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Regional Roundup

Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026

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Edmonton region defence alliance to steer defence investment into local industry

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This is a re-issue of the Regional Roundup, as we accidentally sent it out with the top from the Health Innovation Roundup. Apologies for the error!

We notice the new Edmonton Region Defence Alliance is showcasing more than just the capital city as it seeks to steer defence investment into local companies, research labs, and industrial sites. The partners — Alberta's Industrial Heartland Association, Edmonton Global, the Edmonton International Airport, the University of Alberta, and NAIT — say the alliance is designed to match the region's strengths with opportunities in Prime Minister Mark Carney's multibillion‑dollar defence strategy. "ERDA leverages the Edmonton region's strategic location, industrial readiness, resources, talent and the grit it is known for to protect Canadian sovereignty," the consortium said in the announcement.

The alliance is anchored by Nisku Industrial Park, one of the largest industrial fabrication zones in North America, and Alberta's Industrial Heartland, Canada's largest energy, plastics, and petrochemicals cluster. "Canada's defence and security priorities depend on reliable energy, advanced manufacturing, and resilient supply chains — and that's exactly what this region delivers," Mark Plamondon, executive director of Alberta's Industrial Heartland, said in the release. Meanwhile, the airport is finalizing an agreement with the Royal Canadian Air Force to host its Western Main Operating Base, and it highlighted its shovel-ready sites with access to transportation and logistics infrastructure. And the federal government announced on Feb. 24 that it will build more than 1,000 housing units for military members in Edmonton as part of a $3.7-billion Canada-wide plan.

ERDA was announced just after Prairies Economic Development Canada granted two Edmonton businesses funding to bolster Canada's defence industry. Zero Point Cryogenics will receive $5 million to advance the commercialization of its cooling technologies for quantum computing, and Logican Technologies, which manufactures electronics for defence clients, will receive $1.5 million. Jason Pincock of Logican Technologies, Nathan Mison of Diplomat Consulting, and engineering professor Ian Smith joined Real Talk to discuss how Alberta will benefit from the funding. Defence and dual-use technologies will be the topic of interest at the next MIT REAP Town Hall on March 3 at Edmonton Unlimited.

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Economic development

  • Beaumont saw commercial vacancies drop from 21.3% to 6.5% in two years and added 42 new businesses, according to an economic update shared with council. The city is on track to add at least 75,000 sq. ft. of new commercial development in 2026, with permits recently approved for a grocery store and automotive repair services.
  • Representatives from the Edmonton region have returned from a life sciences trade mission in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Riyadh. "Trade missions like this are about more than meetings. They're about positioning our region globally, building long-term partnerships," says a post from Edmonton Global.
  • BBE, a customs broker and logistics company, has launched a licenced Canadian customs brokerage. It aims to strengthen Canada's defence and Arctic supply chains by integrating customs services directly with international freight forwarding for highly regulated shipments such as defence equipment and critical minerals.

Municipalities

  • The province says it appears the Town of Gibbons administration did not share the town's full financial struggles between 2020 and 2025. In an update on the town's expedited viability review, Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams said the municipality reported overstated revenues in its 2025 operating budget and used cash reserves, debt, and conditional grant funding to cover operating expenses. Gibbons is weeks away from being unable to meet payroll or basic obligations, its interim CAO told Sturgeon County council, which is assisting in the viability review. Analysis reviewed by the provincially appointed administrator found that a tax increase of 120% to 128% would be needed to meaningfully stabilize the town's finances.
  • St. Albert council received an update on a proposed youth transitional housing facility near downtown at 16 Sir Winston Churchill Avenue, with a bylaw vote to remove the site's municipal-reserve designation expected in March. Administration said similar facilities in Alberta typically reach three to five storeys.
  • St. Albert updated its land use bylaw to, among other changes, remove pigeons, rabbits, and birds from the livestock definition, sparing two residents from having to re-home their pet pigeons.
  • Sturgeon County council heard from residents opposed to a proposed land-use amendment that would allow 246 residential lots in the Century Hills subdivision at nearly 15 units per net residential hectare — more than triple the density of neighbouring Tuscany Hills. Council will revisit the matter at a future public hearing.
  • The federal government is contributing $1.74 million toward a new shared-use pathway and pedestrian bridge in Sturgeon County, adding just over a kilometre of path along Starkey Road with connections to the Bellerose River Walk and a new crossing over the Sturgeon River.
  • Stony Plain is hosting an open house on March 5 to gather feedback on a proposed area structure plan for the town's northeast employment area, which outlines industrial and commercial land use on designated employment lands.
  • Parkland County council has given first reading to three infrastructure borrowing bylaws totalling approximately $6 million to finance an Entwistle water loop, a wastewater forcemain replacement, and wastewater rehabilitation in Acheson.
  • Parkland County is offering a two-part online workshop series on farm direct marketing for producers as part of its Dig into Horticulture program.
  • Members of the public are invited to weigh in on a number of issues, including redistricting in St. Albert, rezoning in the City of Leduc, citizen satisfaction in Leduc County, and policing priorities in Fort Saskatchewan, says Taproot's Your turn feature.

Headlines

  • The province has issued an indefinite measles exposure advisory for Parkland County, advising those living, working, and travelling in the county to be aware of the risk of contracting the disease. Adriana LaGrange, the minister of primary and preventative health services, said a blanket advisory was issued because it wasn't possible to pinpoint a specific location of exposure. Parkland County Mayor Rod Shaigec expressed concerns about a lack of communication with his council, and officials from Spruce Grove said they knew nothing more than what the province had released.
  • The Little Potato Company marked its 30th anniversary by unveiling a new logo, celebrating its growth from a one-acre plot to a 200,000 square-foot facility in Nisku.
  • A HouseSigma report shows that a $350,000 Edmonton-area home could be a two-bedroom Wîhkwêntôwin condominium with 1,000 square feet, a three-bedroom townhome exceeding 1,300 square feet in the suburbs, or a single-family detached home in Leduc, demonstrating buyer dollars stretch further than in most major Canadian real estate markets.
  • The St. Albert Minor Football Association's flag football league has been growing by 15% to 20% each year, with registration now open until March 31 and further growth expected as the sport joins the 2028 Summer Olympic program.

Happenings

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

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

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

Sponsored

This roundup was sponsored by Park Power.

Park Power is your friendly, local utilities provider, offering electricity, natural gas, and internet throughout Alberta. Park Power offers low rates, awesome service, and through their Community Partners program, shares 10% of electricity profits with some awesome Alberta charities. Their Green Power program supports the production of renewable energy in Alberta and their Solar Club helps Albertans gain more value from their investment in solar power.

Park Power

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