The International Laboratory for Research on Images of the North, Winter and the Arctic, located at the Université du Québec à Montréal, is one of the world's leading centers of cultural expertise on the North and the Arctic.

Le Laboratory was founded and is directed by Daniel Chartier.

Le Laboratory is a place of research, documentation, dissemination, promotion and expertise on images of the North and Winter in culture, literature, cinema, visual arts and society. In particular, it aims to foster comparisons between different northern cultures: from Québec, Inuit world (Nunavik, Nunatsiavut, Nunavut and Greenland, in particular), Scandinavia (Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Faroe Islands), Finland, Russia, Alaska, English Canada and of First Nations.

Since it was founded in 2003, the Laboratory has brought together over 800 researchers, artists and writers (from Québec, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, the Faroe Islands, the Inuit world, Russia, Canada, Alaska, the First Nations, as well as Europe, India, Argentina and Japan) who form a unique research environment, based on the infrastructure developed at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and who study images of the North by promoting comparisons between the cultures of the circumpolar space, as well as by analyzing works from all countries that deal with the representation of the North.

International collaborations between Québec and other cultures, as well as with Québec regions and First Nations and Inuit communities, are varied and help to establish new contacts between people, languages and cultures, on a basis of equality.

The Laboratory publishes 4 book series: Jardin de givre, Droit au Pôle, Imagoborealis and Isberg, and participates in numerous other editions. To date, Le Laboratoire books have been published in 20 different languages.

The Laboratory's work is having a positive effect on the recognition and understanding of Inuit and First Nations works and viewpoints, and in this respect, is helping to create new bonds of equality and respect in the circumpolar space.

The Laboratory organizes lecture series, roundtables, meetings and international symposia.