference speakers before the conference begins.
11. We will also be hosting a Participants’ Reception following Day One of the conference on Wednesday, April 4th from 4:30-6:00PM. Please advise if you will be attending that reception.
Consent Section
12. Please review the questions and indicate your answers.
Payment Options Section
13. Ensure that your “Summary” field reads as $0.00.
14. Hit Submit Registration. You have now registered for HEQCO’s Access in Practice – Putting great ideas to work conference. We look forward to seeing you there.
SPEAKERS’ RECEPTION:
You are invited to attend our Speakers’ Reception prior to the conference on Tuesday, April 3, 2018, scheduled from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in the SOCO Ballroom Foyer, located on the third floor of the Delta Hotel. The reception will be an opportunity to meet other speakers and facilitators in-person before the conference.
ACCOMMODATION AND TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT:
As an agency of the Ontario government, we must follow the Travel, Meal and Hospitality Expenses Directive. The Expense Form with Guidelines is available for your review and should be completed after the conference. You will also be sent a copy of this document again after the conference. Please review and make note of the guidelines. Failure to do so may delay your expense claim reimbursement.
Please submit your Expense Form with the necessary documentations at your earliest convenience following the conference.
TRAVEL:
You are responsible for booking your own travel arrangements. For all travel, accessibility requests can be made at any time.
INTERNATIONAL or OUTSIDE the GTA: We can reimburse for the lowest-available economy tier and fare (e.g., Air Canada Economy Tango or Via Rail Escape). If the lowest-tier fare is not available, please provide a screen shot of the fares that were available at the time of purchase. We strongly encourage you to take local public transit once you arrive in Toronto (UP Express and TTC). Other items (e.g., paying for advanced seat selection on flights or paying for Internet at the hotel) must be discussed with us before purchasing. Valet parking will not be covered.
LOCAL (Within the GTA): In order to prove payment, please ensure you ask for original, itemized receipts (with line-items of each item purchased) for all local travel, such as TTC proof-of-payment tickets. Photocopies and/or scanned documents cannot be accepted. We can pay for the following: local (inside the GTA) public transportation (TTC or Go Transit). Please contact us first if you are planning to use other forms of transportation.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
Because HEQCO is regularly corresponding with the hotel, we will book your hotel room, if you require hotel accommodation during the conference. You may book your room at the Delta Hotel using HEQCO’s online conference registration form, found here. Under ‘Will you require hotel accommodation?’ please select the nights you will be staying at the hotel and make note of any special requirements. Based on your request, HEQCO will book a room for you at the group rate which is $229.00/night + taxes. All hotel accommodation requests must be made by March 5, 2018.
After you submit your conference registration, you will receive an email summarizing your registration details, including your accommodation request. After HEQCO books your stay, we will send you an email with your hotel confirmation number. You can expect this in mid-March 2018. If you do not receive a booking confirmation number by March 16, 2018, please notify Kate (kblair@heqco.ca).
We kindly ask that you have your booking confirmation number with you when you check-in in April. You will be required to pay for your room at check-in and will be reimbursed by HEQCO after the conference.
NOTES: We are only able to reimburse the nights Tuesday, April 3rd, Wednesday, April 4th, and possibly Thursday, April 5th, if you need to stay an extra night for travel-related reasons. Should you require a more flexible check-in or check-out schedule, please contact Kate as soon as possible.
In addition, we can only reimburse hotel accommodations for those who do not live in the GTA. If you would like to book accommodations at the Delta Hotel but live in the GTA, you may still book using the group booking rate but you will not be reimbursed for your stay.
If you choose not to stay at the Delta Hotel, please note that we can only reimburse for standard hotel room accommodations.
MEALS AND OTHER EXPENSES:
LOCAL (WITHIN the GTA): Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the conference. We do not provide other meals for those within the GTA, unless there is a valid reason that has been discussed with us first.
INTERNATIONAL or OUTSIDE GTA: Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the conference. For meals incurred as a result of your travels to and from our conference, and outside of the meals provided at the conference, we are able to reimburse you up to the following:
• Breakfast – $10.00 CAD
• Lunch – $12.50 CAD
• Dinner – $22.50 CAD
We cannot reimburse for alcoholic beverages. Taxes and gratuities are included in the meal reimbursement rates. Receipts are not required to be submitted with meal claims or retained.
POINT OF CONTACT:
Kate (kblair@heqco.ca) will continue to be your main point of contact. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact her by phone or email. Kate is always happy to discuss any questions that you may have.