Important Update for JASNA AGM Registrants
July 31, 2022
Dear JASNA AGM Registrants,
Plans for the AGM in Victoria are coming together well! Today you should have received an email from the AGM Registrar with your personal conference agenda and the following important announcements. Please check the registration agenda in your email and read the announcements there or below so you will be prepared to travel to Victoria and get the best out of your time at the AGM in the City of Gardens.
CHECKING YOUR REGISTRATION
If you did not receive the email, you can sign in to the AGM registration system using your confirmation code to confirm your agenda and make changes or contact the AGM Registrar, Debbie Duncan, at jasnaagm@gmail.com for help. Please be aware of the August 20 deadline for cancellations and consult the Refund Policy on the AGM FAQ page.
BILLING AND PAYMENTS
- AGM payments appear on credit card statements as EVENT* 3RNXQ8T6TPD (and may or may not also say Cvent). Please do not dispute charges with your card issuer without first contacting the Registrar. We will be happy to check your charges and resolve any issues.
- Invoices have been sent to all registrants with balances due. Please close your balance by August 10. You may pay online by credit card, or send a check to the addresses (U.S. or Canadian) on your confirmation form.
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS and HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS
- Currently, COVID testing is not required either to enter Canada or the U.S. However, the Canadian government requires everyone traveling to Canada from other nations to provide mandatory travel and public health information before entering the country. You will need to provide contact information, travel details, and vaccination information. Please note that pre-travel testing and quarantine are not required for vaccinated travelers who properly submit their vaccination information—and everyone participating in the AGM must be vaccinated—so you will not need to submit test results or a quarantine plan. We will provide more information on how to provide your details in a future update; for now, we recommend you watch this explanatory video: Travelling to Canada? Use ArriveCAN - Canada.ca
- At check-in at the AGM, all AGM participants (Attendees, Companions, vendors, etc.) must show evidence of having received a full course of vaccination. You may present your vaccine certificate or an image stored on your phone, as long as it is the complete certificate.
- JASNA has met with the Victoria Conference Centre management to review health and safety procedures. The VCC has implemented ventilation and filtration upgrades, and at our request will provide maximum fresh air intake in meeting spaces. (Remember to pack a sweater!) Enhanced cleaning and nanoseptic touchpoints will help to reduce risk in high-traffic areas.
- Unless conditions change, the AGM will be mask-optional, but a portion of the seating in the general session room will be designated as masks-required. Partitioning seating in smaller breakout rooms is not possible, but you will be free to switch breakout sessions if you feel uncomfortable.
- The only official sources for JASNA’s official health and safety policies are the AGM Update Center on the JASNA website and direct emails from the AGM Team.
TRAVEL AND LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS TIPS
- As in past years, we are offering Hootboard, a private online bulletin board, as a way to connect with other attendees and make ride-share and room-share arrangements. You will need to create an account; the access code is the name of our S&S hero, Brandon. If you have difficulty, contact Alison at jasnavictoria2022agm@gmail.com
- The AGM Travel webpage has recently been updated.
- We are seeing some turnover at the AGM hotels and will continue to do so in August and September, so if you were not originally able to secure the reservation you wanted, please try again. The Doubletree by Hilton has the greatest availability at present.
- A reminder for those with reservations at the Fairmont Empress. Due to the size and layout of this historic hotel, corridors are quite long, and some guest rooms have stairs leading to the bathrooms. If you have mobility issues, we recommend you call the hotel (250-384-8111) and discuss your needs well in advance.
- Our Butchart Gardens teas remain sold out—but fans of what William Cowper called “the cup that cheers” will find many other options in Victoria, including the Fairmont Empress (250-389-2727), nearby Pendray Tea House (250-388-3892), Murchie’s Tea & Coffee on Government St. (counter service only), and, further afield, the Teahouse at Abkhazi Garden (778-265-6466) or White Heather Tea Room (250-595-8020). Visitors to Butchart Gardens may also be able to reserve a teatime individually (not seated with the JASNA group) at 250-652-8222.
- A different, but equally iconic Victoria experience is whale-watching. If the call of the wild beckons you, check out the options here.
- For more local tips, check out the 2022 AGM Facebook page or the 2022 AGM Instagram account, where AGM Coordinator Alison Dacia Brown spotlights restaurants, shops, and scenery, as well as AGM speakers.
The AGM is just eight weeks away! We are eager to welcome you. If you need assistance, please contact the team members below.
CONTACTS
For registration questions or changes, or to cancel your registration: Debbie Duncan, Registrar, at jasnaagm@gmail.com
For AGM program questions and local information: Alison Dacia Brown, AGM Coordinator, at jasnavictoria2022agm@gmail.com
For JASNA policy questions and hotel issues: Linda Slothouber, at lindasnewmail@gmail.com