Venue and Travel Information
Venue:
The conference is being held at the Coast Canmore Hotel and Convention Centre in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. The conference rate for the hotel is $178 CAD per night including all taxes and fees (~135 USD / Euro). Reservations can be made online at the link below or by phoning the hotel at +1.800.663.1144 and quoting either group name "GCxGC Symposium" or Group Code "CCM-GFC5199". The cutoff date to receive the conference rate is Monday, May 1, 2023. A valid credit card is required at the time of booking.
Note that due to other events coming in before and after us, the discounted rooms are only available for the nights of May 28 - May 31, but are sold out for the nights before and after our event. Rooms are still available for those nights, but they will be at the best available hotel rate.
Coast Canmore Hotel
Getting Here:
Canmore is located about an hour west of Calgary, about an hour and 15 minutes from Calgary International Airport (YYC).
Direct flights into Calgary are available from most major hubs in the US, as well as Mexico, Dublin, London, Paris, Zurich, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Rome. As air travel recovers and returns to pre-pandemic levels, other direct international routes are expected to return.
Brewster Express runs a regular shuttle service from Calgary International Airport to Canmore. Conferees are entitled to a 20% discount from Brewster's. The promo code to use when booking online or by phone is 20GCXGC23. For schedules, please see the operator's website. Their only stop in Canmore is conveniently at our venue.
Car rentals are available from Calgary Airport and in the city, though due to global rental fleet shortages, it is suggested you book your car rentals early.
NEW: Since Brewster's last shuttle leaves at 8pm from Calgary Airport, we're putting together a rideshare list aimed at matching up people arriving late with people who can offer a ride or share the cost of an Uber or other car hire.
Tourism Canmore Kananaskis / Paul Zizka
Requirements for Travel to Canada / Alberta:
There are presently no restrictions on travel within Canada / Alberta. For entry into Canada, international visitors are referred to the Canadian Border Services Agency and the Government of Canada's travel page.
If you need a visa to enter Canada, you should leave yourself plenty of time to get your documents. If a letter from the conference is required to assist you in getting your visa, we will be happy to provide one once your registration is paid.
The Symposium will be held in a beautiful place that is on the traditional territory of Indigenous People who have lived and traveled through these mountains for thousands and thousands of years. In particular, we acknowledge the Shuswap and K’tunaxs (too nah ha), first nations to the west, as well as the Treaty 7 first nations: the Blackfoot, the Kainai (pronounced “gainai”), the Piikani (pronounced Biigani) and the Siksika first nations, the T’suuTina First Nation, the Stoney Nakoda First Nation: the Wesley, Bearspaw and Chiniki bands, as well as the Métis People of Region 3.
To learn more about the significance of this land acknowledgement, please read this useful article and associated links to more information.
Other Attractions / Info:
Canmore/Kananaskis - Lots of outdoor adventures... mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, golf, rafting.
Pursuit's Banff - Jasper Collection of Tours - The operator providing shuttle service also runs a lot of tours
Banff - Just down the highway, Canada's first national park, established in 1885.
Other mountain parks - If you want to spend more time in UNESCO's Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site
Jasper National Park - Drive up the famous Icefields Parkway to Jasper by the most scenic route possible
Kootenay National Park - Drive Southwest towards Radium, British Columbia and the Radium Hot Springs
Southern Alberta - For those driving back south and/or east on their way home, there are stops worth making.
Dinosaur Provincial Park - UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hoodoos, bone beds, what's not to love?
Royal Tyrell Museum - Holder of 5 dinosaur-related world records, located in Drumheller, Alberta.
Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump - UNESCO World Heritage Site. 6000 years of Plains Buffalo culture.
Áísínai'pi / Writing on Stone - UNESCO World Heritage Site. 5000 years of Blackfoot culture and rock art.
Click photos to see full images
Background Photo: Tourism Canmore Kananaskis / BGSmith - stock.adobe.com