T.rex AI, a company that seeks to make electrical grids more efficient and reliable, won the finale of Startup TNT's Edmonton investment summit on May 28. "So this is what this feels like," CEO Daniel May said at the event held at Edmonton Unlimited, before passing the mic to co-founder Peter Atrazhev. "This is pretty awesome; we can't do it without you, all of the sponsors, all of the investors who have grilled us for many hours, who (made us answer) the same questions from different angles, which can be troublesome, but we navigate it," Atrazhev said. "I look forward to using this and doing the thing." The amount invested was not disclosed, but winners typically come away with at least $150,000.
ATCO is said to be in the final approval stage for a 235-kilometre natural gas pipeline from Peers to Fort Saskatchewan, CBC reported. Construction on the $2.9-billion project could start as early as September, pending a decision expected soon from the Alberta Utilities Commission, Yellowhead County council heard. The pipeline would move gas from Peers through Lac Ste. Anne County, Sturgeon County, and Parkland County on its way to Alberta's Industrial Heartland.
A team at the University of Alberta says it has made a hydrogen-production breakthrough that could improve efficiency and support energy applications in Alberta. Chemistry professor Steve Bergens and his team have discovered a way to produce hydrogen from water using electrolysis, which could greatly increase its supply. "Alberta's got one of the biggest fertilizer factories or companies on the planet, and they use hydrogen," Bergens told Postmedia, later adding that hydrogen is used in many industries. "It's a huge part of the province's economy — in everybody's economy."
Legacy Heating & Cooling committed $1.5 million to NAIT to support HVAC, sheet metal, and plumbing training through lab upgrades, student awards, and hands-on learning. "Skilled trades are essential to Alberta's continued growth, and supporting NAIT helps ensure the next generation of tradespeople receives the hands-on training, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed," said Legacy president Steve Weiss.
Edmonton has a decentralized approach to Pride celebrations that contributes to Explore Edmonton's ability to pitch the city as a safe and fun place for 2SLGBTQ+ people, Gina Schopfer told Taproot. Ron Byers of Pride Edmonton gathers and amplifies events, many of which are further promoted by the visitor-economy agency.
Morinville is hosting its first State of Morinville event on June 11, where Mayor Simon Boersma will deliver a keynote address outlining the city's priorities and highlighting recent successes as it launches its new 2026–2030 strategic plan. "As Morinville continues to grow, it's important that residents, businesses, community partners and regional leaders hear directly about the work underway, the priorities guiding our future and the capital investments that will help shape our community in the years ahead," Boersma said in a release.
Startups and SMBs
Northernmost is raising a Series A investment round to further develop its new kidney transport device. Founder and CEO Ron Mills worked on the machine-perfusion device preferred by United States health providers today, and said the world needs an upgrade. "Nobody's really done anything in 27 years," Mills told Taproot. "That's too long for something so good to not have a next act. My unfinished business — if I'm angry about anything — is that we're still using so much static cold storage, those ice coolers, for kidney transport."
RUNWITHIT Synthetics has soft-launched the Synthetic Waterloo Intelligent Futures Technology Hub at the University of Waterloo, using RWI tech to help deepen research insights. It is led by Dillon Browne, a Canada Research Chair in child and family clinical psychology. "(This hub ensures) that the best ideas, research and knowledge can be seen by many, that the relationship between ideas converging across disciplines and generations is visible and tangible, and that the resultant sharing translates directly into beneficial impact for many communities and future generations," CEO Myrna Bittner said in an announcement.
When it comes to AI adoption, Punchcard Systems aims to create a "psychologically safe environment" where employees can take risks and try new tools, co-founder Sam Jenkins told The Globe and Mail. The company has built an internal chat interface so employees can experiment without risking client work. "The real skill today is not prompting ChatGPT," he said. "It's knowing when not to trust the output. Without that, we get AI slop at scale."
The Terroir Symposium debuted in Edmonton with events aimed at encouraging excellence in the hospitality industry. It concludes May 29, and its remaining event is sold out.
Sales are surging for both Alberta and Canada flags at O Canada Gear in the wake of separation talk. "You've got to understand in today's day and age, to coin a phrase, we have to be a little bit like Switzerland, and that's what I am," owner Joe Nykoluk told CityNews Edmonton.
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Edmonton property owners are receiving their 2026 property tax notices by mail or email. This year, a typical single-detached home assessed at $492,500 will pay about $426 monthly in combined property taxes. The City of Edmonton said 75% of property taxes will support municipal services, while the remaining 25% will contribute to provincial education funding. This year's municipal tax increase is 6.9% and the provincial education tax increase is 10.2%. The deadline for property owners to sign up for monthly payments is June 15. CBC explained how property values are assessed.
An April price report by HouseSigma found 70% of Edmonton-region homes sales in April went for asking price or below, a 57% jump from same period last year. Postmedia reported on the findings with commentary from realtors, concluding the market is more balanced than in 2024 and 2025.
Investors are showing growing interest in Edmonton townhomes, Western Investor reported, citing Avison Young's current offering of a collection of 536 units held by Boardwalk REIT at Riverview Plaza, Parkview Estates, and Northridge Estates.
The City of Leduc is making progress on its plans to annex parts of Leduc County. It will conduct online surveys and drop-in open houses in June to gather feedback on the city's growth management study, which examines how much land Leduc will need to support growth over the next 50 years.
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IABC Edmonton presented its Capital Awards on May 28, honouring excellence in business communications. In addition to the craft awards, three awards of distinction were presented: Martha Jamieson of FKA (and formerly of TBWA\Canada and DDB Canada) was named the Inspired Leader of the Year; Tyler Butler of Adverb Communications was named Inspired Communicator of the Year; and Megan Candie of the City of Edmonton was named the Inspired Member of the Year.
While many Alberta business owners expressed concerns about the economic impact of separatism talk, Dhruv Gupta of the group behind Akash Homes said it won't affect his business. "We think Alberta continues to be the best place to invest and do business, and that's why almost the entirety of our capital is here," he told Postmedia. "For us, this will not make a change." Both Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mayor Andrew Knack have said that Premier Danielle Smith's decision to ask about separation in the referendum planned for October will be economically detrimental.
The Alberta Federation of Labour is planning Fight Back Now rallies across more than a dozen communities on May 29, including Edmonton and St. Albert. Organizers expect the protests to mark the start of a broader campaign over healthcare, affordability, education, and democratic rights, the St. Albert Gazette reported.
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