EMS 2011 Annual Meeting

This year join EMS in Montréal, Québec; Canada’s most diverse metropolis. Visitors find this compact island city great for walking, and can easily and safely explore its vibrant neighborhoods on foot, by use of 450 kilometers of bicycle paths or by using the affordable public transit. Montréal is also multicultural, boasting more than 80 ethnic communities, and enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide for gourmet dining. Just don’t forget your valid passport and/or visa while exploring!

In the heart of downtown Montréal, Canada stands the Hilton Montréal Bonaventure Hotel. This unique rooftop Montréal hotel offers warm hospitality and exceptional services, including the famous year-round outdoor heated pool and other facilities suited to please EMS attendees. Nearby family friendly attractions include Mount Royal Park, the Montréal Science Center and IMAX theater, Biosphere and the Montréal Nature Museums-the Biodome, Insectarium, Botanical Garden and Planetarium. Within walking distance you’ll find the cobblestone streets of Old Montréal and Old Port, the famous shopping district along Rue Sainte-Catherine, Chinatown, and Bell Centre (home of the Montréal Canadians hockey team). Vibrant galleries, picturesque cathedrals and classic French Canadian, ethnic and noveau cuisine restaurants and sidewalk bistros await you throughout the city. Experience the diverse metropolis of Montréal while renewing old friendships and making new acquaintances.

Montréal Attractions

Discover the many facets Montréal has to offer. The city blends together the past and present with many cultural and ecological locations just a short walk from the hotel. Here are a few location ideas. Please check with the concierge on the lobby level for directions, tour schedules, reservations, and additional suggestions. Please note all hours of operation and admission fee information is subject to change.

Notre-Dame Basilica (Located 1 mile from the hotel)—This tour is an ideal introduction to the history of Notre-Dame Parish, the building of the church, key architectural features and the many works of art that adorn the building. Guided tours are available in English and French, in addition there are leaflet available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian or Japanese. Please note because the Basilica regularly accommodates weddings, funerals and special events, scheduled activities may be disrupted from time to time. The Basilica reserves the right to change its guided tour schedule and visiting hours without notice.

Hours of Operation
Two tours of the Basilica normally take place every hour, on the hour and half hour. Please note the closing time listed below indicates when the last tour of the day starts.
Monday through Friday: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM–3:30 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM–3:30 PM

Admission Fee
Admission fees apply to all visitors, with or without a guided tour. This contribution is necessary to cover the annual costs of restoration and upkeep on this historic building.

Adults: $5
Ages 7–17: $4
Age 6 and under: Free

Parc du Mont-Royal (Located 2 miles from the hotel)—The geographic highlight of Montréal is undeniably Mont-Royal’s steep slopes. The park covers more than 343-acres of forested mountain, plentiful green spaces, shrubs, and flowers and is the home for hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife and includes the highest spot in the city (234m). Be sure to check out Belvedere Kondiaronk for a great pictures overlooking Montréal.

Parc Olympique (Located a 10 minute drive from the hotel)—The Olympic Park is a district in Montréal, Québec, Canada, which was home to many of the venues from the 1976 Summer Olympics. The guided tours are 40 minutes long and begin with a brief history of the 1976 Olympic Games. Afterwards, our experienced guides take visitors to the Sports Centre, where they can admire the impressive Olympic pools. They are then taken to the Olympic Stadium. At the end of this visit, they understand why the Stadium is considered one of the wonders of modern architecture!

Tour Schedule
11:00 AM–11:40 AM
12:00 NOON–12:40 PM
1:30 PM–2:10 PM
2:30 PM–3:10 PM
3:30 PM–4:00 PM

Admission Fee
$9 CAD and under

Pointe-à-Callière (Located 1.2 miles from the hotel)—Pointe-à-Callière, the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History, opened on May 17, 1992, as part of celebrations to mark Montréal’s 350th birthday. Set on the very birthplace of the city, the Museum is a major attraction in Old Montréal. It is a recognized national historic and archaeological site, a historic ensemble whose sites, buildings and collections form a unique cultural complex showcasing some of the tangible traces of the city’s past. In addition to its permanent exhibitions, Where Montréal Was Born and Montréal Love Stories—The Cultural Connection, and its multimedia show, the Museum presents local and international temporary exhibitions, along with school programs and a large number of cultural activities. Guided Tours are available.

Hours of Operation
Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Monday: Closed

Admission Fee
$15 CAD and under

Jardin Bontanqiue (Located 4.2 miles from the hotel)—With its collection of 22,000 plant species and cultivars, 10 exhibition greenhouses, some thirty thematic gardens, and teams of researchers and activities staff, the Montréal Botanical Garden ranks as one of the world’s largest and most spectacular botanical gardens. No matter what the season, visitors to the Montréal Botanical Garden are sure to be captivated by the colors and fragrances from around the world as they wander from the delightful Chinese Garden to the heart of the Sonoran desert, from the peaceful oasis of the Japanese Garden to the classically designed French garden or the woodlands of the Laurentians.

Hours of Operation
Daily: 9:00 AM–6:00 PM

Admission Fee
$17 CAD and under

Montréal Biodôme (Located 5.5 miles from the hotel)—An oasis in the heart of the city, the Montréal Biodôme recreates some of the most beautiful ecosystems of the Americas: Tropical Rainforest, Laurentian Maple Forest, Gulf of St. Lawrence, and Labrador Coast/Sub-Antarctic Islands. The Biodôme’s ecosystems are designed for self-guided tours. Interpretation panels are posted all along the pathway, and nature interpreters are available in the ecosystems and at the Info-Ecosphere desk to answer visitors' questions.

Hours of Operation
Tuesday–Sunday: 11:00 AM–5:00 PM
Monday: Closed

Admission Fee
$16.50 CAD–$26.50 CAD

Old Montréal (Located 1 mile from the hotel)—This historic, once-walled district is the the oldest area in the city of Montréal. Old structures like Place Jacques Cartier (named for a French explorer popularly thought of as one of the major discoverers of Canada) and the Nelson Column, stand in harmony with buildings constructed later in the nineteenth century, early in the twentieth century, and even much newer buildings to create a whole that is much greater than merely the sum of its parts. Walking, self-guided, and horse-drawn carriage ride tours are available.

Rue St. Catherine(Located 2 blocks from the hotel)—This street is primary commercial district of Downtown Montréal and is host to department stores, boutiques, bars, cafes, restaurants, theatres, art galleries, bookstores and churches. The street runs parallel to the largest segments of Montréal’s underground city. The series of interconnected office tower basements and shopping complexes that make up this main thoroughfare lie immediately north of the street.

Laurier Avenue (Located 3.4 miles from the hotel)—Shoppers go to Laurier Avenue West for exclusive household furnishings, imported and Québec fashion designs as well as chic children’s wear. Gourmet shops and bakeries selling fine chocolates, fresh breads and local cheese also dot this upscale stretch, while its array of restaurants and cafés are the perfect place to indulge and linger.

McGill University (Located less than a mile from the hotel)—McGill University is a public research university located in Montréal, Québec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montréal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland consistently ranked among the top universities in Canada and worldwide

Montréal Canadians Hockey, Bell Centre (Located blocks from the hotel)—The Montréal Canadiens (French: Les Canadiens de Montréal) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montréal, Québec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Home Games
October 13 vs. Calgary Flames
October 15 vs. Colorado Avalanche
October 18 vs. Buffalo Sabres