The Pulse: May 15, 2025

IronSight, a software company located on 104 Street near Whyte Avenue that streamlines logistics for heavy hitters in the on-shore oil and gas industry, has been acquired by the Norwegian company Kabal.

The April 29 acquisition will open up bigger international opportunities, Shawn Martens, the president and co-founder of IronSight told Taproot.

“IronSight can become a global company overnight,” Martens said. “That’s our number one focus right now.”

Martens and Adam Jessome founded IronSight in 2017 after both worked in the oilfields. The company today has more than 40 employees, funding from Calgary’s ARC Financial among other investors, and more than 60 implementations of its software in North America. That number and its geographical scope will grow with the Kabal acquisition, Martens said. Kabal was founded in 2011, and its logistics software is tailored to the offshore oil and gas industry.

Kabal’s work and culture is similar to IronSight’s but larger, Martens said, adding that its client base is effectively a new list of leads for IronSight, and that the new parent company has resources to share. “We can leverage each other for best practices, scalability, and integration,” he said. “Our engineering team (has gone from) 25 at IronSight to well over 50.”

Martens said IronSight’s clients include six of the top 10 global oil companies (its first was Imperial Oil). He said IronSight has experienced “significant” software-as-a-service growth in the last three years. That growth resonated with Insight Partners, a Kabal backer that has invested more than $90 billion in software since 1995, he said.

Martens did not disclose the value of the acquisition due to confidentiality. IronSight has also received private equity funding and angel investment in the past. Martens did not share those numbers.

He said IronSight stands out from other companies in the field because the co-founders have experience on the ground and because its software, which has more than 75 workflows, makes life easier for clients.

“The amount of documentation that needs to happen for one single job in oil and gas is incredible. We kind of removed all the top administration and barriers, and everything just happens on the platform now,” Martens said. “IronSight often gets called the Uber Eats of the oilfield.”

• The City of Edmonton has launched a new Downtown Action Plan to guide growth and investment over the next five years. The plan proposes a “substantial financial commitment” of about $553 million to revitalize the core. About $511 million will come through the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy, of which $440 million is contingent on a proposed extension to the levy.
• The intersection at 111 Avenue NW and 106 Street NW will be closed for the entire Victoria Day weekend to accommodate LRT construction. Crews will stop vehicle traffic starting 8pm on May 16 until 4:30am on May 20. In addition, the Metro Line LRT will not run north of the Kingsway/Royal Alex station between May 16 and May 19, with replacement bus service available from the NAIT/Blatchford Market and Kingsway/Royal Alex LRT stations.
• The Downtown Farmers’ Market is returning to 104 Street on May 17 and will run Saturdays from 10am to 3pm until October. Last year, the market drew 230 people an hour, including from beyond downtown and outside Edmonton, and gave a boost to local businesses, said Quinn Phillips of the Downtown Business Association. On May 20, city council will vote on whether to create an entertainment district on 104 Street during market hours, which would allow people on the street to consume alcohol bought from restaurants and bars.
• The Edmonton Oilers’ current Stanley Cup playoff run is boosting restaurant spending in the city, according to data from financial technology company Moneris. Spending went up 3% in restaurants across the city at the start of the series against the L.A. Kings, growing to 21% and 82% during the first Oilers home game. Spending by Oilers fans far outpaced spending by fans in Toronto and Ottawa, and was similar to spending in Montreal, according to Moneris.
• An Edmonton Police Service sergeant received a reprimand on April 16 after he admitted to off-duty impaired driving. In 2023, the sergeant, whose identity is not public, was driving 20km/h over the speed limit and failed a breathalyzer test. Four other officers have been found guilty of driving under the influence in the past 18 months, related to incidents that occurred between 2021 and 2023. The retired RCMP superintendent who heard the latest case agreed to a light penalty, but noted the need for “general deterrence,” Postmedia reported.
• The Alberta RCMP said a “substantial” number of military vehicles will be moved from Edmonton to Calgary between May 15 and 30, ahead of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in June. The vehicles will travel west on Highway 216, south to Highway 2, west on Highway 201, west on Highway 1, and south on Highway 40, with moving done in evenings to limit disruptions. Drivers are asked to be careful and pass with caution.
• The City of Edmonton has a new semi-permanent facility to support people who are evacuated from other areas due to disaster. The Rapid Emergency Support Terminal (REST), located at 10908 120 Avenue NW, works as a reception centre, safe space for displaced people, and hub for the Canadian Red Cross and community agencies. The REST supported 250 Edmontonians evacuated from their homes last week by an apartment complex fire.
• Honi Honi, an intimate tiki bar in Edmonton’s Ice District, was ranked 28th on an annual list of Canada’s 100 best bars. ”(Hopefully) it’ll help us stay in business (and) bring some more people to the bar,” said bartender Travis McKenna, who called the news a “bit of a shock” but “very exciting.”
• Tristain Hoath, an Edmonton Police Service officer and co-owner of United Strength and Power gym, is one of four Canadians competing at the World’s Strongest Man competition in Sacramento this week. In 2023, Hoath won the Magnus Ver Magnusson Strongman Classic in Iceland.
• Some municipal officials applauded the appointment of Edmonton Centre Liberal MP Eleanor Olszewski as federal cabinet minister of emergency management and community resilience, as well as the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada. Jasper mayor Richard Ireland said the “community resilience” part of Olszewski’s title is especially relevant for his community in light of the 2024 wildfire. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s cabinet picks drew mixed reaction across Alberta.
• Kasperi Kapanen’s overtime goal secured a Game 5 victory for the Edmonton Oilers against the Vegas Golden Knights, advancing the team to the Western Conference Final. This marks the Oilers’ 12th conference final appearance and its second consecutive year reaching this stage.
• An Alberta judge has found parts of the province’s Personal Information Protection Act unconstitutional. Clearview AI, an American facial recognition company, had applied for a judicial review of the Alberta privacy commissioner’s 2021 ban on the company collecting people’s images. A judge upheld the ban, but wrote that Alberta’s legislation fails to consider privacy considerations posed by the internet, and its restrictions for requiring consent are too broad. Technology Minister Nate Glubish said the act is being reviewed by a committee.
• CBC published an explainer on how the Alberta government is changing rules to make citizen initiatives easier, including referendums and recalls. In 2021, the UCP introduced policy that allows Albertans to propose referendum questions or recall elected officials by gathering enough signatures, although no one has successfully gathered enough signatures. The newly proposed Bill 54 will significantly lower the signature thresholds.
• The Edmonton Elks have released eight players, as required by the CFL’s training camp roster requirements, including former Calgary Stampeders receiver Tre Odoms-Dukes.

Here are opportunities to inform municipal decisions about parks, waste services, and more. Please only answer surveys from the municipality where you live.

• May 2025 City Pulse Survey — The Edmonton Insight Community is running its monthly mixed topic survey, newly renamed City Pulse Survey. Residents over the age of 15 can join the Insight Community to take part in regular public engagement opportunities. The May 2025 City Pulse Survey closes May 20.
• Hays Ridge Community Park Development — The City of Edmonton released a draft for a community park in the Hay Ridge neighbourhood, which will serve a new Catholic school and public K-9 school. Residents can review the design and take a survey until May 20.
• Waste Reduction Roadmap ’30 — The City of Edmonton’s Waste Services is developing a roadmap to increase waste reduction from 2026 to 2030. The public can help guide the plan by attending drop-in sessions at Southgate Centre Mall on May 16, Kingsway Mall on May 21, West Edmonton Mall on May 24, and Northgate Mall on May 28. Residents can also complete an online survey until June 11.
• Food Finder Strathcona — Strathcona County is testing a new online map designed to help residents find local food supports, businesses, community gardens, and more. Residents can explore the map and take a survey on the tool, which is expected to launch in June.

More input opportunities

• Until May 12: Villeneuve Hamlet: Future Possibilities (Sturgeon County)
• Until May 20: Meyonohk Park Playground Renewal — Draft Design (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 20: Weinlos Park Playground Renewal — Planning (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 21: Cavanagh Community Park Development — Draft Design (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 22: Municipal Development Plan Survey (Town of Morinville)
• Until May 30: Carlisle Park Playground Renewal — Planning (City of Edmonton)
• Until May 30: Skyrattler Playground Renewal — Planning (City of Edmonton)

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Moose Hide Campaign Day 2025 Walk to End Violence starting at 10am at West Rivers Edge Pavilion
• Cultivating Work-Life Balance as an Entrepreneur starting at 11am online
• The Next Generation in Circadian Lighting starting at 1pm at Matrix Hotel
• Chamber After Hours starting at 3:30pm at Pendennis Building
• 124 Grand Market: Thursdays at 108 starting at 4pm at 124 Grand Market
• Tech Thursdays starting at 4:30pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Unfinished Business: Accountability and Action on Gender Equity in Canada starting at 4:30pm at YWCA Edmonton Cushing House
• Building Your Dream Tech Career starting at 5pm online
• The Art of Pairing: Wine and Tapas starting at 6pm at L’OCA Quality Market (Sherwood Park)
• Intellectual Property for Founders with Shalon McFarlane starting at 6pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Artificial Intelligence and the Power of Creative Thinking with David Usher starting at 6:30pm online
• Wild North - Health Backyards starting at 7pm at Ritchie Community Hall

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 18: Cinema Café With Edmonton Recital Society at Winspear Centre
• May 20-25: From Cradle to Stage – New Play Festival at Walterdale Theatre
• May 22: Dark Matters: Science is Dope at TELUS World of Science - Edmonton

Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.