General Notes
On-line registration is available through the Member Portal for all delegates listed on the Local Credential Form submitted by the Local President. Registration on the Member Portal will allow you to request a hotel room, childcare and/or a time-off letter. The deadline for all requests is March 14, 2025. Expense claims should be received by Head Office no later than three months after the expense has been incurred, as per OPSEU/SEFPO policy. The most efficient way to submit expense claims is through the Member Portal. Please note all Membership Expense Claim Forms require itemized receipts with your full name on the receipt.
New this year!
Delegates can choose to have their hotel room costs paid directly by OPSEU/SEFPO upon checkout. The selection must be made in the Member Portal. A credit card/deposit will still be required upon check-in for incidentals.
Delegates can choose to have their airline travel booked and prepaid by OPSEU/SEFPO. Delegates must complete this form to select this option.
Hotel Rooms
Delegates attending Convention must register using the Member Portal to specify the length of stay and bed preference (one or two beds). The rate at all hotels, excluding taxes, is $325 for a single room. Internet and telephone calls may be claimed to a maximum of $15 per day. A receipt is required.
Pursuant to policy, OPSEU/SEFPO will reimburse members for (1) additional night on the date which the OPSEU/SEFPO event concludes when the member is required to travel over a 200 kilometre distance between the nearest airport or train station and that member’s home.
Delegates who do not need to travel over 200 kilometres between the nearest airport/train station and their home but need accommodation after adjournment of Convention (noon on Sunday) must submit their rationale and get approval from the office of the First Vice-President/Treasurer to have expenses paid as per OPSEU/SEFPO policy.
Delegates will be booked into one of the following Convention hotels, as per OPSEU/SEFPO policy (section 4.2.1.4). Room costs will not be paid for other hotels.
- Fairmont Royal York, 100 Front Street West
- Hyatt Regency Toronto, 370 King Street West
- Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street West
- Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel, 1 Blue Jays Way
- The Westin Harbour Castle, 1 Harbour Square
Check-out time is noon on Sunday. We have arranged with the hotels to leave luggage at the bell captain’s desk.
If you need to cancel your hotel room, you must contact the Conference and Travel Unit (conferencesandtravel@opseu.org) at least 72 hours before expected arrival. If you do not cancel, you will be responsible for paying for the room. Delegates will be reimbursed for the cost of a single room, as per OPSEU/SEFPO policy (section 4.2.1.9).
If you choose to pay for your hotel upon check-out, you must ensure that the receipt you submit in the Member Portal indicates zero balance owing in order to be reimbursed by OPSEU/SEFPO.
If you choose to have OPSEU/SEFPO pay directly for your room upon check-out, you will still be responsible for providing a credit card/security deposit upon check-in and must pay for any incidentals.
Parking
Only one of the following parking options can be used for the duration of the Convention. OPSEU/SEFPO policy does not permit or reimburse expenses for valet parking.
Delegates staying at the Fairmont Royal York, Hyatt Regency Toronto, Intercontinental Toronto Centre, Toronto Marriott City Centre, and The Westin Harbour Castle must park their vehicle at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Shuttles will be available to take you and your luggage to the hotel.
Please use the specialized link to order your parking pass. Do not use the public link to obtain a regular parking pass. You will only be reimbursed for the negotiated OPSEU/SEFPO rate if you submit a parking receipt.
The order deadline for the parking pass to be sent to your home address is April 10.
Passes must be purchased by April 24 to be eligible for the discounted rate.
Delegates staying at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel must park at the Green P – Nathan Phillips Square Garage at 110 Queen Street West.
Childcare
Childcare will be provided on-site for children who are registered in the Member Portal by March 14. To ensure that we maintain proper staff-child ratios, as set out in the OPSEU/SEFPO Child Care Handbook, children must be registered in advance.
Childcare will be provided during the hours of registration, and throughout Convention, with a break for dinner as required. Coverage will continue in the evening. Exact hours will be communicated closer to Convention.
All children 16 years and younger accompanying delegates/alternates/observers must be
pre-registered and signed in daily at the childcare centre.
Members who bring children to union events will be entitled to meal expenses. The meal allowance for children 12 years of age or less is 50 per cent of OPSEU/SEFPO’s standard meal allowance. If children are not signed-in and attending childcare, meals will not be reimbursed.
Delegates who don’t bring their children to Convention will be reimbursed for childcare claims
at the rate of $15 per hour to a maximum of $220 in a 24-hour period. A receipt, signed by the care provider, showing the dates the service was provided, the address and phone number of the care provider and the names and ages of the children, must be provided when claiming the expense.
Travel policy
As per OPSEU/SEFPO policy (section 4.2.7.1), the most economical means of transportation must be used.
Delegates have the option of having airline travel arranged and pre-paid by OPSEU/SEFPO by completing this form by March 14, 2025.
Delegates may choose to make their own travel arrangements. You are directed to use unionized providers, where available, as per policy. Please take advantage of the discounts for Via Rail, Park’N Fly and UP Express, which are available on the OPSEU/SEFPO website.
Non-claimable expenses
The following expenses cannot be claimed:
- spouses’ expenses, room service, valet parking, other personal charges and any fees incurred above the set rates for this Convention
- Meal expenses for virtual attendees
Advances
Advances are provided by Head Office to delegates only.
Please complete the Advance Request Form with a breakdown of estimated expenses and be sure to indicate the total advance amount requested. Submit this form to advances@opseu.org. It is recommended that you enroll in Direct Deposit by accessing the Member Portal. If not, specify whether the cheque is to be mailed to your home or regional office.
If you have chosen for your airfare and/or hotel booking to be paid directly by OPSEU/SEFPO, you will not be eligible to receive an advance for these amounts. Parking and telephone expenses cannot be pre-paid by OPSEU/SEFPO. Make sure you include these costs in your advance request, if applicable.
If you cannot attend Convention, any advance cheques issued are non-transferable. They must be returned to Head Office.
Credentials
All local credentials must be submitted to convention@opseu.org by March 25, 2025.
- All locals must submit the Local Credential Form, which must be attested to by two officers of the local.
- Insert union ID number, first name, last name, and ranking of each delegate/alternate/observer.
- Each member attending Convention is required to register by using the Member Portal This lets us know if you want a time-off letter, a hotel room or if you require childcare.
- If you have accommodation needs, complete the Human Rights Accommodation Request Form and return it to equity@opseu.org. If you already have an approved accommodation, you do not have to submit this form.
- If you don’t have a credential and wish to attend Convention, you must bring your OPSEU/SEFPO union card, together with photo ID, for verification.
If there are any issues with respect to registration at Convention, you must see a member of the Credentials Committee, who will be available in the registration area.
Cancellation
If you cannot attend Convention, please notify the Convention Office at OPSEU Head Office toll-free at 1-800-268-7376 ext. 3269 or by email (convention@opseu.org) as soon as possible.
To cancel your hotel reservation, you must contact the Conferences and Travel Unit at conferencesandtravel@opseu.org at least 72 hours before expected arrival. If you do not cancel, you will still be responsible for paying for the room.
Any advance cheques issued are non-transferable. They must be returned to Head Office.
Change in Status
If there is a change in status from alternate to delegate, it will be done in order of alternate ranking, e.g., first alternate, second alternate, etc. If there is a change in delegate status, it must be authorized by the Credentials Committee at the time of registration.
A delegate cannot be reinstated after giving up their status to an alternate.
Observers cannot become or replace delegates or alternates.
Convention Hours
- Thursday, April 24 9am – 5pm
- Friday, April 25 9am – 5pm
- Saturday, April 26 9am – 5pm
- Sunday, April 27 9am – 12pm
Time-off letters
Time-off requests must be submitted through the Member Portal by March 14. Please see the guide below for instructions on what to note in your request.
Ontario Public Service (OPS)
Specify your ministry, the name of your manager, and their email address.
Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT)
Specify the name of the college.
Broader Public Service (BPS)
The following information must be provided: full name, title, and email address of the appropriate contact person to whom the letter will be addressed. The appropriate contact person will be the director of human resources or equivalent.
Liquor Board Employees Division (LBED)
Please follow the ‘Request for Union Leave’ (RUL) process.