CATT Partners with NASTT-BC for Inaugural British Columbia Road Show
Like the 2014 Road Show in Niagara Falls, expect the Vancouver show at the Executive Airport Plaza, Hotel & Conference Centre to be the hub for networking and educational opportunities.
In a few short weeks, trenchless industry professionals will converge on British Columbia for the province’s first Trenchless Technology Road Show.
As reported in the July 2015 issue of Trenchless Technology Canada this marks a return to the province for Benjamin Media Inc. (our parent company) and the first foray west for the Centre for Advancement of Trenchless Technologies (CATT), which is partnering with North American Society for Trenchless Technology’s British Columbia chapter (NASTT-BC) to produce the show.
Following its last Trenchless Technology Roadshow in Niagara Falls, in May of 2014, Dr. Mark Knight, CATT’s executive director, told Trenchless Technology Canada that the organization wants to expand its breadth as a trenchless research center across Canada. It has already done so via its annual Canadian Municipal Buried Infrastructure Survey and the Canadian-specific online trenchless directory. The 2015 Trenchless Technology Road Show, taking place Nov. 17-19 in Vancouver (Richmond), British Columbia is the next step.
“We had relatively modest goals with 30 exhibitors and we have sold out the exhibit hall,” Knight is happy to report. “The goal was to put together a world class program and we have. I’m really looking forward to an exciting program and an exciting show,” he says.
One of the reasons for the success – also one of the reasons that the Niagara Falls road shows continue to grow – is that it is a truly local show thanks to its partnership with NASTT-BC.
“We thought it was really important to partner with a local group, to have a local connection and draw on local trenchless professionals to be part of the program instead of a group from Ontario and the U.S.,” Knight says. “We can really say that it has a local flavor and it contributes to the local area.”
“It was actually CATT who approached NASTT-BC about taking the roadshow to B.C.,” says Kieran Feld, NASTT-BC chairman. “We were eager to work with them and the wealth of experience they have in hosting these events. It had been sometime since we held a conference such as this in B.C. and we were excited to do it again.”
The Trenchless Technology Road Show consists of two full days of technical presentations and exhibits bringing you the latest advancements in trenchless technology.
“In everything that we do at NASTT-BC, our mission is to advance the science and practice of trenchless technology for the public benefit, to promote education, training, research and development and to advocate ongoing advancements in trenchless technology,” Feld says. “We feel that the 2015 Trenchless Technology Road Show will be a great opportunity for us to achieve these goals.”
For those wanting to pack more trenchless education into the trip, Nov. 17 features a trio of workshops – “Trenchless Technology 101,” “Assessment and Renovation of Culverts” and “Innovations in Water Network Asset Management” – led by the industry’s leading experts. Keynote speaker for the event is Ken Foster, president Insituform Technologies.
“This roadshow will be a great opportunity to meet industry leaders, listen to their stories and learn from their experience. It’ll be one of those rare occasions that we’re going to have access to such a broad knowledge base,” Feld says. “We have speakers coming from all over North America, Europe and Asia. Whether you are new to the trenchless technology world or you were standing next to Fred Melsheimer at one of the earliest uses of horizontal boring in North America, this show will have something for you.”
The 2015 show is still a few weeks away, but the excitement and response so far has Knight looking to the next show in 2017, and how CATT and NASTT-BC can collaborate to make that show bigger and better than this year’s event.
For more information on the 2015 show, including registration and full schedule, visit trenchlessroadshow.ca. CATT’s next Trenchless Technology Road Show in Niagara Falls is May 17-19, 2016. For more information on that event, visit catttrenchlessroadshow.ca.