[edit] Overview

As always at DebConf, accommodation for attendees traveling from outside the host city will be provided. However, the arrangements for DebConf17 are a little more complex than those seen in recent years, so please read this page carefully as it does contain a lot of important information.

August is high tourist season in Montreal, which will make finding accommodation at the last minute difficult. This problem is compounded by the fact that the city's 375th birthday celebration events are expected to attract a higher than usual number of tourists. Furthermore, OSHEAGA, a major musical festival, will be held August 4-5-6, pushing accomodation rates even further up. Don't wait to plan and book your accommodation!

[edit] Three options

Three accommodation options are available for DebConf17:

On-site, consisting of shared classroom dorms equipped with Red Cross cots
McGill Royal Victoria College Residence, student residences located in downtown Montreal
Hôtel Universel, a hotel located near the venue

See below under Recommendation for details about how accomodation will be attributed for bursary recipients.

For attendees who intend to book and pay for their own accommodation (henceforth self-booking), all three options are available. See below for details and conditions.

Please note that for DebCamp, July 31 to August 4th, the only accommodation arrangement available for bursary recepients is on-site.

[edit] Details

[edit] On-site

Dates: July 31 to August 13
Capacity: up to 90 beds
WiFi: yes
Bathroom: shared
Showers: shared (locker room with private booths)
Laundry: nearby laundromat
Parking: available for 12 CAD per day

The on-site accommodation will consist of classrooms converted into shared dorms for up to 5 guests each. The rooms, located in a recently-built wing of the College, are approximately 74 square meters in size, with a ceiling height of 4.2 meters, and has windows equipped with rolling blinds as well as power outlets. Temperature and humidity are controlled by the central system. For the duration of the event, each room will get a unique door lock and key (guests will be lent a copy).

Beds will consist of cots (76cm wide by 198cm long) and pillows rented from the local Red Cross.

As an alternative to the cots, attendees may bring an air mattress. A pillow (60x40x3,8cm) will be provided, that guests can keep.

Attendees will need to bring their own bedding, blankets and/or (light) sleeping bag.

If you want to buy them in Montreal, we suggest you to consider one of the following stores:

MEC:
- A bit pricey but usually high quality gear. It's a cooperative and charges a 5$ CAD membership fee that can be paid in the first order. Rocksolid guarantee and ships free on orders of 50$ CAD or more. Usually takes 1-2 business day to get the order delivered. Has a physical store in Montreal.

Candian Tire:
- Cheap stuff, usually offer nice deals, no delivery but has a physical store not far from the venue.

Lockers will be available for extra storage, bring a padlock or combination lock.

[edit] Showers

Attendees accommodated on-site will be able to use the venue's gym shower block, located on the 5th floor of C-block.

To get there, take the staircase or elevator in D-block up to the 5th floor, and follow the signs.

No towels, facecloths, soap or shampoo will be provided, so these will need to be brought along.

The showers are open from 06:00 to 09:00, and then again from 16:30 to 01:00. During daytime hours there is construction work.

Make sure to take the same way back, since the doors on level 1 to 4 connecting to the rest of the building are locked.

[edit] Laundry

There is a self-service laundromat 5 minutes on foot from the conference. They only accept cash (coins) but there's a cashier on the premises that can provide change. The costs are likely to be $2.50 for washing and $1 for 10 minutes of drying. The cashier can fix stuck coin issues with the machines and speaks English and French. The wifi SSID is VIDEOTRON4570 and the password is 4vl19s636c.

Washing takes about 30 minutes, and drying roughly the same.

The address is Hochelaga 3561 and there is a map showing how to get there.

Opening hours:

 Monday-Friday: 830-2000
 Saturday: 730-1800
 Sunday: 730-1800

[edit] Self-booking

You may book and pay for your stay on-site through the conference registration form. The fee charged per night is 30 CAD.

[edit] House rules

Please be respectful of your dorm mates' sleep. If the light are out, be as quiet as you possibly can.
No smoking anything (including e-cigarettes) or drinking alcohol in the rooms.
2.1 While you may know the Canada is in the process of legalizing a certain leafy substance, be aware that this hasn't happened yet.
Please take care not to lose your room key, as we may not have spares to replace lost keys.
Valuables need to be stashed safely. We take no responsibility for lost or stolen objects.
Please avoid storing anything strong smelling.
5.1 Cheese can be stored in a fridge on-site.
As a courtesy to the next person using the facilities, please clean up after yourself.
Unclaimed property left in the dorms will be donated to charity.
7.1 A lost & found box will be located at Front Desk.

See DebConf17/Venue about night-time access.

[edit] Photos

[edit] McGill Royal Victoria College Residence

Royal Victoria College is one of McGill University's student residences in downtown Montreal. The front desk can be reached at 514-398-6378.

It's close to a subway station on the metro green line so that getting to and from the venue is straightforward.

Location: 3425 University Street, Montréal
Dates available: August 5 to 13 (see below if self-booking)
Capacity: 80 single rooms, 8 double rooms (see below if self-booking)
Check-in/out times: after 15:00 / before 11:00 (Front-Desk is operating 24/7)
WiFi: yes
Bathroom: shared
Showers: shared
Laundry: on-site laundry room ($)
Parking: available for 20 CAD per day (limited number)

There is no curfew: guests are able to come and go as they wish at night.

Full housekeeping service is not included in the base price, and is an extra 25 CAD. Guests can pick up a change of linens at the front desk for 2,50 CAD.

Bed sheets, a blanket and pillow are provided, as well as a bath towel and shower necessities (shampoo, soap and facecloth). Extra soap or shampoo can be obtained at the front desk at no charge.

For the wifi, the setting for Network-Manager are:

ESSID: "wpa.rez.mcgill.ca"
Authentication: "Protected EAP (PEAP)" or "Tunneled TLS"
'No CA certificate is required' checkbox: checked
Inner authentication: "MSCHAPv2"
Username: provided by RVC
Password: provided by RVC

[edit] Directions to and from the venue

[edit] Subway

From RVC to Collège de Maisonneuve, go south on University street, which is named Robert-Bourassa boulevard below Sherbrooke. The McGill subway station is on the corner of Maisonneuve and Robert-Bourassa. Inside, take the train in the Honoré-Beaugrand direction. Get off at Joliette station, which is 8 stations from McGill. Walk 2 blocks east on Hochelaga street, then turn left on Nicolet and walk north. Collège de Maisonneuve will be on your right. Use the entrance next to the bike racks with the big 2701 address sign.

From Collège de Maisonneuve to RVC, follow the above itinerary in reverse, taking the metro in the Angrignon direction at Joliette station. The last train of the evening leaves the station at about 0:45 (1:15 on saturday nights).

The trip inside the metro car takes about 20 minutes.

See Getting_Around#Public_Transit for fares and other details.

[edit] Night bus

If you miss the last subway train late at night to get back to RVC from Maisonneuve, you can take the night bus line 364. The stop is just in front of the Maisonneuve (corner Valois / Sherbrooke, north side), and takes about 20 minutes to reach the corner of René-Lévesque / Robert-Bourassa. From there it's a 10 minute walk on Robert-Bourassa to get to RVC.

The schedule of the 364 night bus for the Valois / Sherbrooke stop is 1:17, 2:03, 2:48, 3:33 and 4:17. If you want avoid missing the bus, be at the stop at least 5 minutes in advance.