Vancouver pilots trenchless sewer renewal method

Key Takeaways:

• Vancouver is piloting a trenchless sewer renewal approach under Memorial West Park using a micro-tunnel boring machine, avoiding a large open-cut trench and keeping much of the park accessible.
• The work includes installing a new concrete storm sewer main and using sliplining to rehabilitate an existing combined sewer main, extending its life with minimal excavation while preserving 24 mature trees.
• The $10.6-million project continues in 2026, including a temporary closure of the playground and the main pedestrian pathway for about three to four weeks, with completion expected by spring 2026 and a broader goal of eliminating combined sewer overflows by 2050.

The Whole Story:

The City of Vancouver says it is piloting a trenchless construction approach to renew aging sewer infrastructure beneath Memorial West Park, using a micro-tunnel boring machine to limit surface disruption and keep much of the park accessible during the work.

Mayor Ken Sim said the city is looking for less disruptive ways to deliver core infrastructure projects, adding that the successful tunnel installation suggests the method could be used on future utility work.

The city said crews avoided the large open trench typically used for sewer replacements by carrying out most of the work underground — a shift it says helped preserve 24 mature trees, reduced impacts on nearby residents and shortened the construction period.

In October, the city said a remote-controlled micro-tunnel boring machine was used to install a concrete storm sewer main between West 31st Avenue and West 33rd Avenue, directly beneath the park’s main footpath. The city said the tunnel ran the full length of the park from north to south.

After the tunnel was completed, the city said crews used a second trenchless technique known as sliplining, inserting a smaller pipe inside an existing combined sewer main and fixing it in place with grout to extend the life of the aging pipe without extensive excavation.

The city said work in 2026 will include completing sliplining, connecting the new pipes to water and sewer systems and installing new maintenance holes. It said the playground and the pedestrian pathway through Memorial West Park will need to close for about three to four weeks to allow the work to be completed safely.

Construction is expected to be finished by spring 2026, the city said.

The Memorial West Trenchless sewer upgrades project is valued at $10.6 million and is being delivered under the city’s 2023–26 capital plan. The city said the work is part of broader efforts in the Dunbar-Southlands neighbourhood to replace aging combined sewer infrastructure with separated pipes, support population growth, accommodate heavier rainfall linked to climate change, and advance requirements to eliminate combined sewer overflows by 2050.