The Institut Nordique de Recherche en Environnement et en Santé au Travail (INREST), the Port of Sept-Îles and the City of Sept-Îles, in partnership with the pan-Canadian project CHONe II, will be holding the first International Congress on Industrial Port Research in Sept-Îles, from May 27-31, 2019.
The Bay of Sept-Îles hosts one of the most important research projects in Canada - NSERC’s Canadian Healthy Oceans Network (CHONe II) - as well as the environmental monitoring observatory of the bay of Sept-Îles. Moreover, the port of Sept-Îles - the second largest in Canada - plays host to world-class businesses around its industrial port area. The presence of these industrial and transport activities, added to the municipal, recreational and tourism activities, plus the particular local environmental conditions (diverse ecosystems, freshwater inflow, etc), make the Bay of Sept-Îles an ideal place for research into natural and anthropogenic stress factors.
Purpose of the congress
The purpose of the congress is to allow researchers to share knowledge with each other, as well as to share and transfer that knowledge with the participants, in order to provide them with tools to help with decision-making and environmental management, with a view to sustainable development, and to respond to public expectations and concerns. Furthermore, the congress will also be an opportunity to discuss sustainable development in the context of an entire economic sector. It will provide information on the optimal and responsible use of maritime potential, including tools aimed at maritime transport management and ecosystem preservation, from a sustainable development perspective.
Challenges
The issues addressed in the congress concern primarily ecosystem conservation and human health in the context of sustainable development, and, more specifically, reconciling industrial port operations with long-term environmental conservation in the broad sense (both terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as the public). While ensuring the economic development and diversification of industrial port areas, which are essential to a stable economy, it is imperative that decision-makers have access to scientific support adapted to their specific needs so they can protect terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the health of both the public and workers. This means that further scientific knowledge on these ecosystems is needed to help us understand the potential impact of industrial port operations and assist managers with their projects. Research is the first step in ensuring the sustainable development of industrial port areas. The research work presented at the congress will enable participants to improve their decision making and environmental management.
Target audience
The congress is intended for researchers and scientists; managers of industrial port areas, businesses, municipalities and regional county municipalities; government and environment authorities; as well as the public. The congress is an opportunity for researchers and managers to meet and exchange on challenges and issues related to industrial and port activities, as well as ecosystem conservation and public health.
An innovative congress
This will be the first international scientific research congress on industrial port areas in Canada. Research carried out in the bay of Sept-Îles will be presented at the congress, which can largely be applied to other similar areas (saltwater northern environments). The environmental management model —an innovative concept developed by INREST for the Bay of Sept-Îles that is an outstanding sustainable management tool for managers of industrial port areas — will also be presented.
Contribution to environmental conservation
The environmental monitoring project shows that the region is at the forefront of ecosystem protection in industrial port areas and that Sept-Îles and the surrounding area is a pioneer in environmental management. It will lead to a better understanding of potential environmental impacts and support decision making. The environmental management model will encourage better environmental practices by giving managers of industrial port areas key management tools enabling them to improve their environmental track records. The organizing committee will take a series of measures to reduce the event’s environmental footprint. These will include GHG emission offsets, reduced travel thanks to teleconferencing for committee meetings, as well as redistribution of surplus food, etc.