Take your Congress experience beyond the venue with a selection of technical tours offering firsthand insights into Vancouver’s innovative infrastructure, transportation systems, and sustainable development projects.
Please note: Participation in technical tours requires advance registration. Delegates wishing to attend must select and register for their preferred technical tour(s) through the official registration platform.
BLUE-GREEN SYSTEMS
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 2: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Non accessible, pending shuttle accommodation
As identified in the City of Vancouver’s Rain City Strategy, blue-green systems are networks of connected park-like streets that manage water and land in a way that is inspired by nature and designed to replicate natural functions and provide ecosystem services. These systems seek to protect the ecological, hydrological, and social values of the urban landscape and water cycle, and to provide resilient measures to address climate change and flood management, increase connectivity, and enhance access to nature. This tour will highlight St. George Rainway, the largest blue-green system in the city, as well as the Woodland & 2nd Bioswale and the Sunset Park Bioswale. These projects showcase how residential streets are being transformed into climate-resilient corridors. City of Vancouver staff will discuss city-wide planning for blue-green infrastructure, along with the design and construction of these projects, presenting a scalable and replicable approach for implementing blue-green systems in other contexts.
GREEN RAINWATER INFRASTRUCTURE FOR HIGH DENSITY URBAN STREETS
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 2: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Accessible
This guided walking tour will highlight a broad range of sustainable rainwater management strategies, also called green rainwater infrastructure, for high-density neighborhood streets, including rainwater tree trenches, various forms of bioretention, and permeable pavement. The tour, entirely within downtown, will make stops at Richard St, Bute-Robson Plaza, Haro St, and Davie St.
DOWNTOWN CYCLING ROUTES AND PUBLIC SPACES
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM
- Tour 2: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tour 3: 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 4: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Tour 5: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
- Tour 6: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: Non accessible
This tour will provide a broad overview of Vancouver’s downtown cycling network, including key public space projects along the way. It will showcase evolving design approaches and considerations, covering routes including key downtown bike routes and parts of the Seawall. The tour will also cover the Burrard and Granville Street bridge. Public space highlights will include Rainbow Park (Richards Street), 800 Robson Square, Bute-Robson Plaza, and more.
SKYTRAIN CONTROL CENTRE
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 2 on Oct 7: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 1 on Oct 4: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: –
Metro Vancouver’s SkyTrain is one of the largest fully automated driverless rapid transit systems in the world. On this tour, you will get an overview of the SkyTrain system, including visits to the SkyTrain Control Centre and Vehicle Maintenance Shop. At the SkyTrain Control Centre, you will see how 2000 cameras provide real-time conditions and information on the transportation network and help ensure its operation. The visit to the SkyTrain Maintenance Shop will discuss how the trains are stored and maintained to meet future needs.
SURREY LANGLEY SKYTRAIN PROJECT
Tour Dates: Oct 5 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1 : 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Non accessible
This project is a 16-kilometre extension of the existing Expo Line between the municipalities of
Surrey and Langley. This project is located approximately 30 kilometres from the Vancouver Convention Centre and could be either a bus tour, or the tour participants could ride the Skytrain line from the Convention Centre to the project location. The project is currently starting utility relocations and, at the time of the conference, will be within a year of completion and should have interesting engineering items to view, such as the elevated track construction and the automated trains. It will also demonstrate the use of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) and how BC is leveraging the project to create an accessible community.
YVR STUDY TOUR: BUILDING A NET-ZERO AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT AIRPORT
Tour Date: Oct 5, 2027
Schedule: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: –
Explore how Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is advancing its vision to become a net-zero airport while strengthening resilience to a changing climate. This tour will showcase YVR’s approach to decarbonization through electrification, clean energy initiatives, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development, and long-term environmental planning. Participants will gain insight into how one of North America’s leading airports is integrating sustainability and climate adaptation into operational decision-making, infrastructure investments, and future growth strategies.
YVR STUDY TOUR: BUILDING TOMORROW'S AIRPORT TODAY
Tour Date: Oct 6, 2027
Schedule: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: –
Gain a behind-the-scenes look at how YVR plans, designs, and delivers infrastructure to support long-term growth, operational excellence, and regional connectivity. This tour will highlight the airport’s approach to master planning, infrastructure renewal, asset lifecycle management, and future capacity development. Participants will learn how YVR balances the demands of a growing transportation hub while integrating climate resilience, operational requirements, and connections to the broader regional transportation network.
YVR STUDY TOUR: MANAGING AIRPORT FLOW THROUGH INNOVATION AND DATA
Tour Date: Oct 7, 2027
Schedule: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: –
Discover how YVR is leveraging innovation, data, and technology to enhance operational performance and improve the passenger experience. This tour will feature YVR’s Digital Twin and airport flow management capabilities, demonstrating how predictive analytics and real-time operational coordination support increased capacity, efficiency, and resilience. Participants will gain practical insights into how data-driven decision-making can optimize infrastructure use and improve performance without relying solely on major capital expansion projects.
KENT YARDS TOURS
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Tour 2: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 3: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Non accessible
Vancouver’s hub for material supply, transfer, recycling, and testing, this tour of Kent Yards showcases a 12-acre facility that supports City Engineering construction operations. The site has been developed as a collection of business units, each generating positive economic returns, including the Asphalt Plant, Aggregate Handling Facility, Precast Plant, and Materials Transfer Barge Facility. Kent Yards is vertically integrated and incorporates the recycling of backfill, rubble, and asphalt materials.
NATIONAL YARD TOURS
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Tour 2: 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 3: 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Non accessible, pending shuttle accommodation
Learn about the City of Vancouver Winter Maintenance Program by taking a tour of the National Works Yard. The tour will begin in the Weather Response Centre, where people will learn about this internally delivered program, including what we do to prepare for the winter season and how we respond when the temperatures drop. The tour will then head outside to see the vehicles and equipment that support the program and the salt and brine storage and loading areas, before concluding at the sign and signal shops.
FRASER RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT
Tour Dates: Oct 5 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tour 2: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 3: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: Non accessible
This project is the construction of an approximately 1-kilometre-long, eight-lane immersed tube tunnel under the Fraser River on Highway 99 to replace the existing George Massey Tunnel. The project is located approximately 20 kilometres from the Vancouver Convention Centre and is an easy bus ride distance from the conference. The project is currently in the engineering procurement phase, but at the time of the conference it will be under construction and will have interesting engineering components to view, such as the excavation of the tunnel portals and the casting of the immersed tube tunnel elements.
STAL̕ƏW̓ASƏM (RIVERVIEW) BRIDGE REMOVAL OF OLD PATTULLO BRIDGE
Tour Dates: Oct 5 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Tour 2: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 3: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Fitness Level: Low
Accessibility: –
This is a tour of the stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge (formally Pattullo Bridge) that was completed in 2026. The stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge was opened in 2026. It connects the communities of Surrey and New Westminster. Deconstruction of the Pattullo Bridge is underway and this tour will be looking at the deconstruction activities as well as provide a technical overview of the new bridge project. The new bridge design includes two in-river piers, reduced from the six the current bridge has in the river.
GRANVILLE BRIDGE RECOATING
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 2: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: accessible, 12 min walking from skytrain
Built in 1954 and located in a highly urban environment, Granville St Bridge is an eight-lane bridge and consists of three north approach and four south approach ramps. The bridge consists of both concrete and steel truss elements. A gantry system runs directly under the bridge, allowing for easier access for inspections and regular maintenance work. This tour will showcase how the City is undertaking multi-phase rehabilitation programs for the bridge, including concrete repairs, joint and bearing replacement, steel repairs, and coating system renewal, with major construction now underway on the north end of the bridge.
CAMBIE BRIDGE SEISMIC UPGRADE
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 2: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: non accessible
Built in 1985, this 900‑m-long, 30‑m‑wide post‑tensioned multi‑spine beam bridge carries vehicle and pedestrian traffic over False Creek and serves as a key connection into Vancouver’s downtown core. This tour will showcase how the City is undertaking a multi‑phase seismic upgrade and rehabilitation program that includes installing seismic isolation bearings at all 65 piers and abutments, adding soil anchors at select piers, and applying a high‑performance deck overlay, with major construction now underway and the second phase of this work expected to be completed in early 2028.
FUTURE OF NORTHEAST FALSE CREEK
Tour Dates: Oct 4 to Oct 7, 2027
Morning Tour:
- Tour 1: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Afternoon Tour:
- Tour 2: 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Note: No morning tour on Oct 4th
Fitness Level: Medium
Accessibility: Accessible modified tours available on Oct 6th only
Built in the 1970’s, the Georgia and Dunsmuir Viaducts were the only section of a freeway plan constructed in Vancouver. Today they are over capacity, pose a seismic risk, and require increasingly costly maintenance. The NEFC Plan was approved in 2018 and includes policy for a transformed area and new neighbourhood made possible by the removal of the Viaducts and replacement with a new transportation network.