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ATNDQ
Guests program
  • Participant registration
  • Review of the Network’s Regional Tour
  • Official opening
  • Opening Keynote – “Forestry Industry
  • Presidents’ Cocktail
  • Dinner Cocktail Reception
  • Breakfast for delegates and accompanying guests
  • 5 workshops options offered
  • Free evening
  • Network annual general meeting (AGM)
  • Capital Network annual general meeting (AGM)
  • BDC Presentation
  • Regenerative Tourism Conference
  • Plenary Session
  • Gala Evening – “Golden People”

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3 - DAY 1

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.: Registration

Registration will take place directly in the Forestel lobby. You will receive your badge and your congressist gift!
***Please note that it is important to wear your badge at all times, especially if you have allergies, as it will allow caterers and servers to identify you during meals.

Head to the Forestel Gold/Silver Room to attend the Regional Tour Review with Pascal Harvey and Pierre-Olivier Colas.

A snack will be served in the adjoining Copper Room.
You will find coffee, tea, herbal tea, juice, and pitchers of water, as well as an assortment of homemade cookies, “Monsieur S’éclate” popcorn, mixed nuts, and more.

Join us in the Gold/Silver Room for the official opening of the 22nd SADC and CAE Conference.

Still in the Gold/Silver Room, you will attend a presentation by Mr. Hugo Asselin entitled “The Forestry Industry: Current State and Paths Forward.”

Overview:
“Over the past twenty years, Québec’s forestry industry appears to have moved from one crisis to another. All sectors are affected, from forest management activities to wood processing and marketing. What is the economic weight of the forestry industry today? Has ecosystem-based management delivered the expected results? Is the triad approach as promising as it is claimed to be? What are the consequences of U.S. tariffs? What is the employment situation within the industry? An analysis of available data makes it possible to identify key challenges and reflect on potential solutions.”

Mr. Mario Thouin, President of the SADC Vallée-de-l’Or, invites all SADC Presidents to join him for an informal cocktail on the Forestel indoor terrace.
Note: In case of poor weather, the event will be held in the Forestel Bistro.

A cocktail reception featuring regional flavors will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. in the Forestel lobby. You will then enjoy a selection of appetizers in the Gold/Silver Room—an excellent opportunity for networking!
Please note: Your cocktail coupon will be included with your badge.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4 - DAY 2

Breakfast at Hôtel Forestel starting at 6:00 a.m.

Breakfast will be offered to all delegates and accompanying guests starting at 6:00 a.m. A hot buffet breakfast will be served in the Gold/Silver Room.

Shuttle service will be available between hotels and the Forestel beginning at 6:00 a.m.
Call 819-860-6833, and Jeanne will be happy to arrange a shuttle to your hotel.

Please note: Buses will be waiting in the Forestel parking lot. All departures will take place from the Forestel. It is therefore important to reach the venue by shuttle or by your own means.

Bus departure from Forestel: 9:15 a.m.
Route within Val-d’Or: approximately 7 km total
Return to Forestel: 5:00 p.m.

Savor Innovation

Agriculture and agri-food play a key role in the socio-economic development of many regions across Québec. They shape landscapes, define rural identity, and actively contribute to social cohesion and economic vitality.

The sector is rapidly transforming and evolving. Climate change and its impacts demand resilience and adaptation. Consumers are increasingly concerned about transparency regarding product origin and production methods. At the same time, rising living costs are forcing difficult choices at the grocery store. Aspirations to eat local and organic often collide with limited purchasing power. Additional challenges include recruiting local labor, increased reliance on foreign workers, and an economic and trade environment that is more volatile than ever.

Nevertheless, the consumer’s voice will resonate far beyond this uncertainty. More than a trend, food autonomy, local agriculture, and eco-responsible practices are not passing fads. They represent the foundations of a food system that demands commitment, consistency, vision, and sovereignty.

In response to these realities, the region is working to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. This day offers you a fresh perspective and exclusive content, driven by the boldness of local stakeholders.

From research to practice, from idea to impact, from ambition to tasting, your day will be rich in knowledge, meaningful, and delightfully surprising.

Bus departure from Hôtel Forestel: 9:15 a.m.
Tour in Val-d’Or: approximately 20 km of travel in total
Return to Hôtel Forestel: 5:00 p.m.

The Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec regions are renowned for their vast forests, major mining projects, and numerous lakes. These natural resources have long served as a significant source of supply and economic diversification.

However, forestry remains a dynamic sector, and the industry is actively reinventing itself by positioning its development around the valorization of products linked to the environmental challenges it faces. For example, wood residues—particularly bark accumulations—represent an important source of diversification in energy production and the development of new products such as pellets, biomass, tannins, and more. As a result, companies are launching innovative projects to maintain profitability, reduce their environmental footprint, and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation.

This workshop offers an opportunity to better understand these challenges and to see, in concrete terms, how the forestry industry is adapting and innovating in response to changes driven by the socio-economic context, environmental conditions, and market regulations. The valorization of forest residues presents a new opportunity to initiate innovative projects in both energy and the development of value-added products.

Following presentations on numerous initiatives, the industrial visit will showcase the expertise and know-how of entrepreneurs in the field.

Within this context, this also represents an opportunity for SADC organizations to pool their skills and expertise in order to offer a level of support based on networking, innovation, and collaboration among stakeholders.

 

Bus departure from Hôtel Forestel: 8:00 a.m.
Tour to Amos: approximately 150 km of travel (round trip)
Return to Hôtel Forestel: 5:15 p.m.

Required attire: closed-toe shoes

Regions across Quebec compete in ingenuity to attract their share of annual tourism. Abitibi-Témiscamingue is no exception. The region is equally committed to strengthening its position within the province’s tourism landscape, as many of its attractions remain largely unknown to the general public.

As part of a broader attractiveness strategy, the region is highlighting one of its most internationally recognized assets: its water. Renowned as among the purest in the world, Abitibi’s water speaks for itself. The territory is crossed by the six largest eskers in northwestern Quebec. These rare geological formations, remnants of glacial activity, cover more than 4% of the Abitibi RCM. For this reason, the region’s 17 municipalities have launched the Anisipi project, an interpretive route dedicated to the water cycle. Meaning “this pure water that we drink” in the Anicinape language, Anisipi is an initiative designed to attract responsible tourism. It also reflects a genuine and collective commitment to fostering closer relationships among the peoples who share this territory.

During this workshop, you will learn how this initiative was conceived and how it has contributed to enhancing the value of the region’s water resources.

ANISIPI

Bus departure from Hôtel Forestel: 9:15 a.m.
Tour in Val-d’Or: approximately 15 km of travel
Return to Hôtel Forestel: 4:15 p.m.

Like many other regions across the country, Abitibi-Témiscamingue actively supports businesses operating in its key sectors of activity, notably mining and forestry. Around these major employers gravitate other companies that have developed highly specialized expertise in these respective fields, providing equipment and technical know-how.

During this workshop, you will visit companies with regional, national and international reach. First, a forestry equipment manufacturer that distributes its products worldwide, having acquired Volvo’s harvester division and relocated production from Korea to Val-d’Or. Machinery manufacturing, precision machining and innovation will be central to the visit.

You will then tour a company operating at more than 15 mining sites across Quebec, British Columbia, Nunavut and beyond. Employing over 850 workers across its projects, the company also operates offices and facilities equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

Curious to discover Abitibi-Temiscamingue’s expertise in these sectors? We look forward to welcoming you.

Bus departure from Hôtel Forestel: 8:00 a.m.
Tour to Malartic: approximately 80 km of travel in total
Return to Hôtel Forestel: 4:15 p.m.

When one thinks of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, mining extraction quickly comes to mind. Images of vast open-pit mines or workers operating hundreds of feet underground are familiar—perhaps somewhat stereotypical, yet reflective of reality. The mining industry remains one of the foundational pillars of the region’s economy.

However, mineral extraction does not come without important considerations. As in other sectors, a balance must be struck between economic activity and environmental stewardship. While earning a livelihood is essential, it must not preclude efforts to protect the environment in which we live. A degree of social acceptability is therefore necessary with respect to mining activities. For long-established projects, this issue may resonate less strongly in public discourse. But what about new developments? Projects today are no longer undertaken as they once were.

During this workshop, you will explore how social acceptability is established within large-scale mining projects—a process that can, of course, be applied to other sectors across the regions. Insightful site visits will provide a deeper understanding of the challenges and realities of this industry.

Free evening to enjoy as you wish. For restaurants in Val-d’Or, please click here.

FRIDAY, JUNE 5, - DAY 3

Open breakfast

Registration for the annual general meetings will take place between 8:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. at the reception desk of the Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.

Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.

Pastries and muffins will be served, along with coffee—all provided by Balthazar Café, a regional business now operating two locations in Val-d’Or, one in Malartic, and one in Rouyn-Noranda.

Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.

– Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.
As a Gold Partner, BDC will deliver a presentation covering, among other topics, the Ascension Loan and collaborative financing.

– Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel
Karin’O Gâteaux, an internationally recognized pastry chef, will offer a variety of sandwiches and refreshing salads to highlight the summer season. A selection of delicious desserts will also showcase the full extent of her talent. 

– Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.
Randa Napky (Management and Strategic Advisory Consultant at CC Consultants), François Bédard (CEO of the World Centre of Excellence for Destinations), Martin Lessard (Executive Director of MTLab), and France Lemire (Regional Director of the Regenerative Innovation Hub) will present innovations in regenerative tourism that earned recognition at the COP16 gathering in Colombia in 2024.

The Regenerative Innovation Hub aims to stimulate the emergence of projects that revitalize territories and biodiversity while creating eco-responsible tourism experiences in partnership with local stakeholders.

– Gold/Silver Room at the Forestel.
A group debrief on Thursday’s site visits will highlight key takeaways and best practices identified by each group.

A radiant evening awaits you at the Forestel starting at 6:00 p.m.!

The theme “Golden People” invites everyone to shine at their best. The dress code is therefore Black and Gold—take this opportunity to dress up and sparkle!

Upon arrival, you can use the coupons included with your badge to enjoy ready-to-drink cocktails from Distillerie Alpha-Tango, a proud Val-d’Or company whose co-owner, Alex Gaudreault, previously worked at the SADC before becoming an entrepreneur. Beers from Microbrasserie Le Prospecteur will also be available, along with non-alcoholic options from both businesses.

A four-course menu will introduce you to the richness of regional flavors and showcase local agri-food businesses.

In the evening, music by Guillaume Laroche will have you dancing! Discover this talented local musician in all his facets.

ANY QUESTIONS ? CONTACT US

JEANNE CÔTÉ-DUMAIS

MARIE-PIER BÉDARD