NOHEIC's first symposium a success!
The first symposium of the National observatory on health and environmental impacts of contaminants (NOHEIC) was held from May 25 to 27, 2025 at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) in Rouyn-Noranda. The event, entitled “L'ONICSE et les sciences au cœur de la vie citoyenne” (“NOHEIC and science at the heart of civic life”), brought together the general public, local stakeholders and the scientific community to discuss issues related to industrial contaminant emissions and their impact on health and the environment.
Objectives and structure
The aim of the symposium was to take stock of research on contaminant emissions in Rouyn-Noranda, promote knowledge transfer and identify the scientific needs of the community. The program included scientific conferences, two conferences for the general public, networking activities, two discovery activities and a participatory workshop. All these activities not only made recent academic work accessible but also enabled visitors to the city of Rouyn-Noranda to discover its history, discuss the impact of contaminant emissions with people interested in the subject, including university researchers, and contribute to reflection on the need for new initiatives in scientific research.
Topics covered
Discussions focused on a variety of topics, including new tools for detecting and attributing the sources of contaminants in the environment, the use of biomonitors to monitor the evolution of contamination, the involvement of Rouyn-Noranda citizens in knowledge development through the sharing of real-life experience and citizen monitoring of contaminants, the specific effects of contaminants on the brain, technological solutions for limiting contamination, the effects of contamination on plant diversity and urban agriculture, and the concept of environmental inequality.
Citizen participation
A participatory workshop was organized to gather the concerns of all participants regarding contaminant emissions and knowledge acquisition needs. The aim was to guide future scientific research and strengthen collaboration between the scientific community and the local population. Stay tuned, as ONICSE will be publishing a summary of these discussions in the coming weeks!
Launch of the TRACE platform
On the occasion of the symposium, ONICSE presented its new dashboard entitled tableau de bord des rejets d’agents contaminants et de l’environnement (TRACE) (Contaminant Release and Environment Dashboard). This interactive dashboard visualizes data on contaminant emissions to air, water and soil across Quebec, with several filter functions. This tool is designed to support informed decision-making and promote the transparency and accessibility of environmental monitoring data.
Conclusion
The symposium marked an important step in the mobilization of scientific knowledge and citizen participation around environmental issues in Rouyn-Noranda. It strengthened ties between the scientific community, stakeholders and the general public, with a view to developing sustainable solutions to improve air quality and protect public health.