Bienvenue à Montréal: Introducing the SETAC North America 2026 Annual Meeting
Valérie Langlois, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) and Magali Houde, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
The SETAC North America Annual Meeting has long served as a cornerstone for scientific exchange, collaboration and community within environmental toxicology and chemistry. We are delighted to invite SETAC members to gather in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, for the SETAC North America 47th Annual Meeting from 1–5 November, and we are honored to serve as meeting co-chairs for this upcoming event.
A City Made for Dialogue and Science
Montreal is a city defined by exchange of ideas, cultures, languages and disciplines. As one of Canada’s major research hubs, it is home to leading universities, federal and provincial research institutes, innovative industries and policy organizations that work at the interface of science, regulation and society. Environmental research in Montreal spans fundamental toxicology and chemistry, exposure science, omics, climate-related stressors, biodiversity, risk assessment and solutions-oriented science, reflecting the breadth of SETAC itself.
Beyond its scientific strengths, Montreal offers a distinctive setting for a SETAC meeting. With its walkable neighborhoods, rich culinary scene, and vibrant cultural life, the city encourages informal discussion and connection beyond the conference venue. Its francophone and multicultural character underscores the importance of inclusivity and dialogue, values that are central to SETAC’s mission. Whether attendees are visiting for the first time or returning to a familiar city, Montreal provides both inspiration and warmth as a host city.
Meet Your Meeting Co-Chairs
As co-chairs, we bring complementary perspectives shaped by our professional paths in government science and academic research. Valerie Langlois is a professor at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), with research interests spanning environmental and chemical toxicology, ecotoxicogenomics, endocrine disruption, environmental DNA and RNA, and other molecular and analytical approaches to understanding contaminant effects in aquatic systems. Magali Houde is a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), where her work focuses on the fate, bioaccumulation and biological effects of environmental contaminants across multiple trophic levels and regions, including the St. Lawrence River and the Canadian Arctic. Her research supports environmental risk assessment and community engagement.
Together, we share a strong commitment to scientific rigor, transparency, diversity, collaboration across sectors and community outreach. One of SETAC’s enduring strengths is its ability to bring together researchers, regulators, industry scientists and students to address complex environmental challenges from multiple perspectives. Montréal 2026 will continue to build on this tradition, fostering constructive exchange and mutual learning.
A Meeting Shaped by Its Community
Environmental science is evolving rapidly, and we believe the most meaningful scientific directions emerge organically from the community itself. That said, Montreal offers a powerful point of inspiration through The Ring, a true Montreal icon, a public art installation that symbolizes connection, interdependence and continuity. In this spirit, the meeting naturally lends itself to a One Health perspective, recognizing the inseparable links among environmental, animal and human health, which inspired this year’s meeting theme, “One Planet, Shared Future.”
We anticipate that the sessions proposed by SETAC members will reflect this interconnectedness, whether addressing One Health explicitly or exploring emerging contaminants, chemical mixtures, micro- and nanoplastics, climate-driven stressors, advanced analytical and omics tools, new approach methods, risk assessment frameworks or pathways toward sustainable solutions.
For this reason, we strongly encourage SETAC members to submit session proposals and help shape the scientific program. Sessions that are interdisciplinary, cross-sector and forward-looking are particularly welcome, as are those that create opportunities for early-career scientists and students to engage as speakers and organizers. The SETAC North America Annual Meeting has always thrived on community engagement, and Montréal 2026 will be no exception.
Beyond the Science
While the scientific program will be the heart of the meeting, SETAC Montreal will also offer many opportunities for networking, mentorship and community-building. From structured events to informal conversations over coffee, or perhaps over Montreal’s well-known cuisine and microbreweries, we hope the meeting will strengthen existing collaborations and spark new ones. Montreal’s lively atmosphere and cultural offerings provide an ideal backdrop for these interactions.
Looking Ahead
This article marks the beginning of our shared journey toward SETAC Montreal. Over the coming months, we look forward to working closely with the program committee, session organizers and SETAC leadership to build a meeting that is scientifically robust, diversified, inclusive and engaging. A follow-up article later this year will offer a preview of the emerging program and highlight what attendees can look forward to as the meeting approaches.
In the meantime, we invite you to begin imagining your role in Montreal as a session organizer, presenter, student, mentor or enthusiastic participant. The strength of SETAC lies in its members, and we are excited to see how the community will shape this meeting.
We look forward to welcoming you to Montreal in 2026, à très bientôt!
Contact: [email protected]; [email protected]