The Pulse
Oct. 25, 2024

As a conference for co-operative associations approaches in Edmonton, both its organizer and an upstart co-op member say the unique business model can help people address needs or invest in their communities in ways that are underappreciated.

"When you come across the co-op model, you probably stumble upon it," Corinne Rempel, the executive director of the Alberta Community & Co-operative Association, told Taproot. "We just need to do a better job of getting people informed about it."

Rempel's association hopes to do just that at the Alberta Co-operative Conference, which runs at the Matrix Hotel from Nov. 4 to 6. One notable presenter is Clark Banack, the director of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities at the University of Alberta's Augustana campus, who will speak on Nov. 5. Rempel also said Premier Danielle Smith is confirmed to attend, again, for a reception for elected officials the same day. The conference also includes a session dedicated to energizing co-op development. "It's focusing on new co-ops and, generally, the under-35 people who have started co-ops," Rempel said.

Though the new co-ops featured were not confirmed by press time, Rempel said most are from the Edmonton area.

Rempel said she feels some young people are pre-disposed to connect with co-ops. "It's such a unique opportunity for a generation of people who really like collaborating and working together with the people that (are) important to them, as opposed to just going off and working in a more corporate setting," she said. "I'm not saying that everybody's like that, but I think the co-op model really provides that opportunity."

Co-operatives in Alberta are businesses started by multiple people who hope to use services or buy goods as a group. Co-ops provide members an equal say in how the business is run and a share of its profits. They must follow provincial rules for co-operatives. Internationally, co-ops generally follow seven principles, including an edict that they act upon concern for community.

The profit-sharing and governance elements differentiate co-ops from other business models. Co-ops within the Alberta Federation of Rural Electrification Associations and the Federation of Alberta Gas Co-ops, for example, have a long history of owning utility access in the province.

Co-ops are popping up in Edmonton. The real estate-focused Homestead Investment Cooperative that launched this year is one example of a group using collective interests to invest in a goal — in this case, to own and nurture downtown real estate.

Don Iveson, a co-founder of Homestead Investment Cooperative and the past mayor of Edmonton, told Taproot the model opens new possibilities to new people. "An $8 million building is not something me and even 25 of my friends could get together and buy in our wildest dreams," Iveson said. "But with 125 of our friends — some in for $10,000, some in for $100,000 — you can raise enough money to do it, and that's very empowering."

Iveson co-founded the co-op with RedBrick Group of Companies president Tegan Martin-Drysdale, who brought the germ of an idea after he left city politics in 2021 and was using an office at Homestead Coworking. Their idea is to start with downtown Edmonton real estate acquisitions by a group that's both financially and holistically invested in downtown and see where things go next. Iveson said he expects the investment co-operative to purchase the Alberta Block, where both Homestead entities operate, by as soon as the end of 2024.

• Members of CUPE Local 3550, which represents educational assistants, library technicians, and other support staff at Edmonton Public Schools, held a rally outside the Alberta legislature on Oct. 24, despite the province's move to delay a strike by appointing a disputes inquiry board. The school board said many CUPE Local 3550 members did not report to work, prompting it to make contingency plans and, in some cases, advise students to stay home. CUPE Alberta said the protest was against low wages and provincial interference in collective bargaining. Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides accused the union of starting an "illegal job action."
• The provincial and federal governments agreed to sign a cost-sharing agreement to address encampments in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, and Lethbridge, as discussions over details continue. The agreement comes a day after federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement the Alberta government did not formally respond to a funding offer, which Alberta Social Services Minister Jason Nixon disputed. The goal of the funding is to help communities create "encampment response plans" before winter, according to a letter Fraser sent to Nixon and shared with Postmedia.
• The Edmonton Humane Society has released a new online tool, called HELP (Helping Every Loved Pet), that aims to reduce the number of surrendered pets by connecting owners to resources including trainers, emergency boarding, and financial support. The organization says it had more than 2,000 requests last year to surrender pets and expects a similar number this year. Issues related to housing are behind about 25% of surrenders, and the number is growing, the organization said.
• Edmonton residents and businesses can donate gently used winter clothing and gear to the Coats for Kids & Families initiative from United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. The campaign has more than 40 drop-off locations across the city, including municipal facilities, which will accept donations through February.
• Remedy Cafe owner Sohail "Zee" Zaidi is selling all 11 locations and equipment for $7.6 million. Zaidi is retiring after 23 years running the business, according to a real estate listing.
• Lauren Hunter of SONiC 102.9, who makes headlines every year for her Halloween costumes, is dressing up as a massive magpie, which took nearly 100 hours to create. To raise awareness about urban biodiversity, Bird Friendly Edmonton is inviting residents to vote on Edmonton's City Bird, with the first round of voting set to close Dec. 31. "I feel like Edmonton is the underdog, and the magpie is an underdog, even though it is a bird," Hunter said.
• Edmonton Elks quarterback Tre Ford has an uncertain future with the team as his contract is set to expire by year's end. Since Ford was drafted in 2022, he has become a fan favourite, was relegated to a backup role, got injured, and became a starter again this year after the Elks had no chance of making the playoffs. Veteran Elks receiver Eugene Lewis, the highest-paid non-quarterback in the CFL, also has an expiring contract coming up.

On this day in 1924, the Edmonton Museum of Art opened its first exhibition.

The event happened just a few months after the museum was incorporated in August of that year. The organizers were a mix of local artists, politicians, and business leaders, but Maud Bowman, a passionate advocate for the value of art, led the effort. (Bowman would later become the museum's first president and director.)

The fledgling museum had a tireless advocate but neither a collection nor a space to show it. The first exhibition was held in the Palm Room at the Hotel Macdonald and consisted of almost 150 pieces of art and historical relics, borrowed mostly from local artists and collectors. Included in the exhibition were 24 paintings on loan from the National Gallery of Canada.

The exhibition was a wild success, with thousands coming to view the artwork over three days. It soon became an annual event, with four more showings held at the hotel. The museum then moved to a vacant office on Jasper Avenue in 1927.

For the next few decades, the museum moved between rented spaces downtown, slowly growing its collection through purchases and donations. In 1952, the Edmonton Museum of Art found its first real home in Secord House. There, the museum not only had the space to display its collection, but it also hosted art education classes and other events.

Around this time, the organization changed its name to the Edmonton Art Gallery. However, it soon became apparent that Secord House lacked environmental controls and security, which limited what institutions would loan art to the museum.

Construction began on a new building, made possible by financial gifts and a land donation from the City of Edmonton. In 1969, the museum moved into the Arthur Blow Condell Memorial Building. Designed by architect Don Bittorf, the building stood as one of the most striking examples of Brutalist architecture in Edmonton.

In the mid 2000s, the art gallery began another major renovation. The institution got another name, too, becoming the Art Gallery of Alberta in 2005. The gallery itself was overhauled. Much of the original building was demolished, while the rest was incorporated into a new structure, which opened in 2010. Part of the design included a 190-metre steel ribbon set above the entrance of the museum, which was inspired by both the North Saskatchewan River and the northern lights.

The new building boasts 30,000 square feet of exhibition space, providing more room to showcase the AGA's impressive collection, most of which is focused on Albertan and Western Canadian artists. This year, the gallery celebrated its centennial with several special events, including a speakeasy night that paid tribute to the Palm Room where the gallery got its start 100 years ago.

This clipping was found on Vintage Edmonton, a daily look at Edmonton's history from armchair archivist @revRecluse of @VintageEdmonton.

Here are some events happening this weekend in the Edmonton area.

• Oct. 25: Small Business Week: Branding and Marketing starting at 9:30am at Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
• Oct. 25: EBA Does the Derby starting at 5pm at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino
• Oct. 25: Alumni Series Paired Dinner starting at 6pm at Ernest's Dining Room
• Oct. 25: Charcuterie & Craft Beer Pairing starting at 7pm at Meuwly's
• Oct. 26: NAIT Open House starting at 9am at NAIT
• Oct. 26: Haunted Pumpkin Festival starting at 9:30am at Prairie Garden and Adventure Farm
• Oct. 26: October Community Walk in Devon starting at 10am at the Battery Creek Trailhead
• Oct. 26: Newcomer Centre RISE Awards starting at 5:30pm at Edmonton Convention Centre
• Oct. 26: Ebenflōh Dance starting at 8pm at Westbury Theatre
• Oct. 27: Edmonton Short Film Festival: Long Shorts starting at 12pm at Landmark Cinemas 9 (Edmonton City Centre)
• Oct. 27: Flavours without Borders: Restaurant Pop-Up on Global + Asian Cuisine starting at 5pm at FILISTIX Downtown

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• Nov. 6: Good Talk Collective Event at Creative Hive
• Nov. 8: Rumbold Vocal Prize at Jubilee Auditorium
• Nov. 15-16: Pop Up Vintage Market at Creative Hive

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