Geohazards 7 – the 7th Canadian Geohazards Conference

The Canadian Geotechnical Society (CGS) is pleased to invite you to Geohazards 7, the 7^th Canadian Geohazards Conference. Geohazards 7 will be held June 3-6, 2018 at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre in Canmore, Alberta. The CGS’s Geohazards conferences are the premiere forums in Canada for the sharing and dissemination of scientific and engineering knowledge related to geohazard assessment and risk management.

Heavy rainfall in June 2013 resulted in the worst floods in Alberta’s history. Landslides, debris floods and debris flows cut off highway and rail access to Banff and Canmore, and many homes constructed on alluvial fans were destroyed. Municipal governments, the Province and the engineering and geoscience community have since carried out aggressive programs to quantify geohazard risk and increase public awareness of hazards, and are in the process of constructing mitigation measures to reduce future risk. Canmore is a terrific venue to showcase the results of some of these initiatives, which will feature in the conference program and field trip.

Engineering Resiliency in a Changing Climate is the theme for Geohazards 7. An understanding of the history and current status of geohazard management practice in Canada, along with the adaptation challenges associated with a changing climate, will allow for continued innovation in this field. In addition to management of landslides and floods, the conference will feature hazards including snow avalanche, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, degrading permafrost and more. Participants will have greater awareness of methods for quantifying geohazard magnitude and frequency, for risk assessment and mitigation design, and quantifying uncertainty in a changing climate. Improved communication with the public about geohazard issues is also a key objective of the conference.

In addition to the technical program and plenary sessions, the conference will include a complement of short courses, a field trip, and a poster session. The official languages for the conference will be English and French.

Canmore is ideally situated for hosting Geohazards 7. It is located within easy travel distance from the Calgary International Airport, and is less than a 30-minute drive from Banff National Park.