Helpful Information for the 2010 RI Convention in Montreal, Quebec, Canada The following information and links are provide to help our members and other Rotarians in planning their 2010 RI Convention Activities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  During the coming months we will be posting information on transportation, tours before and after the convention, updated housing info, major speakers and entertainment.   This will help our members (and others) plan their trip to Montreal in order to make it the most rewarding possible.

The Palais des Congrès de Montreal and the Centre Bell

Convention Venues:   The Montreal Convention will have two primary venues.

1. First, the Palais des Congrès de Montreal is the main convention Venue.  This is where the House of Friendship will be located, where all of the luncheons will be held, and where all of the breakout sessions will be held.  It is located in the heart of downtown Montreal within very easy walking distance of many of the convention hotels.  In addition, it is directly connected to these hotels via the "Underground City".  The Underground City is one of Montreal's most famous attractions.  It is known for being the largest underground complex in the world, containing and linking to over 200+ restaurants, 1700 shops, markets and boutiques, 30 movie theatres, hall, museums, and hotels, all connected to 10 of the city's subway stations.  This uniqu3e feature has made people often refer to Montreal as "two cities in one" and can allow visitors to explore the city without having to worry about the weather or lengthy travel time between the cities shopping districts. 

2. The Centre Bell will be the venue for all of the convention Plenary Sessions.  This venue is a very short walk from the Palais or a quick subway ride via the Underground City.  The Centre Bell is home to the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team and is the primary Montreal venue for concerts and other major events.  There will be some "surprises" for Convention attendees.  It will be configured into a horseshoe shape for the convention and will accommodate 15,000 attendees in a single session. 

Information on the City of Montreal

Montreal is one of North America's most exciting and beautiful cities.  It truly has something for everyone.  It is a city located on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence River; it is a UNESCO City of Design; it is home to 2.5 million people and 1,000 parks with almost one tree for every two people; it is the fashion capital of Canada and the second-largest French speaking city in the world, after Paris.  It's primary language is French (60%), but it is also primarily bilingual with English being spoken in all hotels, shops, restaurants and attractions.  The many ethnically diverse communities within the city give it the feel of being in Europe around each and every corner.  Located downtown within easy walking distance from all of the hotels are Chinatown, Little Italy, the Latin Quarter, The Underground City, Vieux-Montreal (the Old City), Mont6-Royal,and the Rue-Ste-Catherine shopping district just to name a few.  The area is filled with wonderful restaurants, boutiques to suits anyone's pocketbook, and some of the most beautiful, historical architecture to be found anywhere in North America.  I've you've always wanted to visit Europe but couldn't afford the cost, here's you opportunity to visit Europe without ever leaving North America . . . Come to Montreal in 2010 for a true International Experience!  For the cost of no more than a plane ticket to New York City, you can have a European experience while enjoying all of the benefits and inspirations of a Rotary International convention.

Additional Information & Registration Links

Following are some links that will provide you with additional information on Montreal.  During the coming months, more information will be added to this page and to this web site to help you in making your plans to attend the convention.

1. CLICK HERE  to register online for the RI Convention
    
2. CLICK HERE  to visit the Host Organization Committee web site and order HOC tickets.