Edmonton's central district, which includes downtown, Wîhkwêntôwin, and the 124 Street corridor, is home to 5,500 businesses employing more than 144,000 people, the highest concentration in the city, according to the 2025 business census, released on June 18. Service-producing businesses are concentrated in the downtown, which the report calls the main hub for finance, corporate headquarters, and specialized services. There are other smaller hot spots throughout the city, often aligning with major commercial strips and mixed-use areas.
The city expanded the business census city-wide in 2025 and counted just under 30,000 businesses. "By analyzing trends in sectors and various areas of the city, we can make informed decisions that support businesses, nurture innovation, and ensure Edmonton's economy is resilient, vibrant, and inclusive," the report said. The census mapped clusters of businesses in the same industry that often buy and sell from each other, offer similar services, or have the same infrastructure needs. Knowing these groupings helps the city decide where to build roads and utilities, where to attract new businesses, and how to support industries, the report said. A dashboard allows you to dig into the data further.
Entertainment, leisure, and shopping are concentrated downtown, in Old Strathcona, and at West Edmonton Mall. As business intelligence analyst Jeff Bell noted, the census found that wholesale, manufacturing, and transportation and warehousing businesses are concentrated in Jasper Place and southeast Edmonton, which ranked second and third for business density. The city is conducting its 2026 business census now. City employees will visit businesses in person, and there is an online survey open until August. Senior economic development strategist Nolan Carter commented that the city is looking forward to being able to do a year-over-year comparison.
Alberta Innovates noted its investment of more than $14 million into commercialization infrastructure through the Ecosystem Development Partnership Program, adding that those investments generated nearly $48 million in additional investment from partners in the first quarter of 2026. Among the projects highlighted were Alberta CREATE at the University of Alberta, which is meant to help small and medium-sized businesses develop, build, and scale new hardware, and DEFENDS, which is meant to help businesses access specialized support to develop defence and dual-use technologies.
Edmonton Unlimited plans to help Edmonton innovators navigate the defence and dual-use technology sector, building on what MIT REAP Team Edmonton has learned, CEO Tom Viinikka said. MIT REAP Edmonton is planning its final town hall this summer.
Rebecca Mackenzie, CEO of the Culinary Tourism Alliance, saluted Explore Edmonton, Strathcona County, and Leduc County for a successful Taste of Place Summit in Edmonton on June 15 and 16. She also acknowledged the local and regional operators who welcomed delegates from across the country: "Thank you for showcasing the people, places, flavours, and experiences that make this part of Alberta so remarkable." The next Taste of Place will be in Kelowna.
The Edmonton Arts Council is preparing to make a case for a budget increase when city council deliberates the 2027-2030 budget this fall. The EAC will focus its budget ask on the strategic priorities that city council approved near the start of its term — economic development, growth management, quality services, and safety, CEO Renée Williams told Taproot. "We know as the Edmonton Arts Council that the work that we fund and invest in touches a number of those key priorities," Williams said. "It's about making that case, socializing that with council early in the hopes that enough of that socialization gets them thinking."
Acheson-based Champion Petfoods has invested $1.135 million to launch a canine performance lab at the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, aimed at improving early detection of pain and mobility issues in aging dogs. Champion plans to launch its Global Innovation and Discovery Centre on June 24; it said the Parkland County facility will serve as a hub for the company to advance its work in nutritional sciences, production capabilities, and sustainable packaging.
Traci Bateman, founder of Bliss MediSpa & Integrated Wellness and recipient of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year award, shared her entrepreneurial journey on the Executive Wins Podcast. She described building the business from a yoga studio to a luxury wellness centre, and how a forced pivot during COVID shaped its current form.
Sean Collins, CEO of Varme Energy, expressed frustration at recent changes to carbon pricing that he says will make Varme's projects unviable. The changes were announced on May 15 as part of a memorandum of understanding between the provincial and federal governments. "The MOU establishes a new floor price of $60 per tonne in 2030. While intended to create certainty, it also dramatically reduces the revenue expectations that all carbon capture projects rely on," Collins wrote. He added that the United States has better incentives for carbon capture investors.
Vertical Impression has partnered with Adelaide to integrate its real-world out-of-home attention dataset — built from more than 9,000 elevator screens across North America — into Adelaide's media quality standard.
ECSD Dual Credit program gives students career-ready business skills in just one year
Anna came to Canada from Ukraine looking for a fresh start. Through Edmonton Catholic Schools' Administrative Professional Dual Credit program, she earned high school and post-secondary credits while gaining career-ready business skills that extend far beyond the office space. She launched her career in a year. So could someone you know!
Residents of Edmonton's Parkview neighbourhood oppose multiple infill housing projects by developer Davach Properties. Corisandra Leyton-High is leading efforts to appeal multi-unit infill plans, citing insufficient clearance for infrastructure. While her efforts were denied by Edmonton's Subdivision and Development Appeal Board in May, she has escalated the case to the Alberta Court of Appeal, with a hearing scheduled for August.
Stony Plain is seeking public input to update its municipal development plan, which guides growth and development over the next 30 years. The town is hosting 10 community engagement parties at neighbourhood parks through the summer to gather resident perspectives on land use, culture, the economy, the environment, and governance.
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All Weather at Home has unveiled more than 2,000 rooftop solar panels at its west-end Edmonton manufacturing facility, the largest such private installation in the city. The system produces 1.3 gigawatt hours annually, covering 35% of the facility's energy needs, with surplus flowing into Alberta's electricity grid on weekends.
JA Northern Alberta inducted Diane Brickner, Marc de la Bruyère, David Tuccaro, and Glenn Woolsey into its Business Hall of Fame on June 10. It also presented its Impact Award to Sam Jenkins of Punchcard Systems. "Most of you don't know who I am yet, but I think that's exactly why I'm standing here tonight," Jenkins said in his acceptance speech. "Because this award isn't about what has been built — it's about what's being built. And I can speak to that in a way that even these remarkable inductees, with all their wisdom, genuinely can't."
NAIT awarded honorary degrees to Randy Littlechild, the first Indigenous person to earn the EMT-paramedic credential in Alberta; Catherine Vu, an IT entrepreneur and community builder; and Gord Winkel, a mechanical engineer who spent decades improving safety and innovation at Syncrude.
The Prairie Polytechnic Innovation Network Accelerating Commercialization for Local Ecosystems, of which NAIT is a member, will receive an additional $586,000 from Prairies Economic Development Canada, building on a previous commitment of nearly $900,000. The applied research network, known as P2INACLE, will support innovation in the mining and minerals sector.
Jeff McLean, co-founder of Pride Tape, joined the Startup Canada Podcast to describe how the Edmonton-born initiative — rainbow-coloured hockey tape signalling acceptance — grew from a small idea into a global movement promoting safety for 2SLGBTQI+ people in sports.
CPA Alberta is the professional organization for more than 30,000 Chartered Professional Accountants (CPAs) across the province. CPAs are known for the experience, expertise, and business acumen they bring to organizations everywhere. CPAs are leaders, entrepreneurs, business advisors, personal financial advisors, management consultants, financial analysts, and so much more!
