Business Roundup

Economic development

• RUNWITHIT Synthetics won a pitch competition held during the Alberta Aerospace & Defence Summit in Edmonton, as the growing pool of government funding for defence attracts business interest. At the summit, the Alberta government pledged $1.2 million for defence-related projects, $1 million of which will go to Alberta Aviation, Aerospace and Defence for a new initiative called Leading Industry Forward Together, or LIFT.
• The Edmonton Regional Airports Authority hired lobbyists in March to align the Edmonton International Airport with Canada's defence industrial strategy and secure funding. The effort comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney's multibillion-dollar defence spending announcement earlier this year. As a member of the Edmonton Region Defence Alliance, the airport aims to attract defence funding and jobs to the Edmonton region, leveraging its strategic northern location and growth potential. The Department of National Defence and YEG also began negotiations in 2024 for a new Royal Canadian Air Force facility in the region.
• Cindy Medynski of Explore Edmonton told The Gist that a push into women's sports tourism has helped Edmonton attract major events and investment. She highlighted the city's strategy, fan culture, and long history in women's sport as the recipe for successful events like PWHL takeover games. Indeed, Edmontonians are flocking to PWHL watch parties to fill an Oilers-sized void.
• Edmonton will host more than 2,500 delegates for the 125th annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in its downtown core from June 4 to 7. The conference, themed "Building the Future Together," will showcase Edmonton's businesses, arts, and culture through tours and events, while delegates discuss national municipal policies and attend a trade show.
• First Nations, Métis, and Inuit business owners and professionals focused on relationship-building at the Indigenous Trailblazers Summit on May 5. "It's the only (event) in Canada that actually brings together Indigenous entrepreneurs, Indigenous tech professionals, Indigenous consultants, and business allies from across Canada, and it's 100% community-owned," founder Reg Potts told CTV.
• Former federal cabinet minister Anne McLellan has joined the board of Edmonton Global, and Brian Vaasjo, retired CEO of Capital Power, has been named chair, following the departure of Enzo J. Barichello. The organization also re-appointed Morinville Mayor Simon Boersma as shareholder chair and Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack as shareholder vice-chair. They will represent shareholder interests and attend Edmonton Global board meetings as observers.
• Edmonton Unlimited recapped a life sciences investment panel where investors and advisors discussed what funders are prioritizing as Edmonton's life sciences sector grows. The post includes data that indicates Edmonton has 139 health companies with a combined $3.5 billion valuation. The majority of them are medical device and equipment companies, at nearly 47%.
• The Edmonton International Airport introduced YEGplus, a loyalty program that rewards travellers for spending at the airport.
• Porter Airlines is adding sun routes from Edmonton for the 2026-27 season, including its first international flights from Alberta, going to Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Las Vegas, and Phoenix.
• Municipalities in the region proclaimed May 4 to 8 as Economic Development Week. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack's acknowledgment commended AltaML, Jobber, and Samdesk for their work in AI and data science. He also reminded readers that council set economic development as one of its four strategic priorities for the four-year term.
• St. Albert is outgrowing its reputation as a commuter city, with more and more people both living and working there, director of economic development Mike Erickson told the annual Economic Development Business Breakfast. Erickson also teased plans to subdivide the former Hudson's Bay into an array of businesses.
• The federal government is preparing consultations on broad regulatory changes to speed approvals for resource projects, including pipelines, with a goal of one review and a two-year decision timeline per project. Based on interviews with unnamed federal sources, CBC reported the plan would keep mandatory Indigenous consultation in place while negotiations with Alberta continue on carbon pricing and clean electricity regulations. Premier Danielle Smith is set to meet with Carney on May 8.
• Nominations and applications for Edmonton Startup Week's Launch Party will open May 19, organizer Edmonton Unlimited said. Ten early-stage companies will be selected for the startup equivalent of a debutante ball in October.

Startups and SMBs

• Ultracoustics Technologies ranked first on Scale Up Canada's Edmonton50, a list of the region's most scalable companies. The company makes ultrasonic sensors that can "hear what other sensors can't." Elsewhere on the list are Aqtiva, a newly minted YEG Startup Community Awards award-winner; RoBIM Technologies, which just received a $2.81-million investment from Emissions Reduction Alberta; and RNARevive, which is currently part of an American Plug and Play accelerator.
• Fairly Staffing is targeting national and cross-industry growth for its staffing services platform. For now, it is focused on the dental business, with 600 clinics and 3,000 temps on its roster. But following an investment by the Accelerate Fund and inclusion in Scale Up Canada's Edmonton50 list, other forms of regulated labour could be its next target. "We still need to dominate in dental," CEO Amir Reshef told Taproot, "but it's so clear that even if it's a vertical that looks extremely different, there's a lot of the same challenges."
• Andrew Karesa of blueBell Village has been selected by EY Canada for the 2026 Entrepreneurs Access Network, which provides access to mentorship and networks. His company provides support to caregivers for people living with dementia.
• Bitcoin Well founder Adam O'Brien said he wants to work with federal authorities to improve proposed legislation that would ban cryptocurrency ATMs. The federal government's spring economic update suggests banning the ATMs due to their use in scams, but O'Brien said that wouldn't eliminate fraud. "I believe the downstream effects of this is a reduction of financial privacy and a reduction of financial rights … and a reduction of access to serious financial tools for Canadians," he told CTV News Edmonton.
• SketchDeck.ai, Gummy Nutrition Lab, Innovotech, and Mitsoh are the Edmonton companies you can vote for for the People's Choice Award at the ScaleUP Awards. The awards gala takes place on June 10 in Calgary. ScaleUP will also host a breakfast in Edmonton on June 12.
• Artificial Agency showcased its AI companion technology at GDC Festival of Gaming with a demo called Stranded, in which players choose personality traits that shape how a robot companion behaves and makes decisions. CEO Brian Tanner said the company aims to help game studios integrate lifelike and responsive AI agents into their virtual worlds.
• AltaML was among the teams that participated in Agency Day 2026 in Ottawa, an AI hackathon sponsored by the Alberta government in which teams used real government datasets to find signs of fraud and waste. Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish told The Logic the idea was to show what tech can do, not uncover federal scandals. "There's nothing cheeky about it … Our goal is to create a culture of innovation," Glubish said.
• 124 Street Grand Market will launch its season with a block party on May 14 featuring live entertainment, food trucks, and more than 50 local vendors. Organizers said the market, now in its 15th year, focuses on building community connections alongside supporting local businesses. The market will continue weekly on Thursdays, add Sunday markets starting June 7, and host additional pop-up events throughout the summer.
• Baijiu has the best bar patio in Canada, according to Canada's 100 Best. The patio, built on a former parking lot to serve patrons outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic, is on land leased from a private landlord, so it isn't subject to the city's new fees for patios on public lands, owner Kevin Cam told Postmedia. Leasing costs more, and the city's fees are "a fair price to pay, especially since these businesses haven't been paying since 2020," Cam said. Next of Kin landed at #46 on the Best Bars list.
• Blind Enthusiasm, the wild fermentation brewery founded by former BioWare co-CEO Greg Zeschuk, is researching microbiomes in brewing and is now expanding internationally. The brewery already sells in four Canadian provinces and the Netherlands, with European expansion underway and entry into the U.S. and Asia under consideration. "I thought I was a good businessman, but running a restaurant turned out to be hard," Zeschuk told the Washington Beer Blog about folding Biera, a former staple of the Ritchie Market that has been replaced by Campio Brewing.
• Milo Productions was highlighted as a success story out of the federal government's Creative Export Strategy program. The Edmonton-based company, co-founded by Michael Milo and Flordeliza Dayrit, produces children's programming for a global Muslim audience and used federal funding to expand its content library to 900 episodes.
• Pe Metawe Games, an Indigenous-owned board game store at 118 Avenue and 94 Street, celebrated five years in business with an open house. Owner David Plamondon named the store for the Cree phrase meaning "come and play," with a goal of making everyone feel welcome.
• The Tipsy Trivia quiz night takes place at many popular bars and restaurants across the Edmonton region, and has grown from a local company to operating in Calgary, Fort McMurray, and Kelowna. Owner Curtis Dominique told Edify that events are coming soon to MKT Fresh Food and Beer Market.
• Lauren Kyle McDavid answered an ask-me-anything questionnaire for the Alberta School of Business's Women in Business student group. She discussed how she has shifted from hands-on execution to vision-setting as her ventures, such as Bar Trove and Trove Living, grow.

Real estate

• The Edmonton Community Foundation is making $20 million available to spur affordable housing through the Social Enterprise Fund. The foundation's short-term goal is to add 5,000 units by 2028. "We want to support organizations that have housing expertise through new funding options that will move more projects forward, quicker," said CEO Tina Thomas. This financing is alongside more than $1 million in annual grants, as well as efforts from ECF and SEF to attract up to $10 million in philanthropic contributions as an additional source of capital. More will be revealed at the Prairies Affordable Housing Summit taking place from May 11 to 14.
• Edmonton city council unanimously approved a rezoning for a 25-storey podium-style high-rise at 11630 87 Avenue NW in the Windsor Park neighbourhood. Developers reduced the height from an initial 32 storeys after community feedback. The project, located near the Health Sciences/Jubilee LRT station, could begin construction in late 2027. While some residents expressed concerns over traffic, supporters of the development highlighted the location's transit access and proximity to the university. "It's a serious vote of confidence towards creating a more compact urban form that encourages investment to occur in our key nodes and corridors and one that will allow a significant amount of residents to walk to and from work, school and for their daily needs," Westrich Pacific's Ian O'Donnell posted on LinkedIn.
• BOMA Edmonton and North CEO Stacey Claffey argued in an opinion piece that Edmonton's long-term business competitiveness depends on sustained investment in downtown office modernization, permitting efficiency, and reinvestment-friendly policy. "When downtowns are active, safe, clean, and growing, they send a message that a city is open for business and positioned for investment," she wrote. "That matters deeply in an increasingly competitive environment where cities across North America are competing for talent, capital, tourism, and economic growth."
• Sparrow Cowork has opened a new location in the restored Brighton Block building on Jasper Avenue.
• The REALTORS Association of Edmonton found that 2,482 homes sold in the Edmonton region in April, up 16.4% from March but down 8.1% from last April. Meanwhile, a separate report by Zoocasa indicated local buyers have seen strong equity returns relative to other Canadian cities since 2020.
• American developer Panattoni acquired the 100-acre Twin Willows Business Park site in northwest Edmonton, with plans for up to two million square feet of industrial space, according to Connect CRE and RENX.

More headlines

• Business owners on 124 Street are frustrated over the City of Edmonton's parking app, citing confusion from outdated EPark signs and difficulties for seniors who don't have smartphones to use the new HotSpot app. While Coun. Michael Janz acknowledged "growing pains" and emphasized improving the digital experience, Mayor Andrew Knack said he wants to explore options for physical parking payments for those without smartphones. "Put the old change metres back for crying out loud, at least you can use (them)," Clinton Beck, the owner of Beck Antiquities & Jewellery, suggested to CityNews.
• The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is calling on the city to incorporate business impact mitigation into the costs of construction. In a letter to Mayor Andrew Knack, the chamber is asking the city to contribute to marketing and wayfinding, among other requests. "Business impact should be treated as a foreseeable cost of construction, not an afterthought that struggled to get funding," reads the letter signed by president and CEO Doug Griffiths.
• The Competition Bureau of Canada said it opposes Keyera's proposed $5.15-billion purchase of a natural gas liquids business owned by Plains All American Pipeline in Fort Saskatchewan, arguing that the deal would eliminate one of just three competitors in the region. Calgary-based Keyera has disputed the findings and says the opposition does not formally block the deal, adding that correspondence with the bureau is ongoing.
• Alberta labour groups and post-secondary institutions welcomed Ottawa's $6-billion skilled trades package while saying details on implementation will matter. "Our concern has been both with the Trudeau government and with this Carney government that the funding they're giving is going to a minority of the industries," Mike Martens of the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association's Alberta chapter told Postmedia. "We think that is an injustice."
• The University of Alberta has appointed Brad Ferguson as chair of its board of governors. A U of A alumnus, Ferguson is senior vice-president at Optimus SBR and previously served as president and CEO of the Edmonton Economic Development Corp. His father, John Ferguson, served as board chair and chancellor.
• L'UniThéâtre founder Steve Jodoin, journalist Sheena Rossiter, and Grey Nuns Community Hospital nursing researcher Winston Bui are among MacEwan University's seven Alumni Awards honorees for 2026.
• Ken Bautista reflected on his departure from his role of vice-president of growth at Edmonton Unlimited, where he had helped evolve programs and build venture teams. "I'm grateful for the chance to help reshape things from the inside — evolving programs, building venture teams, reinforcing a community-first ethos, and reconnecting with founders in my hometown."
• The EdUp Professional Continuing & Online Ed podcast featured Kassie Burkholder of NAIT on how corporate engagement can better align post-secondary institutions with workforce and community needs.
• The nomination deadline for the ASTech Awards has been extended to May 25.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:

• May 8: Chamber After Hours starting at 3pm at Pendennis Building
• May 9: ACE Conference (Alberta Condo Expo) starting at 8am at Edmonton Convention Centre
• May 9: Monthly Public Relations Coffee Chat starting at 10am at Always Coffee
• May 11-14: Housing Forward: 2026 Prairies Affordable Housing Summit at Edmonton Convention Centre
• May 13: Edmonton Real Estate Forum starting at 8am at Edmonton Convention Centre
• May 13: Luncheon with the Hon. Steven MacKinnon: Strengthening Canada's Supply Chains and Trade Corridors starting at 12pm at Fairmont Hotel Macdonald
• May 13: Spring Info Eve starting at 5pm at Moyer Recreation Centre
• May 14: Exploring Defence and Aerospace Opportunities starting at 8am at Villeneuve Airport
• May 14: State of the City Address starting at 11am at Edmonton Convention Centre
• May 14: Wills & Wealth Transfer: What Every Family Should Know (But Rarely Talks About) starting at 6pm
• May 14-15: Global Economic Diversification Summit at Edmonton Convention Centre

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 20: Advanced Manufacturing Summit at NAIT
• May 22: Coffee with the Chamber at Sawmill Prime Rib & Steakhouse
• May 27-28: Nisku Energy Show at Silent Ice Centre

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