{"id":21779,"date":"2026-07-20T15:42:57","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T19:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.convention.qc.ca\/?p=21779"},"modified":"2026-07-20T16:22:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T20:22:09","slug":"iaia26-recap-international-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.convention.qc.ca\/en\/case-studies\/iaia26-recap-international-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"IAIA26 Recap: The Largest International Convention Hosted at the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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From May 19 to 22, 2026, the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre hosted IAIA26<\/a>, the annual conference of the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to environmental, social, economic and policy impact assessment. Here’s a look back at the largest international convention hosted at the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre in 2026.

With more than 1,400 delegates from 76 countries, the 45th edition of IAIA’s annual conference was the largest ever held in the association’s history, both in terms of attendance and the richness of its scientific program. A two-day pre-conference training program was also held on May 17 and 18, bringing together approximately 285 participants across 15 professional training sessions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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This marked the second time the event was held in Qu\u00e9bec City, following its first visit in 1994. More recent editions took place in Bologna (Italy, 2025), Dublin (Ireland, 2024), Kuching (Malaysia, 2023), and Vancouver (Canada, 2022).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Photo: Carlos Quintero (MediaOnQ)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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A Bid That Stood Out on the International Stage<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Preparations to bring IAIA26 to Qu\u00e9bec City began in February 2024, when the Association qu\u00e9b\u00e9coise pour l’\u00e9valuation d’impacts<\/em> (AQ\u00c9I) set out to develop its bid to serve as the event’s host organization. After several months of collaboration among destination partners, Qu\u00e9bec City’s bid was selected by IAIA’s decision-making committee in the fall of 2024. The proposal distinguished itself through the quality of its presentation, the expertise of the organizing team, and the committee’s confidence in the destination’s ability to deliver a successful international conference.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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A Large-Scale Logistical Operation at the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Planning IAIA26 required approximately eight months of preparation before the event. Coordinating spaces<\/a> \u2014 23 meeting rooms throughout the Convention Centre were dedicated to the conference \u2014 validating technical and catering<\/a> requirements, and developing the conference program all required close collaboration between the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre team and IAIA organizers to ensure the event’s success.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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“This was the largest IAIA conference ever held in terms of attendance, technical sessions, keynote presentations, technical visits, training activities, and sponsorships,”<\/em> said Mr. Jean H\u00e9bert, Executive Director of the AQ\u00c9I and Co-Chair of IAIA26. At the same time, the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre and Maestro Culinaire, its exclusive food service partner, were also hosting two additional groups for separate events. The success of IAIA26 therefore relied not only on meticulous conference planning, but also on the ability of multiple teams to manage several major events<\/a> simultaneously while maintaining an exceptional level of service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Photo: Carlos Quintero Media OnQ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Speaker
Photo: Carlos Quintero (MediaOnQ)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Poster
Photo: Carlos Quintero (MediaOnQ)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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Nearly half of the delegates were attending an IAIA conference for the very first time, enabling the association to welcome many new members to its international network from Canada and around the world.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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Beyond the Convention Centre itself, participants also had the opportunity to discover the Qu\u00e9bec City region through 10 technical and cultural tours, showcasing Qu\u00e9bec’s expertise in environmental impact assessment. Destinations included Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, Wendake, the \u00cele d’Orl\u00e9ans bridge construction site, and Universit\u00e9 Laval’s Roger-Van den Hende garden, among others. In total, 264 participants took part in these tours.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

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“One word to describe IAIA26 is friendly. Everyone is so friendly and Qu\u00e9bec City is a great host<\/em>“<\/h3>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
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“Qu\u00e9bec City’s francophone culture, rich history, the quality of the Qu\u00e9bec City Convention Centre’s facilities and the warm hospitality of its teams were among the aspects most appreciated by participants,”<\/em> noted Ms. Annie Prince, President of the AQ\u00c9I and Co-Chair of IAIA26.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n

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A High-Impact Event<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n
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A resounding success, the 45th edition of IAIA’s annual conference leaves a lasting legacy for both the international impact assessment community and the destination, including:<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

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