Representatives of the construction sector say they need to be involved in how extreme weather risks are addressed in project planning, procurement, and contract delivery. On Aug. 26, council's infrastructure committee heard from representatives from the Edmonton Construction Association, which represents the industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sectors, including contractors hired for public projects such as roads and neighbourhood renewal. The shortness of Edmonton's construction season has been exacerbated by repeat storms, and it can be hard to make up for weather-related delays, said Ryan Christensen, chair of the ECA's board.
The association is calling for risk to be fairly allocated in construction contracts. "Contractors can manage labour, productivity, and construction methods, but no contractor can manage record rainfall or prolonged weather events," Christensen said. "When weather moves beyond what could have been reasonably anticipated, the focus should not be on which party can absorb the impact. It should be on how project partners work together to overcome that." The ECA's Falynn Schellenberg said the city needs to offer contractors flexibility on schedules, contract administration, and sequencing to ensure projects are completed safely and to a high standard.
The Edmonton region experienced 34 thunderstorms in June and July, which dropped about 580 millimetres of rain. The city's administration said land development projects have been delayed due to rain, and some timelines for land sales in Goodridge Corners, the Exhibition Lands, and Blatchford will need to be pushed from 2026 to 2027. The rain caused delays for stages 2 and 3 of the Terwillegar Drive expansion, the Yellowhead Trail Freeway conversion, and the Valley Line West LRT, but overall, those projects are expected to be complete on schedule. Some work on the Capital Line South LRT will be rescheduled into winter or the 2027 season.
Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack told Taproot he remains committed to Edmonton Global as a vehicle for regional economic development, even as five municipalities have left and three more are in the process of departing. "Unless you're going to put out almost unlimited money, you do have to prioritize," Knack said, adding that the agency's return on investment justifies Edmonton's continued support. The Aug. 28 episode of Speaking Municipally will have more.
Edmonton companies are up for dozens of Rosie Award nominations from the Alberta Media Production Industries Association, with the gala set for Nov. 7 in Calgary. Catapult Pictures's Crip Trip leads with 15 nominations, including best unscripted series, while Sticks and Stones is up for 12, many for The Secret Longtree Society.
Premier Danielle Smith called U.S. negotiators' demands "untenable" and "too painful" after Canada-U.S. trade talks collapsed, triggering 50% U.S. tariffs on a wide range of Canadian exports. But as Ottawa plans dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs starting Sept. 8, Smith also rejected cutting off Alberta's energy exports. Former premier Jason Kenney said Canada should keep oil and gas exports as potential leverage in the trade war. "They should be mindful that if they really want to escalate, it will not end well for the American economy two months before mid-term elections," he told Global News, though he conceded that cutting off exports is not feasible.
Due to high oil prices, the Alberta government is now projecting a $2-billion surplus, instead of the $9.4-billion deficit forecast in February. Finance Minister Jason Nixon said the windfall will not be applied to program spending, but rather potential relief for businesses affected by the tariff war, or perhaps energy rebates for Albertans.
Richard Ozero of Parkland County's Good Morning Honey said Alberta honey is among the products hit by new U.S. tariffs after Canada-U.S. trade talks broke down. A 50% tariff now applies to about $6 million worth of Alberta honey exported annually to the U.S. "The Canadian honey has to go somewhere," Ozero told CTV News Edmonton. "If it's backed up back into Canada, now we're facing a glut of honey here, and that's going to suppress prices if we can't find other international buyers or encourage Canadian honey consumption."
Take the next step at Edmonton Startup Week
From Oct. 5 to 9, Edmonton's founders, innovators, investors, students, and big thinkers are coming together to learn, connect, and build momentum. Step in for candid panels and lunch-and-learns, step up through hands-on workshops and mentorship, and step forward at community meetups, Startup Crawl, Launch Party, and more. Wherever you are in your startup journey, there's a next step waiting for you.
Emissions Reduction Alberta will invest $15.7 million in five Edmonton-based projects advancing hydrogen, advanced manufacturing, and sustainable construction technology. Azolla Hydrogen will receive $3 million to deploy a methanol-to-hydrogen fueling system and rapid deployment station to expand access to affordable high-pressure hydrogen refuelling. Mangrove Lithium will receive just over $3 million to demonstrate the use of an industrial byproduct as a low-carbon material for concrete production. Quantiam Technologies will receive $3.4 million to develop technologies that convert captured carbon dioxide and clean hydrogen into low-emissions, low-cost methanol. VulcanX Energy Corp will receive $2.5 million to demonstrate a next-generation methane pyrolysis reactor that produces low-emission hydrogen and high-value solid carbon. Zylotex will receive $3.75 million to scale up production of low-emissions cellulose.
Keith Cleland shared the origin story of Aqua-Cell Energy, which is developing flow batteries powered by salt water as an affordable alternative to conventional lithium-based storage. "(We) are poised to help people save billions of dollars in energy costs while protecting the climate at the same time," he told Canada's National Observer. "This technology can be sourced locally, so it will strengthen national sovereignty and the economy."
The Métis Settlements Development Corporation has announced a new partnership with Stony Plain-based Carvel Electric, a Métis-owned electrical contractor operating across Alberta's energy, industrial, and commercial sectors. The organizations aim to combine MSDC's network with Carvel's contracting expertise to bring Métis-owned businesses into more electrical and construction opportunities.
Trust Science has received a U.S. patent for a machine-learning-driven identity system that builds a continuous profile of a person using partial or evolving data from multiple sources. The Edmonton-based fintech company said the technology supports applications from credit decisions and fraud prevention to document recovery.
Valleyview IGA has reopened at 142 Street and 91 Avenue in the Parkview neighbourhood of west Edmonton. The store replaces the short-lived premium grocer L'OCA Quality Market, which closed both of its locations in March, and fills a space that Andy's IGA held for nearly six decades before owner Andy Taschuk retired in 2024. The new store has hired about 45 to 50 staff, some of them former L'OCA employees.
The Globe and Mail profiled Aliya's Foods, the frozen-foods manufacturer behind the Chef Bombay brand. Chief operating officer Khadija Jiwani, who joined the family business founded by her parents in 1999, has helped grow the brand to more than 7,000 stores across Canada and the United States, with a new Mexican-American product line launching this fall.
A 696-unit student housing development at the 1947 Massey Ferguson building downtown has been approved. Faction has been hired to design and build four six-storey mid-rise buildings around two courtyards and a central pedestrian pathway while keeping most of the existing building intact. The building, designated a municipal historic resource in 2025, most recently served as a Healy Ford showroom and warehouse until the dealership moved to Sherwood Park in 2011. The first phase of the project is expected to be complete in June 2028.
The St. Albert real estate market is returning to balance after years of a seller's market, with residential sales across the Edmonton region down 11% year-over-year in July. REALTORS Association of Edmonton board chair-elect Chris Hedstrom said the region now has three to four months of inventory — up nearly 18% from last year — and he expects a more balanced market to persist into fall.
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Former Alberta premiers Rachel Notley and Jason Kenney have joined forces to co-chair a Canadian Chamber of Commerce campaign against Alberta separation, ahead of an Oct. 19 referendum on whether the province should remain in Canada or start the process toward a binding separation vote. "We'll no doubt be standing shoulder to shoulder on this up until we can put it to bed once and for all," Notley said.
Alberta has appointed Jennifer Venance as its first music commissioner, a new role created to support and grow the province's music industry. Venance has been a musician and music educator for more than 20 years, most recently as director of K-12 curriculum and French education with Alberta Education and Childcare.
The University of Alberta is accepting applications until Aug. 31 for a Startup & Investor Speed Dinner during Edmonton Startup Week 2026. Eight founders who are raising capital or preparing to do so will be selected for a "speed dating" dinner with investors and ecosystem leaders.
Aurora Cannabis has acquired two UK companies — Internode Pharma Limited and HAP Pharma Limited — to expand its medical cannabis distribution in the UK, one of Europe's largest medical cannabis markets.
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals has settled patent litigation with Teva over its lupus nephritis drug LUPKYNIS (voclosporin). Teva acknowledged Aurinia's patents as valid and enforceable, and agreed not to launch a generic product in the U.S. before December 2036.
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