Downtown dense with businesses, census finds

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.