As we near the 20th Canadian Tunnelling Conference, I’m reminded of how easily the vast distances between people can be covered. I’ve just drafted several invitations to the conference for prospective attendees from Nigeria; the invitation is a requirement in some countries to obtain exit visas and an aid in applying for entry visas to Canada.

In Canada the “internationalization” of tunneling is felt in the presence of American and European tunneling contractors. On some projects, those contractors have also brought along their designers. On a national scale, tunnelers from eastern Canada have brought their soft ground expertise to the west. Eastern Canadian tunnelers have also taken their expertise south to the United States where demand outstrips regional capacity. One of the world’s leading TBM manufacturers exports its equipment and expertise from Toronto. The rate and scale of technology transfer are astounding. This phenomenon is being experienced around the world; progress and innovation in any location is quickly shared.

Recent tunneling projects in British Columbia have employed workers from Southeast Asia, a necessity for timely completion in the current hot construction market. Several were trained on one project and have moved on to another (although not without some procedural delays and headaches to satisfy my government’s love of paperwork!).

Work continues across Canada on underground works for water supply, wastewater removal, transit and hydroelectric development. The greater Toronto area, in particular, has several wastewater projects on the books, as well as talk of a major transit extension. Ottawa, the nation’s capital, has resurrected a plan for rapid transit that includes tunneling in the downtown core. Quebec continues with its hydroelectric development, as does Newfoundland and Labrador. In Calgary, Alberta, personnel from the City of Edmonton performed the first tunneling project a couple of years ago; the second has been awarded to a Toronto-area contractor. In the far west, British Columbia’s energy provider has made a recent call for supply from private developers; in the coming months, tunnel schemes will be included in some of the proposed projects. Several mining projects in the northwest of the province will require tunnels for access and ore transfer.

The Tunnelling Association of Canada (TAC) is initiating a national catalog of tunnels in the planning, tendering and construction phases to document the strength of the industry. To date we have relied on informal discussions and word of mouth to keep up with projects at a national level. Following the conference and associated TAC meeting, a committee will create and update the catalog on a regular basis.

Despite technological advances, tunneling is not without its risks, as a few current projects in Canada have illustrated. The Niagara tunnel, under way with the world’s largest hard rock TBM, is well behind schedule due to ground conditions that are challenging the contractor. Earlier this year, a TBM was buried in a soft ground tunnel in Ontario; workers escaped unharmed and an alternative tunnel completion and TBM recovery plan was put into place in very short order. In British Columbia, the Seymour-Capilano twin tunnels contract was recently cancelled by the owner, apparently over issues related to dealing with the ground conditions. The ground is king or queen; technology does not equal mastery. This must be borne in mind when contemplating every new underground project. Successful completion of these projects is important to instill public confidence in underground planners, engineers, constructors, and owners. Still, many will remember the problems, rather than the benefits provided by the completed projects.

The US sub-prime fiasco and the full impact of the high cost of oil have yet to work their way through the world economy. Undoubtedly there will be some slowdown; in Canada it is already being felt in the manufacturing sector. Recent economic growth has been mainly driven by natural resources. Mining developers, in particular the smaller companies, are now having difficulty raising capital for their projects. To a limited degree, a reduction from the recent frantic pace of design and construction in western Canada would be welcome; however, it is unlikely the rate of slowdown will be to everybody’s liking.

Nevertheless, we will see a continued need for energy and water management projects. Transit projects are more prone to delay as they are often not seen as necessities. A lack of transit infrastructure is not felt in the same way as lack of electricity or water!

Which leads me to the role of the public in the use of the underground: while the tunneling community grows through osmosis and educational efforts for those in the industry, our most challenging education effort is with the public and their political representatives. Educating the public to the environmental and social benefits of tunnels is a never-ending campaign. But I believe the word is getting out.

A current History Channel series called “Cities of the Underworld” deals with tunnels and caverns and their civil and sometimes military use, presented in a positive way (although the music at times lends a sense of foreboding). Who would have imagined that a series on tunnels would appeal to the public? Boston’s Big Dig has spurred debates to take back the land (or waterfront) from Seattle to Toronto, as aging infrastructure and a growing population are forcing redevelopment to be considered. That tunnels are being actively considered for such megaprojects, despite their cost, is a measure of the strength of the environmental movement. And this is the message: tunnels provide security, environmental and social benefits that capital costs alone do not begin to measure.

Garry Stevenson is president of the Tunnelling Association of Canada and is manager of the geoenvironment group of Klohn Crippen Consultants Ltd