Runners carrying water from Canada's Pacific and Arctic Oceans are jogging through the University campus today.

The runners are part of Relay 2000 – a cross-country event marking the official opening of the Trans Canada Trail. Over 5,000 official carriers will walk, run, cycle, snowmobile and rollerblade the route during the national event, which began in February.

The Relay stops at various destination points across the country to promote the Trail to local communities. Entering the campus from the Hamilton-to-Brantford rail trail route, participants will continue along King Street to Dundurn Park, where a public ceremony is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

The containers of water will then be taken to Ottawa where, on Sept. 9, they will be mingled with water from the Atlantic region in a fountain at Hull. When completed, the 16,000-km trail will be the longest shared-use trail in the world. About 70 km of pathways and converted rail lines in the Hamilton area have been registered so far as part of the trail.