COVID-19 update, March 2021
We are very sorry to announce that an in-person event will not be possible in summer 2021. The University of Toronto does not plan to resume events in 2021. Strict limits on gatherings in Ontario also remain in place, with uncertainty about when large gatherings will resume or when the US–Canada border will reopen for leisure travel.
We were so hoping to host our much-loved event this summer and understand this will be disappointing news. During the week of July 18, 2021, when Toronto Pursuits would have taken place, we are planning special online social events and workshops to mark the occasion. Look for more details soon. Thank you sincerely for your patience amidst all this uncertainty.
Want to take a seminar now? We have online seminars starting almost weekly. Thank you for your support.
Come for the books, stay for the people. Toronto Pursuits is a cultural salon in the sun for inquiring adults from across North America. Be part of a convivial community that gathers to read, watch, listen to and discuss compelling literature, art, music, and film. Study works that move, provoke, unsettle, and inspire. Wrestle with questions and ideas that matter. Meet old friends and make new one at one of Canada’s most distinctive literary events.
Morning seminars are followed by an excellent hot buffet lunch. Afternoons and evenings are devoted to social and cultural activities on and off campus—talks, literary quizzes, museum visits, and concerts are just a few options to choose from. There’s a free and open approach at Toronto Pursuits that’s relaxing and stimulating at the same time.
CHOOSE YOUR 2022 SEMINAR
Look for the full selection of 2022 seminars in early fall 2021.
DATES AND LOCATION
Toronto Pursuits 2022 is scheduled for July 17 to 22, 2022, at Victoria University at the University of Toronto in central Toronto, Canada.
COST OF REGISTRATION
The Toronto Pursuits 2022 registration cost will be announced in fall 2021. It will be similar to the 2020 cost of C$1520.
WHAT YOUR REGISTRATION INCLUDES
Registration includes one week-long morning seminar, coffee and newspapers all week, five buffet lunches, five days of after-lunch speakers, a five-day afternoon opera lecture series, film screenings, guided walks, two evening cocktail receptions, a new participant orientation on Sunday, and a range of other cultural and social activities. All costs are subject to the 13% Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).
A few optional afternoon and evening activities are not included in the main cost (e.g., museum visits); most of these can be paid on site. Look for more details in spring 2022.
DISCOUNTS — one per person
- Participants who have attended Toronto Pursuits at least five times receive a C$215 discount.
- Register with a friend, and if one or both are first-time participants, each receives a C$215 discount.
- The afternoon seminar is not eligible for either of these discounts (see below).
REFUNDS AND CANCELLATIONS
A C$300 nonrefundable deposit is required at registration. For the afternoon seminar, full payment is required at registration. Refunds are issued for cancellations made before June 1, 2022, minus the C$300 deposit for morning seminars and a C$25 administrative charge for the afternoon seminar.
Per Toronto Summer Music Festival policy, concert tickets are nonrefundable, nontransferable, and nonexchangeable.
Please see our Registration and Cancellation Policy and our Privacy Policy for full details on refunds and cancellations.
AFTERNOON SEMINAR
The cost of the afternoon seminar will be C$200 for those registered for the full Toronto Pursuits program.
The cost is C$400 for those taking the seminar as a standalone option. The standalone option includes the seminar, the after-lunch speakers, and included evening activities. It does not include lunch, which can be purchased separately.
SEMINAR CHANGES
We encourage you to read the seminar descriptions carefully to make sure the topic and amount of reading are a good match for you. You can always find all readings listed on each seminar page and get details on length using book ISBNs. You are free to change your seminar before July 1, 2022, provided there is space in the seminar you want to move to and you are able to complete any preparation required. After July 1, we cannot accommodate any change in seminar.
ACCOMMODATIONS
The details below apply to 2020 accommodations and are for information only. Updated prices and dates for 2022 will be posted as soon as we have them.
Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodations. Most out-of-town participants stay in student housing at the University of Toronto or at our partner hotel, the InterContinental Yorkville.
The InterContinental Yorkville is a newly renovated four-star hotel located at 220 Bloor Street West, just 500 metres from Toronto Pursuits on the Victoria University/University of Toronto campus. Group booking rates will be available later in 2021.
Rowell Jackman Hall offers basic dormitory accommodation at Victoria University at the University of Toronto, where Toronto Pursuits takes place. In most cases, washrooms are shared with one to three other people. Bedrooms are air-conditioned. The 2020 single room rate was C$80.25 plus taxes per night and the double room rate was C$107.00 plus taxes per night. Please read all terms, conditions and standards carefully before you book; it is your responsibility to make sure this accommodation is right for you.
Participants can also stay at Massey College dormitory accommodation, 600 metres from Victoria University where Toronto Pursuits takes place. Bedrooms have fans; common areas are air-conditioned. Washrooms are shared with one or two other people. Prices, registration details, and terms and conditions will be available in midwinter 2022. Please read all terms, conditions and standards carefully before you book; it is your responsibility to make sure this accommodation is right for you.
QUESTIONS? YOU MAY FIND THE ANSWERS IN OUR FAQs
We have also put together a page on Preparing for Your Seminar that gives more information on how to get the most from your seminar and what you can expect from the experience.