ABOUT US

World Canals Conference is the conference that brings canal and waterway enthusiasts, professionals and scholars from around the world, together to learn about a variety of topics related to canals, including the protection of historic canals or features, revitalization of canal systems, harbour sites, canal trails and amenities; the presentation or interpretation of canals and corridors–their history and various elements; canals as a means to promote tourism, spur economic development and urban renewal and environmental sustainability

The conference is an opportunity for the conference canal or organization to showcase their canal or waterway and its many achievements. This can include, but is certainly not restricted to, the history, recent economic development within its corridor, continuing efforts to revitalize their legendary waterway and the efforts to protect and tell the story of the canal to ensure continued existence and heritage value, the technical and operational challenges of operating and non operating canals and best practices.

This conference is unique in that it brings together at one time and in one location, all of the enthusiasts, scholars and professionals to talk about canals and their many facets. The World Canals Conference offers seminars and exhibits to participants on everything from how to interpret a canal site or trail, economic stimulus, to the engineering and technical challenges and best practices of reopening or maintaining a canal.

In recent conferences presentations have included consultant and proponent’s visions and experience for new initiatives, the advantages of turning towpaths in to trails, taking a canal from being the back door of a community to becoming the front door by redeveloping urban cores, dealing with marine structures and assets, and looking at new interpretive techniques.

The World Canals Conference is under the auspices of Inland Waterways International http://www.inlandwaterwaysinternational.org.