Chair's Welcome

The Tunneling Association of Canada (TAC) is pleased to welcome you to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, for the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress 2010 entitled “Tunnel Vision Towards 2020” and the 36th ITA-AITES General Assembly, which is being held at the Vancouver Convention Centre from 14 to 20 May, 2010.

Vancouver is situated at the western coast of Canada on the Pacific Ocean. Vancouver is famous for it’s sea to sky scenery that presents snow-capped and pristine forested mountains rising up to over 2500 m and open waters of the Pacific Ocean that is home to various sea life including orca whales. Vancouver is also one of cleanest and most vibrant cities in North America that offers spectacular sightseeing trips to several locations easily within reach of the downtown center.

Vancouver is a relatively young city less than 125 years old and is Canada’s largest port city responsible to export many of Canada’s raw materials. The first tunnel in Vancouver was the 1.4 km Canadian Pacific Railway Tunnel constructed in the downtown center which in 1980 was converted into a rail transit tunnel. Situated at the mouth of the Fraser River, Vancouver is home to the first immersed tunnel in North America – the 600 m long George Massey Tunnel, opened to traffic in 1959.  

The World Tunnel Congress 2010 will be the first return of the ITA to North America since 1996 and the congress will be able showcase tunneling projects from Canada as well as the USA. Vancouver is the host city for 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Several key infrastructure projects have and continue to be constructed for the games including the 15 km Canada Line transit system that include twin, 2.2 km long tunnels recently completed in the downtown center.

Vancouver and the Pacific Northwest Region of North America offers sightseeing opportunities both before and after WTC 2010 including Vancouver Island, Whistler, Okanagan Vineyards, Rocky Mountains, as well as ship cruises to Alaska.

We look forward to seeing you in Vancouver in May 2010! 

 

Rick Lovat

Congress Chair