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The City of Edmonton has launched a new plan aimed at attracting global investment and developing a thriving local economy, but critics say the strategy doesn’t go far enough to achieve those goals.
A new report called “Edmonton Advantage: Edmonton’s Economic Development Strategy 2026-2030” looks at three key areas the city is trying to tackle.
The report says there’s a perception that Edmonton is “business unfriendly,” there’s a lack of awareness about what makes Edmonton extraordinary, and Edmonton’s residential tax base is growing faster than commercial.
“Edmonton needs to grow its non-residential tax base,” Mayor Andrew Knack told news media on Wednesday.
He said the non-residential tax base was higher 20 years ago and then it flipped.
“And that puts a lot of burden on residential taxpayers, and it’s created, I think, a challenge,” Knack said.
“We are not as economically competitive as we need to be in the entire region.”
In writing the report, city administration gathered input over the past year from businesses, improvement areas, academic organizations, arts groups, non-profits and associations in construction, development and finance.
City councillors started discussing the report at an executive committee meeting Wednesday, where two dozen people joined to give new feedback on the strategy.
Heather Thomson, vice-president of economy and engagement with the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, said she agrees with the goal of developing a stronger business environment but believes clean sidewalks and public spaces should be a priority.
“We would like to see beautification and cleanliness,” she said during the meeting.
Cleaning isn’t listed as a point of action in the report, Thomson noted, adding that she believes it needs substantial investment.
“When people are spending time in sparkly clean public and commercial areas, they are more confident and they will spend more time and that will translate into spending more money.”
The city’s 13 business improvement areas represent 5,000 businesses and some of them are calling for funding to improve storefronts, expand shop-local campaigns and reduce vacancies in buildings.
Luwam Kiflemariam, executive director of the 124th Street and Area Business Association, said the document lacks support for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs.
“The strategy is strong on large-scale investment attraction, industrial growth and downtown megaprojects, but comparatively weak on supporting the thousands of small businesses and BIAs (business improvement areas) that already drive Edmonton’s local economy,” Kiflemariam said.
Puneeta McBryan, a partner at local consulting firm Alloy Strategies, said the report doesn’t truly address perception, which drives how the local economy can thrive.
“It actually just comes down to vibes,” she said. “Street front activation, great bars and restaurants, nightlife and festivals, live music, theatre, film, retail and hospitality that’s genuinely interesting.”
A couple of people who attended the meeting took aim at the city for applying high fees for restaurants and bars to implement patios this season.
Several game developers turned out for the meeting and urged the city to support local studios.
Hope Docking, a game developer and co-founder of Cozy Comet Games, said independent developers need more financial help.
“Looking at city-funded support that might give small studios the much-needed head start to build traction, it feels like indie game developers like me have been a little forgotten,” she said.
“We’re too artsy for tech, but we’re too technical for the arts. We fit into the category of entertainment, but we do not have the same needs as television and film.”
The Edmonton Advantage strategy replaces the previous 10-year Economic Action Plan, launched in 2021 as a strategy to build a long-term resilient economy. Administration says 13 of 24 actions have been completed from that plan.
In a motion proposed by Knack on Wednesday, the committee directed administration to explore options with BIAs for funding and models to support clean, safe and vibrant main streets. Results on that are expected back in September this year.
The committee also passed a motion to find revised options for patio fees and permits in 2027 after the city started charging restaurants and bars $6,900 to operate a large year-round patio on a public space, and $3,700 for large seasonal patios.