Things to know.

Language

French and English are Canada's two official languages and French is the official language of the Province of Québec. French is thus the predominant language in Québec City. However, most, if not all, banks, hotels, airline offices, shops, and key visitor attractions have multilingual staff. The official language of the congress is English. All abstract submissions and presentations must be in English. Simultaneous translation will not be available.

Weather

The average temperatures in Québec City during the month of June are generally 22-25°C during the day and 12-15°C at night.

Currency, Banking, ATM & Credit Cards

The currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD).

Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks and at foreign currency exchange offices either at the Airport or at other locations throughout the city.

Bank debit or credit cards are the most convenient means of getting cash at the many Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs). ATMs are spread throughout the city and accept cards with the Interac, Plus, and Cirrus networks. Most are in operation 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Most businesses accept U.S. currency, as well as major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, and American Express).

Sales Taxes

There is a 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST) in effect in Canada and a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) of 9.975% in the Province of Québec, for a combined tax rate of 14.975%. These taxes are applicable to most items and are not refundable. An additional 3,5% is also applicable on hotel accommodation.

Electricity

The electrical current is 110 volts AC at 60Hz.

Time Zone

Québec City is in the Eastern Standard Time Zone (EST) (UTC-05:00).Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (UTC-04:00) is in effect from March to November.