Travel and accommodations

The 12th floor of Desmarais Hall, University of Ottawa is the venue for both the 2026 SAC summer school and the conference.

Getting to Ottawa

Ottawa International Airport (YOW) has regular flights to most Canadian and a few major US and European airports.

A good alternative for international travelers is Montréal Trudeau International Airport (YUL). The Orléans Express Bus shuttles between YUL and Ottawa several times a day. The dropoff is right outside the SAC venue. The journey time is approximately 2 hours. Tickets should be booked in advance.

Ottawa is served by train through Via Rail Canada.

Local transporation

Public transportation is operated by OC Transpo. There are train and bus links to the airport. Taxi and Uber between the airport and the city should cost about 25-30 CAD.

Visas

Please consult the Immigration Canada webpage for visa requirements. Visa-exempt foreign nationals except U.S. citizens usually require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board a flight to Canada.

Should you require assistance with visas please contact the organizers. Include your name, institutional affiliation, email and web page, and the title of your presentation at SAC (if any).

Accommodations

Special rates for SAC and PST participants are available at the following hotels near the venue. Please use the link provided to take advantage of the discount.

Doubletree by Hilton CAD 209

Le Germain summer school conference CAD 289

Lord Elgin CAD 246 (before July 15)

Moxy Ottawa Downtown CAD 239 (enter corporate/promo code B3941)

Andrej’s local recommendations

Coffee

• Volume Coffee House (near) A cozy hangout for uOttawa students. Nice spot for a casual chat.
• Jackson Cafe (near) Elegant cafe inside the Ottawa Art Museum. Good pastries and light foods for breakfast or lunch.
• Little Victories (near) The flagship shop of an excellent local coffee chain. Set in a beautiful space facing the main square.
• Equator Coffee (near) Located inside the National Arts Centre, Equator is a good alternative when Little Victories gets too busy.
• Palmier (very far) Popular cafe with outdoor seating in beautiful Chelsea.

Food

• In's Kitchen (near) Korean restaurant popular with students. One of the better places to eat around campus.
• Working title (near) Set in a heritage building, this is another good if fancier restaurant around uOttawa.
• Peking duck (near) A far-flung outpost of the famous Quanjude Peking duck.
• Beyond the Pale Byward Taproom (near) One of several good breweries in Ottawa. A good place to try poutine.
• Izakaya Shingen (near) Japanese restaurant with good-value dishes to share and a nice friendly vibe.
• Ay Wey Mexican Street Tacos (not too far) A tasty taqueria with generous servings and explosive flavours.
• Citizen / Town (not too far) Creative dishes served in a cozy space.
• Beer Garden by Dow's lake (not too far) A popular local summer hangout by the lake. Hot dogs, burgers, and drinks are on offer.
• Pho Tuan (not too far) Pho Tuan is one of several good Vietnamese restaurants in Ottawa's Chinatown area.
• Heartbreakers Pizza (far) Casual spot with excellent pizza. Reservations are a good idea; in case they are full a second location has free seating.
• Saffron Kabab (far) This out-of-the-way restaurant serves excellent Persian kababs.
• Parkdale night market (far) A lively night market with food stalls and performers. Wednesdays 5-9pm only.
• Beurre Salé crêperie (very far) A beautiful brunch venue near the Ottawa river. There are several other nice restaurants nearby.
• Jean Burger (very far) Tasty burgers and poutine for hungry hikers in Gatineau Park.
• Kin Vineyards (very far) A great spot for a summer outing. If you are curious to try Ontario wines this is the place for it. The diefenbunker next door is an odd but popular landmark.
• Calabogie Brewing Co. (very far) A memorable excursion if you have an extra day and a car. In case you are in it for the beer only they have a branch closer to town.

Ice cream

• Farinella (not too far) Gelato and pizza too (by the slice for lunch, by the box for dinner).
• Merry Dairy (far) Deservedly popular local spot for ice cream, with lines stretching around the corner in summer.
• Moo Shu Ice Cream (far) This is what then president and ice cream aficionado Biden was served by then prime minister Trudeau on his 2023 state visit.