SQÉBC 51st annual meeting

President's greetings

It is with great pleasure that the SQÉBC invites you to its upcoming conference, which will be held in Québec City under the theme “Light on the North: Shared knowledge, ecology and behaviour”

This theme highlights northern ecosystems, their richness, their fragility, and the challenges involved in better understanding and preserving them. The conference will provide an opportunity to bring together researchers, students, professionals, and members of the public around a shared interest in animal behavior.

We aim to create an environment that fosters discussion, knowledge sharing, and the exchange of diverse perspectives. For students, the conference will offer an excellent opportunity to present their work, expand their professional network, and engage with established researchers. For researchers and professionals, it will be a chance to share their discoveries and develop new collaborations. For members of the public, the conference will provide a unique window into research conducted in Québec and into the issues shaping the wildlife of our northern ecosystems.

Beyond the scientific presentations, we hope this conference will be welcoming, stimulating, and accessible to everyone. Together, let us showcase and advance knowledge about the North and animal behavior.

I therefore encourage you to register in large numbers and join us for this wonderful annual gathering!

I look forward to seeing you in Québec City this November!

Angélique Dupuch, SQÉBC's president

Université Laval is happy to welcome you to this 51^st annual meeting of the SQÉBC!

Take a quick look at the schedule -> Teaser SQÉBC 2026

If you have any questions, please contact sqebc2026@bio.ulaval.ca

Light on the North: Shared knowledge, ecology and behaviour

The North fascinates as much as it challenges our understanding. Landscapes shaped by cold climates are home to species uniquely adapted to the harshness of winter, while others are present for only a few short weeks during the summer. These species are an integral part of the culture of the human communities that inhabit these vast territories. Although still relatively understudied, the interactions among species, knowledge systems, and Indigenous realities are deeply intertwined and together form a unique setting for research. The Société Québécoise pour l'Étude Biologique du Comportement (SQÉBC) is pleased to invite you to its 2026 Annual Conference, hosted this year by Université Laval in Québec City.

Under the theme “Light on the North: Shared knowledge, ecology and behaviour”, this conference aims to highlight research conducted within the boreal and subarctic ecosystems that define a large part of the ecological identity of Québec and Canada. It is also an invitation to broaden our conception of knowledge, recognizing that academic research can coexist with and be enriched by the knowledge held by Indigenous communities.

This year's conference will promote exchanges across disciplines, particularly in behavioral ecology, population ecology, and conservation biology, while fostering dialogue among scientific approaches, local knowledge, and Indigenous knowledge systems. We especially encourage presentations that bring different forms of knowledge into conversation around species, habitats, or ecological dynamics characteristic of northern environments. Of course, the organizing committee will also be pleased to receive contributions in ecology and animal behavior that are not directly related to the theme of SQÉBC 2026.

We look forward to seeing you in November!

Registration

To register, please follow the "Registration" tab on the top of the current page.

Here is a quick look at the fees.
Different fees for the same activity represent the early bird (< October 15, 23h59) / late bird (≥ October 16).

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Undergraduates _ _ _ _ _ _ Graduates _ _ _ _ Post.Doc.-Teachers.
Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30$ / 60$ . . . . . . . . . . . . 50$ / 100$ . . . . . . . . 80$ / 160$
Saturday lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15$ / 25$ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15$ / 25$ . . . . . . . . . . 15$ / 25$
Saturday banquet . . . . . . . . . . 60$ / 90$ . . . . . . . . . . . . 60$ / 90$ . . . . . . . . . 60$ / 90$
Activity A Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . 20$ / 30$ . . . . . . . . . . . . .20$ / 30$ . . . . . . . . . 20$ / 30$
Activity B Friday. . . . . . . . . . . . . .5$ / 10$ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5$ / 10$ . . . . . . . . . . . 5$ / 10$

Activity A : Outdoor trip to Montmorency forest, including an introduction to tracking and to the TrophIE game.
Activity B : Workshop on how to Braiding knowledge : Principles and practices for ethical research with First Nations.
More information in the "Registration" tab.

Abstract submission

We invite researchers and students to submit an abstract by October 15 and contribute to this space for collective reflection. Whether you work in the North or elsewhere, we want to discover your research!

Presentations are possible in two formats:

• Oral presentation, with a duration of 12 minutes + 2 minutes for questions (the duration is subject to changes). If you will be presenting in English, your TITLE should be ENGLISH and your SLIDES should be in FRENCH.

• Poster presentation, 36" x 48" in VERTICAL format. For those starting their project and who do not yet have tangible results to present, we encourage you to prioritize a poster presentation.

Abstracts must be submitted using the link below. Remember to register for the conference first using the "Registration" tab at the top of the page.

The deadline for submitting an abstract is October 15.

Housing and transport

Please note that there will be a football game on campus during the SQÉBC weekend, which will make driving and parking more difficult. Plan your logistics accordingly!

Housing:
We have agreements with several nearby hotels. Open the following document for all the essential information -> Housing

Transport:
You have three options:

• Park your vehicle on campus. Paid parking spaces are available on site. Keep in mind that these spaces are likely to be very limited due to the football game. The link for parking space is only in French, but if you look for "Permis à la minute", you will see the price on Saturday and Sunday are 5,20$ per day.

• Use public transport. Find the RTC pass that best suits your needs. You can then use the many bus routes that converge at Université Laval. The RTC Nomade app will help you navigate the network.

• Prioritize active transportation. Québec City has a fleet of electric bikes (ÀVélo) that will allow you to get around at your own pace while avoiding sweat! Please note that the fleet will be reduced but still operational during the meeting-> Extension | by bike. Again, it will be up to you to find the bike pass that best suits your needs.

Eco-friendly event

One of our missions this year is to offer an eco-friendly event, and you also have a role to play! Take a look at our eco-friendly participant guide -> SQÉBC_2026 Eco-Friendly Guide

Don't forget to bring your reusable mug and water bottle. We also invite you to join the Facebook group to organize carpooling.

Photo contest

Share your best photos and you could win one of three $100 prizes!

Categories

• Landscape

• Wildlife/Flora

• Funny

How to Enter

• Participants may submit a maximum of one photo per category.

• Photos must be sent to mattis.pelletier.1@ulaval.ca by October 30, 2026.

• Please specify in your email which category each photo belongs to.

• A shortlist will be selected by the committee to choose the finalist photos.

• The finalist photos will be exhibited during the conference, and the winners will be determined by a public vote.

• A $100 prize will be awarded to the winner of each of the three categories.

We look forward to seeing your best shots!