Meals
Conference meals will feature food provided by EFAO members and other local ecological farmers and food providers. They are truly a celebration of this community of producers and local, seasonal ingredients – a trademark of the EFAO Conference!
Meals are all served buffet style and aim to have options for everyone. Lunch is included with any day pass, breakfasts and dinners are included in some passes and can be purchased separately.
If you have specific dietary needs, please indicate in your registration and reach out to conference@efao.ca with any questions.
Venue & Lodging
EFAO Conference will take place at the Blue Mountain Inn located at 110 Jozo Weider Blvd, The Blue Mountains.
The Blue Mountain Resort has extended our negotiated room rate by one more week. There is a limited number of rooms left at a range of prices available to book by phone only until November 16 (1-833-583-2583 – provide the group name – Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario Annual Conference and Group code – 10F3Y4).
We do not have an additional hotel block booked with the conference, but if you are looking for additional or alternate accommodations options, conference attendees have booked into the following options:
Comfort Inn & Suites Collingwood (Rooms starting around $165/night, ~12 minute drive to Blue Mountain Inn)
Days Inn & Suites Collingwood (Rooms starting around $160/night, ~13 minute drive to Blue Mountain Inn)
Georgian Bay Hotel (Rooms starting around $156/night, ~7 minute drive to Blue Mountain Inn)
Airbnb has many properties at a variety of rates close to the conference venue
Accessibility
The Blue Mountain Inn is an older building that has undergone limited renovations. To confirm the specific accessibility features and services of this space, please be in touch at conference@efao.ca or you can call the hotel at 1-877-445-0231.
As such, many of the spaces are accessible without stairs, but there are some that are not.
- The Weider Ballroom (used for keynote sessions, meals and breakout sessions) is located on the ground floor of the Conference Centre and can be accessed directly from the parking lot.
- The Inn Café (location of the Trade Show) is located on the ground floor of the Conference Centre and can be accessed directly from the parking lot.
- The Bay Street Room (used for breakout sessions) is located on the ground floor of the Inn and can be accessed through the front doors by guest check-in.
- The Ravenna, Craigleith and Duntroon rooms are located on the lower level of the conference centre and are accessed by one flight of stairs.
- The Nottawa room is reserved as a quiet space for conference attendees and is located on the lower level of the Conference Centre, accessed by one flight of stairs. You can feel free to use this for quiet meetings, a work space, or for eating meals outside of the hustle and bustle of the main ballroom.
- The venue includes gender neutral and accessible washrooms at ground level.
Please contact us if you require any additional support in order to participate in the Conference. Please note that although EFAO strives to make the Conference accessible, it may not be possible to accommodate all requests.
Please contact us or visit the registration desk once you’re at the conference if you have any questions.
Getting There
Blue Mountain is about two hours northwest of Toronto. In an effort to help you find a ride to the conference, reduce emissions from transportation, and save money on gas, we’ve created a public spreadsheet where you can post your ride or that you are looking for one. Find or offer a ride here.
Family Room & Youth Programming
Children are welcome to attend sessions or drop into the on-site Family Room for unstructured engagement or participate in Youth Programming. Families are responsible for coordinating the supervision of their children at all times at the conference. There is no cost for children to attend the conference or participate in youth programming, though conference meals should be purchased here.
This year, we are so pleased to have a stream of youth programming available. Geri Nelson, experienced outdoor school educator, will be offering a selection of youth-focused sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. Sessions are best suited to children ages 4 and up. Register here.
Farm Kids at the Conference
Welcome next generation farmers! We have a spot just for you at this year’s EFAO conference. While your parents are at conference sessions, join us for fun and learning as we explore farm topics and learn about the plants and animals that make up our food. Each session is designed around a farm-related theme and will include stories, hands-on activities and crafts. Open to any children ages 4 to 12 years old attending the EFAO conference with their parents or caregivers. Children under age 4 welcome to attend alongside their parent/caregiver.
All sessions will take place in the Champlain Room, located down the hall (and up a few stairs) from the main lobby of the Blue Mountain Inn.
Seeds: Seed Art & Saving Seeds, Wed Dec 2 | 10:30AM – 12PM
Bees: Exploring Bee equipment & Making Beeswax Candles, Wed Dec 2 | 1:30PM – 3PM
Fibre From the Farm: Felting, Spinning, Fibre Mulch, and the Animal that Provide Fibre, Wed Dec 2 | 3:30PM – 5PM
Food, Cooking, Nutrition and Food Preservation: Simple Snack Prep and Ingredient Journey, Thurs Dec 3 | 10:30AM – 12PM
Farm Fun Recap: Revisiting Favourite Activities, Thurs Dec 3 | 1:30PM – 3PM
Financial Support
In order to make the conference accessible to all farmers and future farmers in Ontario, EFAO strives to reduce financial barriers for registration by using a Sliding Scale model. To register, please complete this form.
Not attending the conference but interested in sponsoring a farmer to attend? Donate today!