Travel expenses as defined below apply to delegates, seconded staff, and invited partners or guests of General Synod at General Synod 2025 (“qualified persons”). General Synod is not responsible for travel expenses of other persons accompanying a qualified person.
General Synod will reimburse reasonable expenses incurred to attend a meeting. Reasonable expenses mean expenses that would not otherwise have been incurred in normal daily activities except for the need to travel to a meeting. As a matter of good stewardship, members are encouraged to minimise expenses where possible.
All air and train travel must be booked through Corporate Traveller. Please contact Amanda Callaghan at [email protected]. If air or train travel is booked independently, qualified persons are responsible for their own costs.
No matter your mode of transportation, please note the following:
- Travel booked with Corporate Traveller will be paid directly by General Synod and is not to be included on the Travel Expense Form.
For Train Travel:
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- Qualified persons living in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor will travel by VIA Rail.
- General Synod will pay for one round-trip Economy Plus fare to London, Ontario, which includes 1 carry-on item (up to a medium sized bag). Additional baggage will be at the expense of the delegate and is to be paid for at the time of booking.
- Travel add-ons, such as travel insurance, can be arranged at the expense of the qualified person. Changes to your booking are subject to approval by General Synod. Please email requested changes to [email protected].
- General Synod will not cover any costs for additional passengers travelling with qualified persons. You are welcome to book and pay for their travel through Corporate Traveller at the time of your booking.
For Air Travel:
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- Qualified persons who do not live in the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor will travel by air to Toronto Pearson International Airport. From there, chartered buses will take qualified persons to and from London.
- General Synod will pay for one round-trip Flex airfare to Toronto, Ontario, which includes 1 checked bag. Additional baggage will be at the expense of the qualified person and is to be paid for at the time of booking.
- Changes to your booking are subject to approval by General Synod. Please email requested changes to [email protected].
- General Synod will not cover any costs for additional passengers travelling with a qualified person. You are welcome to book their travel through Corporate Traveller at the time of your booking.
For Bus Travel:
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- Travel by bus may be booked independently and is subject to the restrictions below.
- There are some restrictions on bus travel. General Synod will pay the lesser of train, bus, or economy airfare. For example, if the cost of bus fare is higher than economy class train fare, delegates will be reimbursed for the equivalent of economy train fare.
- If travelling by bus, let us know at [email protected].
For Car Travel:
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- Qualified persons who are driving, see Sections 2, 3, and 4 below.
- Parking is available at the DoubleTree by Hilton London Ontario for $5.00 per night and is subject to availability.
- If travelling by car, let us know at [email protected].
- Qualified persons within a reasonable driving distance who drive to London, Ontario will be reimbursed a mileage allowance at the rate of .66¢ per km. Mileage allowance is reimbursed only to the driver; meals en route will be reimbursed for the driver and passengers who are qualified persons (also see Section 7). Carpooling is encouraged.
Other qualified persons who prefer to drive will receive the lesser of economy airfare/train fare in the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor (as determined by Corporate Traveller) or the mileage rate of .66¢ per km.
- Rental cars will not be reimbursed.
- Charges for airport, train station, or bus parking and travel to and from your home airport, train station, or bus station are valid expenses. For those travelling by air, General Synod will arrange and pay for ground transportation to and from Toronto Pearson International Airport.
- Qualified persons travelling by air who require hotel accommodations en route because of where they live and where the airport is located, or because of the length of a layover, will have their accommodation covered when booked through Corporate Traveller.
- The General Synod will pay reasonable travel expenses for one return trip to London, Ontario. It will not normally pay for travel expenses for multiple trips during the meeting, unless pre-arranged/authorized. It will not pay travel expenses for clergy or others traveling to their parishes or homes during General Synod.
- Amounts indicated here for meals en route to and from General Synod are suggested maximums and apply only when extended travel time, or the timing of connecting flights necessitates. (B=$10.00; L=$15.00; D=$20.00). The daily maximum is $50.00. General Synod will not accept charges for alcohol.
- Travel health insurance is not reimbursed by General Synod; however, it is recommended that you review your province’s policies regarding out-of-province medical coverage.
- Itemized receipts must be provided for ALL expenses other than mileage allowance, and are due by July 31, 2025. Receipts from point of sales terminals that do not display purchase details may not be reimbursed.
- Reimbursement for qualified travel expenses will occur after General Synod.