CSAM-SMCA
2026 Scientific Conference
November 19-21, 2026
Hyatt Regency Calgary
Calgary, AB, Canada
Message From the Chairs
We are thrilled to invite you to CSAM-SMCA’s 2026 Scientific Conference in Calgary, Alberta, a place that is special to both of us as we each completed our addiction medicine fellowships here. Alberta is known for the beautiful Rocky Mountains, wide open prairie skies, and clear blue rivers. Despite the dynamic political landscape in this province, the quality of front-line addiction medicine and research practice in AB is amazing and understated. We are pleased to have incredible colleagues of all professions, who practice with integrity in evidence-based ways. It is an honour for us to co-chair this national scientific conference in a province that is so meaningful to us both.
CSAM-SMCA is an organization that provides a space for all those who are involved in addiction medicine nationwide to come together and learn from one another. This year’s conference theme, Words Matter: The Power of Language, comes at a relevant time. We are living in a world where, increasingly, truth is distorted, perceptions are prioritized, and words are weaponized. The language we use shapes how we think. As professionals in the field of addiction medicine, it is our responsibility to be intentional about using language accurately and with scientific integrity to uphold the Canadian values of human rights and healthcare for all. This year’s conference will challenge each of us to improve our own use of language to care for our patients and to communicate with one another in a good way. We invite you to join us in Calgary this year, and look forward to an event centered in inquiry and learning.
– Meera Grover and Spencer Krahn, Co-Chairs
2026 Conference Theme
Words Matter: The Power of Language
Every system is built on language. The words we use shape how people experience health, care, and belonging long before they ever walk through a door. They influence who feels safe asking for help, who feels excluded, and how care is delivered in everyday practice.
This year’s theme, Words Matter: The Power of Language, explores the effects of language in addiction medicine across community practice, acute care, policy, and research.
Language can support health when it reflects dignity, curiosity, and respect. It can help people connect to services earlier, stay engaged longer, and experience care as something that is offered with compassion rather than judgment. It also helps teams work together, align across sectors, and build cultures that put people first.
Language can also create harm. Certain labels and phrases carry hidden messages about worth, motivation, or responsibility. Over time, these words shape charts, policies, funding decisions, and workplace culture. They influence who is welcomed into care and who is quietly pushed away.
Across sessions, this conference will explore how language shapes health at every level, from individual interactions to system design, and how being intentional about our words can help create care that is more inclusive, respectful, and grounded in dignity.
– Shawn Fisk, CAPSA Canada & CSAM-SMCA Conference Standing Committee Member
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development. You may claim a maximum of 11.75 hours (credits are automatically calculated).
Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
The Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA) has granted 16 CECs for the three-day CSAM-SMCA 2025 Scientific Conference.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada
This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Quebec College of Family Physicians, a continuing professional development accrediting organization recognized by the Collège des médecins du Québec, and has been approved for up to 19 Mainpro+ ® The 2025 Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine Scientific Conference, Fundamentals Course & Psychotherapy for Substance Use: Brief Interventions Workshop credits.
Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation
The Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF) has granted 19 CEUs for the two-and-a-half-day CSAM-SMCA 2025 Scientific Conference.
New This Year: Real-Time Translation with Wordly
We’re excited to offer live translation and captioning through Wordly, an AI-powered platform that enhances accessibility and inclusivity at the event.
For this conference, Wordly will provide real-time translation and captions between English and French only.
With Wordly, participants can:
- Listen to sessions in either English or French
- View full transcripts in real time
Wordly works on your own device, phone, tablet, or laptop, with no apps or downloads required.
This feature will be available to all participants throughout the event.
New This Year: Real-Time Translation with Wordly
We’re excited to offer live translation and captioning through Wordly, an AI-powered platform that enhances accessibility and inclusivity at the event.
For this conference, Wordly will provide real-time translation and captions between English and French only.
With Wordly, participants can:
- Listen to sessions in either English or French
- View full transcripts in real time
Wordly works on your own device, phone, tablet, or laptop, with no apps or downloads required.
This feature will be available to all participants throughout the event.
Optional Events
Discover pre-conference education options, including an in-depth course and an interactive workshop.
Book Your Hotel
CSAM-SMCA Conference attendees enjoy significant savings at Le Centre Sheraton Montreal Hotel.
Call for Abstracts
Stay tuned for details via email or subscribe below to receive updates. Share your work and help shape the future of addiction medicine in Canada.
Fundamentals of Addiction
Get a solid foundation for continued learning in addictions care and treatment.
By the end of this conference, participants will be able to:
Describe current challenges faced in the field of addiction medicine in Canada
List the latest discoveries in clinical practice and research in addiction medicine
Integrate new best practice guidelines in addiction medicine into their clinical settings
Get Conference Updates
All Canadians interested in addiction medicine are welcome to attend the CSAM-SMCA Annual Scientific Conference. If you are not a member and you would like to receive conference-related updates, share your email address below and we’ll add you to the mailing list.