The Pulse: Aug. 13, 2024

We're excited to welcome Adverb Communications as our newest business member! Adverb offers a range of services, including digital strategy, content creation, art direction, graphic design, and more. Thank you for helping us build a more informed and connected community. Learn more about Taproot's business membership program on our blog.

Essentials

27°C: A mix of sun and cloud. 30% chance of showers late in the morning and in the afternoon with risk of a thunderstorm. High 27. Humidex 28. UV index 5 or moderate. (forecast)

A photo of a small van that has been branded for Flat Boy Burgers

Why do Edmonton businesses love kei cars?

Aug. 13, 2024
By Colin Gallant

Kei cars and trucks are fun-sized vehicles from Japan that Thirsty Rider Cycles, Sea Change Brewing, Flat Boy Burgers and other businesses love because they are rolling marketing campaigns and just plain fun.

In Japan, someone who drives a smaller kei car pays far fewer fees than for a standard-size automobile, making the vehicles extremely popular. In Edmonton, though, businesses especially love the slim, tall, imported Japanese mini-trucks and micro-vans that fall under the umbrella of "kei jidōsha," which translates as "light automobiles."

Why? Just ask Brett Paulitsch, the owner-operator of Thirsty Rider Cycles, who owns a kei micro-van that's branded with his company logo. "I thought they were hilarious and would be the perfect little billboard for my company," Paulitsch told Taproot in an email. "I get multiple thumbs up or laughs from people every day."

Paulitsch isn't alone. Pete Nguyen, a partner at Sea Change, Flat Boy, and Shiddy's Distilling said much the same. His mini-empire owns two branded kei vans and three branded kei trucks. "We wanted something unique and fun that we could brand and own," he told Taproot via email. "We knew that it would get attention on the road."

Paulitsch, who repairs people-powered vehicles with two wheels, uses his 1995 Subaru Sambar truck as a daily driver and for marketing. He paid around $6,000 for it. The vehicle has some disadvantages, he said, but they don't bother him. "It's freezing cold in the winter, but I love it," he said. "I never have to worry about parking (and) it's cheap on gas."

Nguyen has seen prices between $10,000 and $14,000 for kei vehicles, though he didn't say what his own fleet cost. He said a few disadvantages for most models include inadequate heating for Edmonton winters, their right-handed driving orientation, and manual transmissions.

Join Park Power's Solar Club

If you live in Alberta and have a solar PV system at your home, business, or farm, Park Power can offer you some of the best solar power buy back rates in the province. Get rewarded for your contribution to Alberta's renewable energy.

Learn more

Headlines: Aug. 13, 2024

Aug. 13, 2024
By Ben Roth

Edmonton has been recognized by Maclean's as one of the Best Affordable Places to Live in Canada, highlighting the city's affordability, thriving economy, and vibrant community. "Edmontonians are known for their innovative spirit and love for building community," said Eddie Robar, interim city manager at the City of Edmonton. "We have a saying: 'five minutes here and you're one of us,' and we really feel that way," Robar added.
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival drew 100,000 attendees to Gallagher Park over four days, featuring performances by artists like Blue Rodeo, KT Tunstall, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. Festival producer Terry Wickham praised the event's success, noting the perfect weather, great audience, and dedicated volunteers. "I see family here, I see colleagues, I see friends that maybe I haven't seen for a year, and I think for everybody it's the same. It's a real reunion," said Wickham.
New Alberta Health Services data indicates a significant rise in frostbite treatments and amputations among Edmonton's homeless population, linked to the city's accelerated removal of encampments. Experts say the increase cannot be attributed to weather changes or a rise in homelessness but coincides with the crackdown on encampments in January. In the four weeks following Jan. 17, Edmonton police removed 413 structures.
Fort Road in northeast Edmonton has reopened after three years of major roadwork, easing traffic but leaving local businesses struggling to recover. While some business owners remain hopeful, others are still dealing with significant financial losses. A spokesperson for the City of Edmonton said traffic was "flowing through the area at all times," but thanked residents and local businesses for their patience during the construction.
Motorcycle collision fatalities have significantly increased in Edmonton, with as many deaths so far this year as the last four years combined. The RCMP and the Alberta Motorcycle Safety Society are urging motorcyclists to get their speed fix at the racetrack instead of on public roads.
The Edmonton Mural Festival kicks off this week, bringing new public art to the city, including in the downtown, 124 Street, and Whyte Avenue areas. The festival, which began during the pandemic to beautify neglected spaces, will feature tours hosted by Instagrammable Walls guide Linda Hoang and include stops for food and drinks. This year, six new murals will be added, selected from more than 900 artist applications.
Edmonton Oilers fans rank ninth most positive according to an NHL Positivity Index published by students at the University of Alberta. Fans of the Florida Panthers scored highest, while the lowest ranking went to the Las Vegas Golden Knights. The index used data taken before, during, and after games from each team's Reddit community.
Over the past 18 months, local private investors in Edmonton have purchased 12 office buildings for a combined $135 million, reflecting strong confidence in the city's commercial real estate market. "I think it's a real testament to those that are in the trenches here. They see an opportunity more so than those that aren't in the local community," said Cory Wosnack, principal and managing director at Avison Young.
Residents of Jasper who were evacuated due to a wildfire will be allowed to return home on Friday, though officials warn that many homes and services may not yet be habitable. Emergency services are being restored, but residents should be prepared to assess their properties and plan for repairs. Tourists are urged to delay visits to allow the community time to recover.

Permalink

Darkhorse Analytics uses data visualization to save lives and influence policy

Sponsored Aug. 13, 2024

The "Trade Heroes" series highlights Edmonton Region companies who have 'exportitude' — the mindset and commitment to think globally when it comes to their business. It's brought to you by Edmonton Global.

Dan Haight describes Darkhorse Analytics as "generalist analytics consultants." He's the co-founder and president of the company, as well as a master of understatement. Darkhorse has a significant impact through its data visualization work, whether it is helping to coordinate ambulances and fire services in major cities in Canada and the U.S., or helping academics and NGOs visualize research to help influence policy. "What we're doing, is we're creating the tools that allow people to discover the answers that are already there."

On the emergency services side of the business, Darkhorse has worked with most major municipalities across the country and has found success in the U.S. too. The company's biggest client is the Western Fire Chiefs Industry Association: essentially a tech incubator for the U.S. fire service. Darkhorse's research client list is equally impressive, including well-known institutes from Harvard, Stanford, Brown, and many others.

Today, about 80% of the company's business comes from the U.S. The first big U.S.-based client Darkhorse landed was Procter and Gamble, which wanted to pursue visualization work after seeing the company's Breathing Cities project.

Getting that first customer was critical for expanding south of the border. "If you can get past that, 'well, do you have any American customers?' piece, then in general, if you do quality work, they will actually make decisions more quickly there," Haight said.

Darkhorse is focused on the U.S. because the opportunity is much larger, with more municipalities and larger foundations and NGOs that just don't exist in Canada. "The opportunity is there, the cultures are so similar," Haight said. The company is eyeing further expansion in the near future as well, with Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. all on the radar.

Haight said Darkhorse learned several important lessons throughout its export journey that will make entering new markets easier. Like utilizing support organizations earlier in the process to better understand the market. "We spent a long time not realizing that there were both government and non-governmental support organizations," Haight said. "We didn't realize that a lot of this was available early on."

He would also be more willing to ask for help. "As an entrepreneur, you kind of think it's you against the world, and you don't recognize that there are people who been there and done that," Haight said. That collaborative, helpful spirit is particularly prevalent in the Edmonton Region, Haight said. "I found in Edmonton [Region], and Alberta more broadly, people are very generous with their expertise."

"People have actually done this in other companies and are looking to give back to the community," Haight said. "They'll sit down over coffee and give you potentially six-figure advice just for a $5 latte. They want to see you succeed."

The Edmonton Region's post-secondary institutions and access to talent and technical expertise have also helped Darkhorse grow. Today the company is about 32 people, split between the two sides of the business.

As for the future of the company, Haight said Darkhorse has several exciting things in the works, including a new product that could transform the emergency services industry. "In a couple of years time, I think there's the potential that we can actually point to and measure lives saved or emergencies averted before they even happen."

Photo: Dan Haight (supplied)

Learn more