The Pulse
May 14, 2024
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Here's what you need to know about Edmonton today.
Podcast considers slimmed-down streets, Edge Fund treats
The return of Edmonton's Summer Streets Program while e-scooters are absent is bittersweet in the estimation of Episode 263 of Speaking Municipally.
"I think the one thing that is exceptionally notable about all of the streets that they're doing this on is that they're streets that don't need to exist," co-host Troy Pavlek said of the sections of Saskatchewan Drive, 104 Street, and Victoria Park Road that will be closed to cars starting this month. "We're not doing a big lift on these. This is pretty close to the bare minimum — but it is nice to see."
Work to open Summer Streets began May 6, and each route will be ready for pedestrians and wheel-based travellers by "mid-May," the city said. Unfortunately, the ever-popular e-scooter rentals won't be on the streets until as late as the end of the month due to negotiations for longer-term contracts.
"This is the most predictable of problems. Summer happens basically the same time every year," Pavlek said. "That left me completely dumbfounded."
Guest Tim Querengesser, Taproot's managing editor, countered that Edmonton has shown itself to be forward-thinking on e-scooters, which may account for the delay as it seeks to get new elements of the program right. It wants three-year contracts, enhanced parking requirements, and licensing adjustments. "But it is still frustrating," Querengesser allowed.
Another summer flavour from the show is Kind Ice Cream's selection as one of the 17 recipients of Phase 1 of the Edmonton Edge Fund. Pavlek said as much as he's willing to wait in long lines for the company's frozen fare, he's not sure all the companies selected actually need a municipal grant.
"It does strike me (that) a lot of these organizations are doing pretty well and scaling pretty well on their own," he said. "Is the investment by the city really the most prudent financial decision?"
Co-host Mack Male lamented that the city did not spend its full pot of $5 million — meting out $4.75 million instead — but said the economic implications of the spending make sense. "The point of the city investing in any of these kinds of things is the economic development," he said. "These companies grow, they employ people, they attract other investment, they catalyze future growth and future investment."
Be There: Pride vs. Prejudice Screening!
Don't miss the exclusive screening of "Pride vs. Prejudice: The Delwin Vriend Story" at Rainbow Visions Film Festival on May 19, 2024. This powerful documentary chronicles a landmark legal battle, illuminating the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. Secure your tickets now for an eye-opening cinematic experience you won't soon forget.
Headlines: May 14, 2024
- Alberta Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis said he has asked the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate police actions related to the clearing of pro-Palestine encampments at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary. Ellis said the government is aware that encampment participants may have been injured while police carried out the removals. "We have asked the director of law enforcement to have ASIRT review these claims," Ellis said in a statement. "Should allegations of serious injury be substantiated, ASIRT will investigate those claims further."
- People's University for Palestine YEG, the organizers of the protest encampment at the University of Alberta that was forcibly removed by the Edmonton Police Service on May 11, released a statement calling for university president Bill Flanagan's resignation and disputing his claims about the encampment's risks and participants. Flanagan defended the removal, which has sparked controversy and calls for accountability, including a joint letter from the presidents of the Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta, the Graduate Students' Association, the Non-Academic Staff Association, and the U of A Students' Union asking for a meeting to discuss the removal.
- During an appearance on CBC's Edmonton AM, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said he was disturbed by the images of Edmonton police removing the protest encampment at the University of Alberta. Sohi said the City will reach out to the university and the police commission about the response, but noted city council doesn't have authority over how the university responds to events on its campus. "When I saw those images, I was concerned," Sohi said, adding it was "not the right approach."
- Residents of a north Edmonton neighbourhood are divided over traffic-calming measures planned for 132 Avenue west of 97 Street, where four lanes will be reduced to two with added bike lanes and pedestrian paths. Resident Una Warner expressed frustration over some of the changes that she believes will reduce parking, safety, and accessibility. City officials say the project will enhance community connectivity and safety. The $95.7-million project, expected to be completed by 2027, aims to encourage active transportation and has received international acclaim for its design.
- Edmonton is hosting Rendez-vous Canada, which is the country's largest tourism trade show, from May 14-17 attracting more than 1,500 industry experts from around the world. Paul Hawes of Explore Edmonton said the event will help showcase the city and foster longterm tourism partnerships. The conference, which was last in Edmonton 10 years ago, is expected to generate an immediate economic impact of $5.3 million.
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is set to increase its Edmonton to Amsterdam service starting this winter, increasing its non-stop flights to five days a week and introducing larger aircraft for the route, the Edmonton International Airport announced.
- Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid spoke to reporters about a pair of cross-checks he received in Game 3 against the Vancouver Canucks on May 12, calling it part of a "heated series." McDavid was cross-checked by Nikita Zadorov toward Carson Soucy, whose cross-check made contact with McDavid's face. The NHL fined Zadorov $5,000, which is the maximum allowed, while Soucy was suspended for one game.
- Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner was pulled after the second period in a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on May 12, sparking debate about whether he should start in Game 4. Head coach Kris Knoblauch acknowledged the need for better goaltending, while Skinner said he felt he "let down the team." The Oilers are expected to announce on game day whether Skinner or backup Calvin Pickard will start.
- Alberta Federation of Labour president Gil McGowan has dropped out of the NDP leadership race. McGowan said he wasn't able to pay the final $60,000 in required candidate fees. He is the second candidate to leave the race, after Edmonton MLA Rakhi Pancholi suspended her campaign and endorsed former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi. Other candidates in the race are Edmonton MLAs Sarah Hoffman and Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, and Calgary MLA Kathleen Ganley. The new leader will be elected on June 22.
Chef Bombay is making Indian food accessible to all
The "Trade Heroes" series highlights Edmonton region companies who have 'exportitude' — the mindset and commitment to think globally when it comes to their business. It's brought to you by Edmonton Global.
Khadija Jiwani's family knows Indian food. In 1999 her parents, Anis & Noorudin Jiwani, moved from Ontario to Edmonton to start Aliya's Foods, better known by their flagship brand Chef Bombay. They have since grown the business into a successful exporter, with about 80% of their business now coming from the United States.
Jiwani said that expansion beyond Canada was part of the plan from the start, and from day one her parents were laying the groundwork to ship their products elsewhere. "It wasn't like 'hey let's start small-scale in our kitchen,' it was always that we were going to start this big-scale thing," Jiwani said.
This foresight is what paved the way for the company, as its facilities were built and managed to the standards of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency right from the start. Doing so helped to quickly ensure everything was up to the standards of the equivalent agency across the border in the U.S. when they began exporting in 2004. Today, the company has a 100,000-square-foot facility in the Edmonton region.
Chef Bombay has a dual business model, split roughly equally between branded products and private label goods. But the customer is ultimately the same. "Whoever is going grocery shopping is our client," Jiwani said. "The general public is who we have in mind when we're creating our dishes."
Jiwani spearheaded the Chef Bombay branding once the company had more resources, transforming the company's identity to appeal to a broader audience. She said the goal was to make it more modern. "To make Indian food more accessible to the whole public," she said. "I think it's definitely doing what we wanted it to do."
The company's roots in the Edmonton region play a significant role in its story. A supportive business environment and government incentives for food startups are what drew Jiwani's parents to the region to start their business. A strong local team is a key part of what keeps them here.
"It may be cheaper to build a plant in the U.S. but we wouldn't have our team here that are like family, the people who've been working here for as long as the company's been open," she said. Today, Chef Bombay employs more than 300 people, and Jiwani said access to talent is a major reason they've been able to grow successfully here. "There's a good pool of talented people in the province and in the city," she said.
Other advantages of being located in the Edmonton region include access to high quality ingredients and the Food Processing Development Centre in Leduc. Exchange rate benefits help too, Jiwani said.
Challenges are part and parcel of the export journey, even more so when perishable goods are involved. For example, Jiwani said U.S. Customs has held trucks for up to two weeks at a time to perform quality checks. The company now accounts for that time when planning shipments.
Jiwani's advice for entrepreneurs thinking about exporting is to get started early. "Start planning to export way before you even think you're going to do it," she said. "Start getting all the little checks in place that you're going to need for export."
Exporting can seem overwhelming and daunting at the start, but Jiwani said making consistent progress pays off. "The market is huge," she said. "It's worth it."
Looking ahead, Jiwani said her family is looking at expanding to Europe and South America, once they have the capacity to do so. Europe is particularly exciting as it has a fast-growing market for both Indian food and frozen food, Jiwani explained. "We have a product that I think could do well there," she said.
In the meantime, Jiwani sees plenty of potential for growth in the U.S. market, especially given the company's focus on quality. "We're barely scratching the surface in the U.S.," she said.
Photo: Chef Bombay now does about 80% of its business south of the border, with plans to expand further. (Supplied)
Happenings: May 14, 2024
Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.
- May Pink Tea — Women in Business Association of Strathcona County starting at 11am at the Sandman Signature (Sherwood Park Hotel)
- Graduate Education For the Public Good: Panel Discussion and Book Launch starting at 4:30pm at The University Club
- Chamber Watch Party: Oilers starting at 5:30pm at The Canadian Brewhouse (Windermere)
- Dev Edmonton Society Monthly Meetup starting at 6pm at Edmonton Unlimited
- Meet Jean-Marc Rochette starting at 6:30pm at Alliance Française of Edmonton
- Ford Tailgate Party and the Scotiabank Fan Park for Oilers Playoffs starting at 6pm
And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:
- May 23: Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness at Strathcona County Community Centre
- May 25: Edmonton International Cat Festival at MacEwan University (Robbins Health Learning Centre)
- May 31: Echoes of Thunder Curator Tour at University of Alberta Museums
Visit the beta version of the Taproot Edmonton Calendar for many more events in the Edmonton region.