Payment

All prices are listed in Canadian dollars ($ CAD) and subject to 5% GST and 9.975% QST. Our secure server will process Visa and Mastercard. Charges on your credit card statement will appear as 'Canadian Association of Optometrists'.
 

Cancellation & Refund Policy

Cancellation of any registrations must be sent via email to congress@opto.ca and the following cancellation periods will apply:

• Until Sunday, May 1, 2023 - full refund, less $100 CAD administration fee.
• As of Monday May 2, 2023 until Sunday, June 12, 2023 - 50% refund.
• As of Monday, June 13, 2023 - 100% non-refundable.

Transfer of registration will be accepted at no additional cost up until June 30, 2023.
 

Changes and Postponement

CAO reserves the right to make alterations to the Congress program, venue, and timings at any point. In the event of it being found necessary, for whatever reason, that the Congress be postponed or cancelled, CAO shall not be liable for any expenditure, damage or loss incurred by the Registrant. In the unlikely event of the Congress being canceled, a full refund will be made, and any liability by CAO will be limited to the amount of the fee paid by the Registrant.

For these reasons, registrants are advised against making non-refundable travel arrangements. Should you purchase non-refundable airline tickets or make non-refundable hotel reservations, you do so at your own risk.
 

Photography/Videography Disclosure

For promotional purposes, photographic and video recordings may be taken during the Congress. As a registered attendee of CAO Congress 2022, you agree to grant permission for CAO Congress 2022 and CAO to use your likeness in a photograph or video in any and all of its publications and presentations, including website entries, without payment or any other consideration; to authorize CAO Congress 2022 and CAO, alter, copy, exhibit, publish or distribute the photograph or video for purposes of publicising future CAO Congress programs or for any other lawful purpose; to waive the right to inspect or approve the finished product, including written or electronic copy, wherein your likeness appears; that these materials will become the property of CAO. Registrants who do not wish to be filmed or recorded should advise the CAO in writing prior to the event by emailing congress@opto.ca.

CAO shall not be liable for any Exhibitor’s use of a photo/screenshots/video containing Registrants images or for Exhibitor’s failure to obtain consent from Registrant.
 

Privacy Policy

The Canadian Association of Optometrists is the sole owner of the information collected on our websites. We do not sell, share or rent this information to third parties or partners; unless clearly indicated. The importance of security for all personally identifiable information associated with our customers is of utmost concern to us. This site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control.

When you register on our website, we use your information to process and fill your registration. We may send you an email to confirm or to update you on your registration. We may also need to contact you by regular mail, email or phone if we have any questions about your registration.

List of registrants (and emails) will also be made available to Congress sponsors and exhibitors so they can communicate information on their events and booths with delegates. Delegates may opt-out of this list during registration.

Delegates who sign up for a sponsored event (including breakfasts, lunches, receptions, etc.) will automatically have their delegate information shared with those event sponsors.

If you have voluntarily provided information, you have consented to the collection, use and disclosure of your personally identifiable information as described in this privacy policy. We will not use personal information for any purpose other than that for which you consented.
 

Warranties and Liability

CAO gives no warranties in respect of any aspect of the Congress, or any materials related thereto or offered at the Congress and, to the fullest extent possible under the laws governing this Agreement, disclaims all implied warranties, including but not limited to warranties of fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, timeliness, and merchantability. Neither CAO nor its affiliates can accept any responsibility or liability for reliance by Registrant or any person on any aspect of the Congress and/or any information provided at the Congress. Views expressed by speakers, sponsors and/or exhibitors are their own. In addition, CAO shall not be responsible or liable for any direct or indirect loss or damage of any sort incurred as the result of the services or information provided in connection with the event.
 

Website & Links

The Congress and associated CAO websites may link to other websites provided for the convenience of the users. The contents of these websites are maintained by their owners, for which CAO takes no responsibility. Neither can responsibility be taken for contents of any website linking to this website.
 

General

We reserve the right at all times to change, amend, add or remove any of the above terms without prior notice. If one or more of the conditions outlined in these Terms & Conditions should be or become invalid, the remaining conditions will continue to be valid and apply. These Terms & Conditions apply to all participants of this event, including speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors.

Whilst CAO is very much looking forward to welcoming you back to the 2023 Congress with a long-awaited return to in-person events, we are strongly committed to the safety of our participants, staff, vendors and suppliers. Both CAO and our community of participants need to take new precautions when planning how we come together again in person for learning and exchange.

CAO continuously monitors local, provincial, and national guidelines and regulations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also working closely with all our event partners to make sure that a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times during the event.

Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, and in order to be compliant with relevant provincial and municipal regulations, it may be necessary for CAO to update its health & safety policy from time to time, including these COVID-19 specific safety rules. We will inform registered participants about substantial changes to this document.

COVID-19 vaccination status as a condition of attendance

CAO requires that all on-site participants in its on-site event – including standard participants, speakers, exhibitors, CAO staff and contractors - adhere to a vaccinated policy. Only fully vaccinated persons (2 vaccine doses) will be eligible to participate in the on-site event.

Please note that Proof of Vaccination will be required during the on-site registration process.

Safe conduct at the event

By attending, you agree to abide by applicable provincial and municipal regulations and CAO’s health & safety rules, and to conduct yourself in accordance with all provided instructions. This will include, but is not limited to:

• refraining from coming to the event, or leaving promptly, if you develop symptoms associated with COVID-19;
• complying with the prevailing public health mask-wearing policy communicated at the event;
• following instructions on physical distancing and crowd circulation at the event to minimize contact; and • observing good hand-washing and hygiene etiquette.

You can also confirm that:

• You are not under quarantine requirements as imposed by the Provincial or a Municipal Health Authority;
• You have not been in close contact with a person with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection; and
• You have not shown any symptoms of a COVID-19 infection yourself.
• You are following all public health recommended guidelines as much as possible and limiting potential exposure to COVID-19.

CAO will ensure the following:

• Capacities have been reduced to limit crowding, and circulation routes / distancing guidelines will be in place;
• Proper cleaning and disinfection protocols and workplace practices are in place as a standard and hand sanitizing stations are present throughout the building for use by all;
• A non-vaccinated person may only register for virtual participation.

Congress participants accept that they may be asked to leave the event should they fail to meet the obligations contained herein.