The Québec City Convention Centre is proud to announce that it will host the 8th World Parkinson Congress (WPC) in June 2029. The news was confirmed during a welcome reception held in conjunction with the WPC 2026 in Phoenix, officially naming Québec City as the host destination for the next edition of this one-of-a-kind international gathering.
This will be only the second time the World Parkinson Congress has been held in Canada, following Montréal in 2013. For the Québec City Convention Centre, hosting this major international gathering directly reflects its mission to generate positive and lasting economic, scientific and social impacts through events.
A Convention Unlike Any Other
Since its creation in 2004, the World Parkinson Coalition® has organized this triennial congress, bringing together the scientific, clinical, patient and care advocacy communities connected to Parkinson’s disease under one roof. It is the only fully inclusive international gathering in the field, with 20% to 25% of delegates themselves living with Parkinson’s disease, alongside researchers, clinicians and care partners from around the world.
Following previous editions in Washington, Glasgow, Montréal, Portland, Kyoto, Barcelona and Phoenix, the Congress is expected to attract more than 3,500 delegates to Québec City, generating significant scientific and human impact for the destination. Its economic impact on the region is currently estimated at more than $6 million.
An Anything-but-Conventional Bid
Québec City won the bid to host the Congress in December 2025, prevailing over another major Canadian destination. Teams from the Québec City Convention Centre, Québec City Business Destination and JPdL had been working together on the bid since April 2024.
When the World Parkinson Congress organizing committee began searching for a new destination for its 8th edition, our priority was to find a city that offered more than accessible infrastructure. We wanted a destination that demonstrated genuine enthusiasm and a strong interest in hosting an event of this magnitude, while also understanding the importance of the advances and knowledge that will emerge from it. Among all the cities considered for the 2029 edition, Québec City first stood out because of its convention centre, whose facilities perfectly met our needs. Our event is not a typical scientific gathering, and the program will feature a wide variety of workshops. From our very first visit, the Québec City Convention Centre proved to be the ideal venue for us, thanks to its location and the versatility of its meeting spaces
Elizabeth Pollard Executive Director of the World Parkinson Coalition®
Beyond the Convention Centre itself, Québec City’s network of local and national partners immediately embraced the cause, including Destination Québec cité, Université Laval, Parkinson Québec, Parkinson Canada and the hotels that will welcome delegates.
Hosting WPC 2029 in Québec City will also include a significant Parkinson’s disease awareness and education component for the organizations and individuals who will help welcome delegates, including taxi companies, emergency services, hotel staff and the Québec City Convention Centre’s guest services team. This initiative will be an important part of the legacy the Congress leaves behind in Québec City.
A Legacy That Extends Beyond the Event
What sets WPC apart is its strong commitment to creating an impact that lasts well beyond its four-day program. Previous editions of the Congress have served as catalysts for lasting initiatives, including the creation of organizations such as PD Avengers and Parkinson’s Africa, research programs led by patients who went on to become researchers, and the highly regarded Parkinson Ready™ program, which trains hotel, airport, transportation and security personnel in host cities to better welcome people living with mobility challenges.
“We are excited to see the collaborations and exchanges that will emerge from the 8th edition of the World Parkinson Congress in Québec City. Through the Parkinson Ready™Québec program, we will even be able to track much of the knowledge gained by delegates and by the Québec City stakeholders we will work with on the event,” added Pollard.
Hosting WPC in Québec City in 2029 represents much more than welcoming a leading international scientific event. It is an opportunity for Québec City and the Convention Centre to make a tangible contribution to advancing the understanding of Parkinson’s disease while creating a lasting local impact through greater awareness, accessibility and inclusion. The event fully embodies the Convention Centre’s vision of hosting high-impact events that not only advance their respective fields but also contribute to the communities that welcome them.
The Québec City Convention Centre team is honoured by the trust placed in it by the World Parkinson Coalition® and looks forward to putting its expertise to work to make this 8th edition a milestone event for the delegates who gather here and for Québec City as a whole.
