Will generate over $5 million for the economy with 3,000 delegates from 120 countries attending
MONTREAL – Plans are actively underway at the Palais des congrès de Montréal as it prepares to host the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) World Cancer Congress, being held for the first time in Canada from August 27 to 30, 2012. The event, which was secured with the collaboration of Tourisme Montréal, will attract 3,000 cancer prevention and treatment experts from 120 countries to Montréal under the theme Connecting for Global Impact. It is estimated the World Cancer Congress will generate over $5 million for the city’s economy.
“Everyone at the Palais is working hard to ensure the World Cancer Congress reflects Montréal’s excellence in life sciences,” explains Marc Tremblay, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société du Palais des congrès de Montréal. He adds: “The delegates will enjoy high performance hi-tech facilities and unique venues right in the city’s downtown, like our fully furnished terrace, at a time of year when Montréal is brimming with festivals and special events.”
Says Dr. Michel Gélinas, President and Cofounder of the Fondation québécoise du cancer and President of the Local Host Committee, “Montréal was selected because of the exceptional efforts and the impressive extent to which the local scientific community – universities, hospitals, research centres – mobilized to bring this essential event in the fight against cancer to Montréal.”
Influential economic cluster
The Canadian Local Host Committee for the World Cancer Congress is composed of volunteers and individuals with strong beliefs in the fight against cancer. They are responsible for facilitating the UICC’s task of organizing the event inCanada and to help promote this event to Canadian delegates and potential partners. Their work wonderfully demonstrates the potential reach and scope of the life sciences sector, widely recognized as a segment of excellence for the Québec economy, and represented by Montréal InVivo, the life sciences cluster comprised of over 620 organizations.
The Local Host Committee includes two Executive Ambassadors who are members of the Palais des congrès de Montréal Ambassadors Club: Dr. Michel Gélinas, President and Cofounder of the Fondation québécoise du cancer and President of the Local Host Committee for the 2012 World Cancer Congress, and Dr. Eduardo L. Franco, Professor and Interim Chair, McGill University, Department of Oncology.
