At Conference
The OAA is ready to welcome you next week for its Conference in Ottawa, Reshaping Communities.
This page has information you need to know before you head out to join us in the nation's capital. If you have any additional questions before Conference begins, you can email conferenceregistration@oaa.on.ca or call 416-449-6898, extension 777, during regular OAA office hours, or as noted below.
Much of the Conference takes place on the fourth floor of the Westin Ottawa: click here to see a map of the venue. Once the event starts on Wednesday, you can find OAA staff at the Registration Desk located at the Conference Lounge, in Provinces I/II & Confederation I. You can reach people there on Wednesday, May 14 and Thursday, May 15 from 7:30 am to 4 pm, and on Friday, May 16 from 7:30 am to 11 am. And while you’re at the Lounge, be sure to visit our Sponsors whose participation in the event continues to make it accessible at a great value.
The Lounge is also where you’ll find breakfast, lunch, snacks during breaks, coffee, drinks, and the Kreitmaker Experiential Learning Dispatch Hub. Happy Hour takes place here on Wednesday night and the President's Reception on Thursday night!
Wi-Fi
Please note the Wi-Fi network at the Westin Ottawa is open to Conference attendees for free.
- Connect to the Westin_CONFERENCE wireless network.
- Once connected, open your browser and the Westin sign in page will appear. Note: If the Westin sign-in page does not appear, please enter www.westin.com into the address bar, press enter and wait a few moments for the sign-in page to appear.
- Enter the Access code: OAA2025
Web Portal, Digital Access, and Printing Your Badge
This year, once again, you can save your badge with barcode to your mobile device for scanning into sessions, experiential learning, and social events. Your badge (and guest badge) are ready for you in the OAA Conference Web Portal, which also includes your personalized itinerary, maps, schedules.
Save the Conference Web Portal to your browser favourites, or on your mobile device’s home screen. Don’t forget to print your badge as they must be worn through Conference. The Badge Printing Station, outside the Nunavut room, is also where you can also pick up a neck wallet. (Leave ample time as lines can sometimes be long or, better still, print beforehand using the Web Portal!)
Win Back Your Registration!
There are a few ways this year to “win back” the amount of your registration cost for the 2025 OAA Conference! Check out the "Win Your Registration" button of the Conference Web Portal to learn more about this year's Sponsor Scavenger Hunt, which offers two different rounds to be selected by random draw. And, after the event, watch out for our attendee Overall Conference survey—another winner will be randomly selected as a thank you for participating.
Getting to (and Around) Ottawa
To support a range of transportation needs, the OAA is partnering with national airlines and VIA rail to provide delegates with discounts and deals for travel to and from Ottawa. For more information, see our travel discounts page. Shuttle buses will be available in Ottawa for transportation to events and Experiential Learning sessions.
Parking Details:
Option 1 – Hotel valet is $55+tax per day
Option 2 – Self parking at the Rideau Centre Parking Garage is $30 per day/ 24 hours (paid on-site through machines in the garage, online, or through an app)
Busing and Special Event Transfers
The bus pick-up/loading location will vary depending on the day:
Wednesday: staged on Daly Avenue, across the street from the hotel by the Convention Centre; and
Thursday: staged on the street in front of the hotel on Colonel By Drive.
Conference staff will be in the lobby to help direct guests to the bus loading zones.
SP3 - Opening Night Party Presented by ORSA
Buses will loop starting at 7:30 pm from the Westin Ottawa to the Ottawa Art Gallery until 10:45 pm.
SP6 - Archifête
Buses will loop starting at 7:45 pm from the Westin Ottawa to the Canadian Museum of Nature until 11:15 pm.