The Pulse: Dec. 7, 2022

Fresh off a number of awards and despite facing global headwinds, the Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is looking forward to continued growth for its cargo business in 2023, even though it isn't a major contributor to the bottom line.

"Cargo doesn't buy coffees, park cars, or spend money at duty-free, so it doesn't have the same revenue impact," explained Mammen Tharakan, director of e-commerce, cargo, aviation real estate, and business development at YEG. "But our raison d'être is to drive economic prosperity for the region, and air cargo is a major contributor to that mission."

Air cargo is usually not a revenue driver for airports in general, but it does help to diversify revenue, Tharakan explained. "There's a much larger multiplier effect with cargo than with passengers," he said. "Having this robust cargo ecosystem supports and attracts the stakeholders who do business at the airport."

In 2021, YEG moved 48,000 tonnes of cargo — equivalent to between 11 million and 22 million typical e-commerce packages — which is a 4.5% increase over 2020 and marks the third straight year of growth. This year, the airport is on track to surpass those figures, recording 38,000 tonnes as of the end of September, ahead of the typically very busy fourth quarter. "I'm optimistic that we'll see double-digit growth for the year," Tharakan said.

That growth is being driven by e-commerce and has been "for quite some time," Tharakan said. About 80% of all cross-border e-commerce moves by air because it is the only way to meet the aggressive delivery timelines that customers have come to expect. "That shift from the 'palletization' to the 'parcelization' of cargo does provide new avenues of business," he added.

That's important as the airport grapples with economic and geopolitical uncertainty, high fuel prices, and continued supply chain issues. "We're managing the situation very dynamically," Tharakan said.

Despite the "burdensome" cost of investing in cargo infrastructure, it remains a key part of the airport's strategy, Tharakan said.

"It's critical for us because of the positive impacts to the community," he said.

• A new report by University of Alberta researchers, the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights, and the advocacy group Radical Inclusion highlights accessibility issues with Edmonton transit and makes recommendations based on a series of five focus groups held between March and July. The report explores six areas of concern: the current transportation business model, willingness to learn, affordability, accessibility for people who are hard of hearing, staff training and competencies, and communication between staff and passengers. A summary of the report is available online. Paul Schmold, who serves on an accessibility action committee for Edmonton Transit Service, said the city is implementing accessibility improvements including audits of public infrastructure, staff training, and better real-time information and trip-booking features.
• Justice Minister Tyler Shandro introduced the Justice Statutes Amendment Act, which would allow members of the Legislative Assembly Security Service to carry guns. Currently, there are armed sheriffs at the legislature, but most security officials are unarmed. "Providing these officers with the tools they need, including firearms, (would) protect all of those who occupy this building," Shandro said. Security at the legislature underwent a review following the shooting on Parliament Hill in 2014 and in 2019 following a suicide at the legislature. Shandro said last month that the change has been "a long time coming" and the issue of arming security guards has been "studied to death."
• Chris Hancock, a stay-at-home dad, was recognized by the Edmonton Police Commission after he saved a man's life on the High Level Bridge while wearing his toddler on his back. Hancock's act of heroism involved holding onto the man, who had bypassed the suicide barrier, and calling for help until the Edmonton Police Service arrived. "I commend it," said Sgt. Curtis Hoople, who was impressed by how quickly Hancock acted. "He saved a life. It's as simple as that."
• The Edmonton International Airport and Indigenous Tourism Alberta (ITA) signed a memorandum of understanding that commits the parties to "common goals of growing the visitor economy, supporting the economic and cultural vitality of Indigenous communities and advancing reconciliation," according to a release. "Today's agreement with the Edmonton International Airport is an exciting opportunity for our organizations to enhance our ongoing work together to ensure that, when travellers first arrive in Treaty 6 Territory, they have a chance to experience and celebrate the Indigenous cultures found here in Alberta," said ITA CEO Shae Bird.
• The Alberta government announced it is working to import five million bottles of children's pain medication amidst a nationwide shortage. For months, parents looking for children's Advil and Tylenol have been met with bare shelves, which Health Canada says is the result of an "unprecedented demand" as rates of respiratory illnesses soar. Premier Danielle Smith said the government is working with Health Canada to fast-track approvals for the shipment of medication from a Turkey-based pharmaceutical company. "What people need to know is that when their child gets sick, they have the medication available to them so they can treat the symptoms at home," Smith said.
• The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) has cleared an Edmonton police officer of wrongdoing following an investigation into a July 2020 incident in which a man died in a head-on collision on the Walterdale Bridge while fleeing police. "The (subject officer) discontinued his short pursuit and mitigated the risks it presented. As such, it cannot be said that the (subject officer) caused or contributed to the death or injury that resulted from the collision," reads ASIRT's decision.
• Seven 7-Eleven locations in Alberta are expanding to offer dine-in seating and the ability to order beer, wine, seltzers, and coolers. Grand opening events for the newly licensed restaurants are scheduled for Dec. 9. Four of the locations are in Edmonton, at 8210 160 Ave., 6975 Ellerslie Rd., 1704 Mill Woods Rd., and 14110 127 St.

Startup TNT is bringing back its Life Sciences Investment Summit in early 2023, alongside its first agtech summit and its second cleantech summit.

The 2022 life sciences summit resulted in at least $250,000 for All Skin, a Calgary startup that helps people with sensitive skin find the right products. Edmonton's MACH32, which makes innovative medical devices, got a side deal, as did Vancouver's Difinity Solutions.

This time, startups must be headquartered in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba. The summit is open to companies whose financing is between the friends-and-family and seed stages, and they can be pre- or post-revenue. Startup TNT is again partnering with Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation to organize the summit.

The timeline for the life sciences summit is as follows:

• Dec. 15: Information session for companies
• Jan. 24: Deadline for applications
• Jan. 25: Kickoff for investors
• Feb. 9: Top 20 Pitch Night
• March 8: Top 5 selection
• March 23: Summit finale in Calgary

Startup TNT has been known to invest in life sciences companies outside this summit. For example, drug-discovery platform 48Hour Discovery and diagnostic company Nimble Science were the Edmonton and Calgary winners of Investment Summit VI in November, and previous winners include DrugBank, PulseMedica, and True Angle. The life sciences summit, however, is only for life sciences companies, whether they're involved in drugs, medical devices, advanced therapeutic products, or diagnostics.

Image: Mark Curial of MACH32 responds to an investor's question after his pitch at the Life Sciences Investment Summit on March 17, 2022. (Startup TNT/YouTube)

On this day in 1945, Edmonton's city council was considering a cap on the height of new buildings along Whyte Avenue.

The debate on how to protect the character of Old Strathcona has been going on for nearly as long as the neighbourhood has been a part of Edmonton.

In 1891, the Calgary and Edmonton Railway was established. Despite the name, the rail line didn't reach Edmonton, which was mostly contained north of the river at that time. Instead, the terminus sat on the south side of the North Saskatchewan River and served as the focal point of a new community. Over the next few decades, Strathcona grew from a tiny hamlet to a sibling city alongside Edmonton.

The design and economy of Strathcona were dominated by the railway. When the railroad graded two roads near its station, businesses began to spring up along the strip. Soon, the two streets — now Whyte Avenue and 104 Street — became the commercial and retail centre of the burgeoning town.

Most of the early buildings were made of wood. But in 1903, Strathcona passed new fire prevention laws that required new buildings to be made out of non-combustible material. That led to the two- or three-storey brick buildings that still define Whyte Avenue today. Then, in 1912, Edmonton and Strathcona merged into a single city.

The 1945 proposal to limit the height of new buildings on Whyte came during booming commercial construction in the area. There were fears among both Old Strathcona residents and city leaders that tall buildings could overshadow the architectural flavour of the street. The proposal would see new buildings restricted to three storeys in height with limits on wholesale and manufacturing businesses along a portion of the avenue. While support was strong, the measure doesn't appear to have passed.

The boom of the 1940s eventually gave way to a period of stagnation for Whyte Avenue. A whole section of the 1967 General Plan for Edmonton is dedicated to the revitalization of Whyte, which was marked by "dilapidated buildings, nonconforming land uses and vacant lots," it noted. Recommendations in the plan included drawing more department stores to the area, substantially increased parking, and more pedestrian malls.

In December 1998, the city adopted the Strathcona Area Redevelopment Plan, covering not only Whyte Avenue, but also much of the surrounding area. The intention was to preserve the neighbourhood's character while encouraging commercial development. Included in the plan were restrictions capping new buildings to a maximum of four storeys along much of Whyte Avenue.

Over the past 25 years, that plan has been changed, with amendments covering everything from preserving green space to encouraging active transportation. The height restrictions remain in effect. But that doesn't mean there aren't still disagreements over the future of Whyte's squat skyline. Over the years, several towers and rezoning efforts have been pitched and have faced vocal opposition. In 2018, the city started a new commercial land use plan for the area called planWhyte. Phase 1 of public engagement on the project continues this summer, with the second phase set to begin in 2023.

This is based on a clipping found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse — follow @VintageEdmonton for daily ephemera via Twitter.