Visitor Resources
Information on facilities and resources available to visiting members of the Fields Institute
The Fields Institute is actively monitoring the progress of the COVID-19 Coronavirus, based on the latest information provided by Toronto Public Health and the Coronavirus steering group at the University of Toronto.
Most workshops, courses, and seminars at Fields are being held in a hybrid format with online access for those who cannot attend in person. The building is staffed during business hours (9 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday) except on holidays. Fields Institute staff work in a hybrid model of remote and in-person work and can be reached via e-mail. Please click here for our COVID-19 updates.
Any person who has been exposed to COVID-19 or who is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, runny nose, sore throat, new cough) should stay home and not visit the Institute.
For additional questions or concerns please contact Fields Scientific Support Staff or the Fields Liaison.
Arrival
Upon arrival at the Institute, visiting members are requested to check-in with the Fields Liaison to open an account, which may include, as appropriate:
- building key fob and/or office key fob
- a photocopy code, and
- a computer/email account
Visiting members will have their pictures taken and posted on the Fields Institute staff and visitor board by reception.
Visitors to Fields can purchase a day pass at the Athletic Centre. Day lockers and towel service are available but you must supply your own locks. Long-term visiting graduate students, post-docs and professors can purchase monthly memberships. Please see the Program Office at the Athletic Centre to purchase a membership. You will need to obtain a letter from the Fields Liaison indicating your status with the Fields Institute.
Banking
To open a bank account: Bank accounts may be opened, with proper ID (passport, credit card, bank card from other bank), a deposit amount and proof of residence. A Social Insurance Number (SIN) may or may not be required. Non-Canadians should provide Canadian Immigration documents. Please note individual banks have different criteria, a customer service representative at the bank can clarify the documentation required to open an account.
Currency exchange: Money may be exchanged at favourable rates at banks and hotels. Shops and restaurants will often accept U.S. currency, but at a less favourable exchange rate. Often the best rate is obtained on credit card purchases.
Bicycling
There are bike lock-up posts located along the sidewalk on College Street and to the east of the building.
Please consult this list for purchase options.
City of Toronto sites:
Bike Share Toronto
Toronto Cycling Committee
Toronto map of bike trails
Toronto Parks and Recreation (Tel. 416-392-8186)
Toronto Island Bicycle Rental - Centre Island (Tel. 416-203-0009)
Other related sites:
University of Toronto Outing Club
Ontario Cycling (Tel. 416-426-7242)
Breastfeeding or Chestfeeding Your Child at Fields
A diaper changing counter is available in the 2nd Floor gender women's washroom.
Building Hours and Keys
The Institute doors are open between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. However, visiting members have access to the Institute facilities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When you arrive at the Institute, a member's account will be opened for you and keys may be obtained through the Fields Liaison.
When entering or leaving the building after business hours, please do not let people who are unfamiliar to you enter the building. Visitors who are allowed access will have a fob key to enter the building. If you lose your fob key, please notify the Fields Liaison immediately.
The Fields Institute is not in a position to recommend childcare and assumes no liability for the services of the childcare centres listed here. This listing is for information only.
The City of Toronto Licensed Child Care System has over 1,000 centres and home childcare agencies providing early learning and care for children up to 12 years of age. The City supports quality programs which promote healthy outcomes for all children. You can access the City's childcare locator map here.
In addition, the City of Toronto Parks and Recreation runs a variety of low-cost programs for children and families, which includes everything from sports and fitness to arts and culture.
The following are Toronto companies that offer services for temporary childcare:
- Kids & Company provides flexible back-up child-care for children from the ages of 6 weeks to 12 years.
- Multiple locations within a few km from Fields. Queen West branch (416) 595-5537,
Cost varies depending on the age of the child.
- Nannies on Call provides professional, pre-screened nannies for in-home babysitting (with membership fee).
- The Nanny Solution offers regular part-time or full-time nannies on a short-term (minimum of 2 weeks) or long-term basis.
- Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre - located at 750 Spadina Avenue
- After School Program for children going to schools in the neighborhood to come after school from 3:30 - 5:30 pm (monthly attendance)
- Libbie Cowan Childcare Centre for 18 - 30 month old toddlers (annual/yearly attendance)
- Thomas & Marjorie Schwartz Preschool Centre & Junior Kindergarten for 2.5 - 5 year olds (annual/yearly attendance)
- Breaks, Camps and PA Days for days when school's out.
School-aged Children
Visiting members who are Canadian residents are eligible to register their children in a Toronto area school. The Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board are excellent resources for information about local schools for children. The Conseil Scolaire Viamonde is a network of French language secular schools and the Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir is the Catholic French language school board. To find out which schools have openings for foreign students, you should contact district school boards and school authorities (for publicly funded schools) or the private schools that interest you.
School-aged dependent children of an adult entering Canada with a valid work permit need to apply for a permit to study in Canada. This permit allows parents/guardians of international students to enroll their child in a public school free of charge. However, parents/guardians must provide the school with a number of documents prior to entering their child in a Toronto-area school. Indicate on the work permit application that dependent children will be entering Canada with the applicant. Please consult a representative at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at a Canadian embassy, high commission, or consulate to ensure that any child that will be entering Canada receives a proper permit.
Computing assistance: any questions or concerns regarding computing facilities at the institute, please contact us by email: sysadmin@fields.utoronto.ca.
Computer account: after obtaining a member's account upon arrival, visiting members are asked to see the Fields Liaison to open a computer account.
Printing: there is a printing allowance depending on your length of stay (usually 100 or 500 pages per month). Printing above the given allowance is subject to a charge. Printers are located on the 3rd floor (room 345, behind the photocopier). Please ask the Fields Liason or the IT Support Officer for help if needed.
Accessing Your Email, the Web, or an Account at your Home Institution: If you need to connect via telnet or ssh (also called slogin) to a remote system at your home institution (e.g. to check your email), but you don't have a Fields computer account, you can use one of the common-area computers (see the sign beside the machine for login instructions and obtain the password from the receptionist or you can use one of the Linux terminals or workstations by entering a special “telnet/SSH only” login id and password which you can obtain from reception.
Remote Access: You can access your Fields computer account from a Java-enabled web browser by going to http://login.fields.utoronto.ca. You can also access your Fields computer account remotely from another Internet-connected computer by using ssh or slogin to
Office and Common-Area Workstations: Some visitor offices are equipped with Windows / Linux workstations. Fields Institute account holders can use their account to log in to any of the workstations.
Laptops: Laptops can be used inside the Institute building through a direct Ethernet cable connection (wired) or through a wireless connection. Please see information posted around the building or ask the person coordinating your event how to connect.
Dining
Afternoon Tea: Visitors are invited to attend the 'Afternoon Tea' at 3 p.m. Monday to Friday. This time offers an opportunity to interact with other visitors and Institute staff.
Coffee and Tea: Coffee and tea are available in the kitchen for all Institute members. If you take the last cup of coffee from a pot during the hours the Institute is open, please make a fresh one. Instructions are posted above the coffee maker.
Dining and Kitchen Areas: The dining and kitchen areas are provided for staff and members to enjoy their meals. Feel free to use the microwave and the visitor's refrigerator, but please do not take anything that is not yours. The industrial refrigerator is for the use of Institute staff ONLY with the exception of creamers/milk for coffee. Dishes are available for your use but each individual is responsible for cleaning their own dishes and keeping the area clean.
Monday through Friday after 2:30 p.m., the kitchen will be in use for tea preparation. Due to space limitations, please schedule your use of the kitchen before 2:30 p.m.
Fields Harassment Policy
The Fields Institute is committed to providing an atmosphere that encourages the free expression and exchange of ideas in a harassment-free, friendly and respectful environment.
All reports of harassment will be investigated by staff, and may result in removal from the Institute.
Learn more about our harassment policy, or find the shortened version here.
Fire Safety
Should a fire alarm sound, you are required to leave the building immediately. Stairwells are located at the Northwest and Northeast corners of the building on the 3rd and 4th floors, the front staircase and the Northeast corner on the 2nd floor. Please familiarize yourself with these exits. Do not use the elevator to exit the building when a fire alarm is sounding. If evacuation of the building is necessary, please proceed to the Fields muster point on the lawn in front of the University of Toronto Bookstore, which is located next door to Fields at 214 College. Please also check in with a Fields Institute staff member or colleague in person or via phone/text to confirm that you have left the building.
Emergencies: For serious emergencies, go to the nearest hospital emergency department, or call 911. The University of Toronto maintains a list of other emergency contacts, including hospitals and after-hours clinics.
Walk in Clinics: Medical services for non-urgent medical care. Here are a few near the Fields Institute:
SanoMed Walk-in Medical Clinic (appointments are encouraged)
Downtown Doctors Walk-in Medical Centre
You may search for additional walk-in clinics including in other neighbourhoods.
Dental Services: For dental emergencies, this clinic provides same-day treatment from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, 7 days per week. Payment must be made in full by cash or credit card (dental services are not covered by OHIP). Alternatively, the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry's clinic provides non-emergency dental services that are considerably less expensive than a private dentist.
Health Insurance: Ontario residents are eligible for provincially funded health coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). OHIP coverage normally becomes effective three months after the date a person establishes residency in Ontario. Most out-of-province visitors are not eligible for OHIP. Visitors who do not qualify for either OHIP or the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) coverage are encouraged to purchase private health insurance (for example as part of a travel insurance package).
We urge all non-Ontario residents to purchase Travel Medical Insurance to cover the high costs that can be associated with unexpected accident or sickness while in Canada, as Canada does not pay for hospital or medical services for visitors.
If you wish to purchase supplemental insurance to cover expenses not covered by UHIP or OHIP, below are a few companies that can be contacted for additional information.
Sun Life
Sun Life Personal Health Insurance (PHI): Provides affordable coverage for day-to-day health expenses and unexpected medical emergencies that aren't covered by provincial plans. Dental benefits and semi-private hospital coverage are optional on some plans.
Manulife Health and Dental Guaranteed Issue Enhanced Plan: As long as you're a resident of Canada, over the age of 18 and covered by a government healthcare plan, your acceptance is guaranteed at time of application. Manulife's plan offers a wide range of coverage with a high drug limit and coverage for lifestyle drugs. You don't have to answer any medical questions when you apply - even if you have a pre-existing condition. For a quote and application assistance, please contact Dulari Shah at Ph (416) 366-8771 x 2219.
Surehealth provided by Greenshield Canada
Provides supplemental insurance for people who have OHIP and are between the ages of 18 and 80. To discuss coverage and options, please call Arvin at (844) 841-7873.
Immigration
Visas: Non-Canadian visitors to the Fields Institute must have a valid passport to enter Canada and should consult this page to determine whether they are required to have a visa to enter Canada. If you need a visa, contact the Visa Office at the nearest Canadian Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible.
Work permits: Canada Immigration and Citizenship introduced new rules governing work permits on February 21, 2015. This page provides information on who needs a work permit to work in Canada. Postdoctoral fellows, research visitors, and students may need a work permit but might be exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment. If you need a work permit, you should apply following the instructions on this page. Please also consult this page for essential information before arriving in Canada to work.
Note that guest speakers, commercial speakers, or seminar leaders who speak at specific events, are not required to have a work permit provided the event is no longer than five days, as can be verified in this page.
Libraries
The James Stewart Library in the Fields Institute carries a small collection of texts and journals acquired through donations from various publishers and individual mathematicians. Donated books are catalogued according to the American Mathematical Society Classification system and are available for circulation only to visiting members. The Fields Institute's Publications, including the Fields Institute Communications and Monographs series, are also available in the James Stewart Library.
The main library for the University of Toronto is Robarts Library, at 130 St. George, on the northwest corner of Harbord and St. George. The hours of operation are posted here.
The University of Toronto Mathematical Sciences library is separate from the Robarts Library and located at the Bahen Centre, 40 St. George Street, 6th floor. The majority of Mathematical texts and journals are located there.
Lockers
Lockers are available in the coatroom on the 2nd floor by the elevator. They require a quarter (\$0.25 CDN), which is automatically returned when the locker is re-opened. Please note that the Institute is not responsible for lost items.
Mail Service
There is a Canada Post outlet at the University of Toronto Bookstore, which is located next door to Fields at 214 College St, where visiting members can purchase stamps, send packages, and arrange for courier mail.
Mental Health Services
The 'Feeling Distressed?' Guidebook from the University of Toronto has a comprehensive list of mental health and crisis supports available both on campus and in Toronto.
Parking
Underground parking on campus is available at the BCIT building (entry on at 213 Huron St, just north of College St) and at CAMH (entry on Spadina Ave, just north of College St)
For stays of 4 months or longer, parking spaces can be requested at the University of Toronto's Transportation Services Office located at 100 College Street, Room 222, phone number (416) 978-7275, email:
Photocopiers / printing
Long-term visiting researchers will be given a page limit based on the number of months of their stay at the Institute.
Pictures
Visiting member's pictures are taken upon their arrival at the Institute and displayed at the board near the reception desk. Please see the Fields Liaison if we missed you.
Recycling and Garbage
The Institute is involved in the University of Toronto Recycling program. Garbage is removed from offices by U of T caretakers once a week, so members are kindly requested to empty their own garbage as required into the garbage bins in the common areas on each floor. You will also find recycling containers for bottles and cans in this area. The recycling blue boxes in your office are for paper only. Empty these into the bigger blue recycling containers located on the 3rd and 4th floors. For more information about Recycling see What we Recycle.
Emergencies:
- Toronto Police - call 911
- Campus Police - call (416) 978-2222
Walking: The University of Toronto offers the TravelSafer program as a safer alternative to walking alone. It is a free service offered by Campus Safety that is available 24/7 365 days a year. A Building Patroller or Special Constable will escort you to and from any location on campus and abutting TTC stations for added peace of mind. You can request a TravelSafer escort directly through the UofT Safety App on your cellphone which can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
If you don't have access to a smart phone, you can call Campus Safety Communications from any landline at 416-978-SAFE (7233) or visit Campus Safety at 21 Sussex Ave, 1st Floor.
Smoking
The Fields Institute is a smoke-free environment. Smoking or vaping of any substance, including tabacco and cannabis, is not permitted anywhere in the building or on the premises.
Social Insurance Number
Non-Canadian visiting members receiving research stipends are required to have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to receive payment. To apply for a SIN, it is necessary to enter Canada with a 'work permit' or 'study permit' (see Immigration). Upon arrival in Toronto, please take your passport, Fields invitation/documentation letter, and your applicable immigration document issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to Toronto City Hall Service Canada Centre.
Stipend
Visiting members and postdoctoral fellows who have been offered a research stipend must provide our Accounting Department with a local bank account (a void cheque), local address and a Social Insurance Number. Non-Canadian residents must have a work permit to legally receive a stipend, including postdoctoral fellows. Postdoctoral fellows who were international students at a Canadian university must also apply for a work permit, even if the student permit is still valid. See also Income Tax Payable on Research Stipends.
Tax Information
Tax Refund: Visitors from outside of Canada may qualify for a tax refund. There is no refund of the tax paid on items such as meals and alcohol; tobacco products; services such as dry cleaning and hairdressing; air, train, and bus tickets, or car rentals. Also, any goods that consumed or left behind in Canada do not qualify for this refund.
Income Tax Payable on Research Stipends: Canada Revenue Agency has many different tax rules for international and non-resident visitors receiving research stipends for their visit. Please see this page to determine the situation that applies to you.
Telephone
The main phone number for the Fields Institute is (416) 348-9710.
Office Phones: there is one shared phone in each office that is equipped with voicemail. Dial 9 before dialing the telephone number when making outside calls. To access your messages on voice mail please see instructions in the office by your phone.
University of Toronto
General campus inquiries: (416) 978-2323
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