The Pulse
April 23, 2025

Lelia Lawson, the founder and chief technology officer of Zylotex, is on a mission to build a new industry in the Edmonton region around fibres made from hemp.

"(The Edmonton region is a) part of the world where we have very long summer days," Lawson told Taproot. "We could get a very, very large biomass from hemp. If we do see that as a rotational crop here in Alberta, we could have an endless supply of feedstock for this process."

That process sees Zylotex apply a solvent to Alberta-grown hemp to transform the plant into a useable thread, called lyocell. Zylotex can make lyocell, which in turn can be used to manufacture everything from garments, dental floss, construction materials, and more, by using a solvent that's 99.7% recoverable. The solvent, n-methyl morpholine-N-oxide, or NMMO, is in turn far greener than the solvent used in the more common viscose process to create fibre from hemp, which contains carbon disulfide, Lawson said.

"The problem with carbon disulfide is it is toxic — it has been known to cause neurological issues in factory workers," she said. "It's extremely damaging to the environment as well, it's a carcinogen, and it poisons the waters."

Aside from heading the Zylotex startup, Lawson is the research and development specialist for Davey Textile Solutions, which manufactures industrial safety products at a 40,000-square-foot facility in Edmonton. That role informed her about how little fibre for textiles is actually produced in Canada, and ultimately led to creating the new company.

"Canada produces 0.2% of global fibres (annually)," said. "The majority of that is nylon. We do not produce, really, anything else of mention in Canada, so we do have the potential opportunity to manufacture here."

In 2022, Lawson said she was wondering if hemp might be able to create a fibre for Canada's textile industry, and spoke to Dan King, Davey's vice-president of production, and research and development. That conversation pushed her to enroll as a PhD candidate at the University of Alberta to figure out the answer. The university's Folio covered the resulting research last year.

Lawson recalled thinking at the time that if Canada could somehow figure out how to use the whole hemp plant, it could support the hemp economy, the bioeconomy, and create a rotational crop. She also recalled thinking that waste products from hemp processing could be commercialized in fibre production and fuel "a new industry in Canada."

She went on to create Zylotex with Davey's full support in April 2024.

• Edmonton city council approved a 5.7% municipal property tax levy increase for 2025, which is 0.4% less than the increase approved in the fall due to changes in provincial Grants in Placement of Taxes payments. The increase will affect property owners differently based on their property's assessed value compared to the market. For example, a household with a 2025 assessment of $465,500 will pay $296 per month for City services. Tax notices will be mailed on May 23, with property taxes due June 30.
• Following new provincial restrictions on photo radar that took effect on April 1, Edmonton city council is exploring alternative traffic enforcement options. Coun. Michael Janz highlighted concerns about the removal of a key tool for safe streets and questioned whether the province would provide additional police or peace officers. The new rules reduce photo radar use by about 70% across the province. Council unanimously passed a motion requesting administration to bring forward ideas for supplemental operating budget adjustments to ensure safe streets without increasing spending.
• The City of Edmonton and IBEW Local 1007 have reached a three-year collective agreement, effective from Dec. 29, 2024, to Dec. 11, 2027, covering nearly 150 workers. The agreement includes wage increases of 4% in 2025, 3% in 2026, and 3% in 2027, along with increased shift differential pay, boot subsidy, healthcare spending account, and weekend premium pay.
• Edmonton residents can pick up free horticultural compost at the Ambleside and Kennedale Eco Stations for home gardening use. The compost, derived from yard waste collected at Eco Stations and during collection days, is lab-tested and free of weeds. Residents should bring their own tools and protective gear, and are advised to mix one part compost with three parts soil. For larger projects, residents are advised to purchase horticultural compost at select retailers.
• Manulife Place in downtown Edmonton will be renamed National Bank Centre following National Bank's acquisition of Canadian Western Bank (CWB). CWB's offices will relocate to the building at 10180 101 Street NW. The move will happen after the completion of $45 million in renovations to modernize the building's common areas, amenities, and retail spaces. National Bank will occupy 10 floors. Manulife Place, which opened in 1983, was once Edmonton's tallest building.
• Edmonton Airports CEO Myron Keehn presented an annual update to Leduc city council, reporting that the Edmonton International Airport served 7.92 million passengers in 2024, a 5.6% increase from 2023. Keehn noted that YEG and Villeneuve Airport generated $5.3 billion in economic output and supported more than 23,500 jobs. The number of non-stop routes has rebounded to more than 50. Keehn also addressed the impact of U.S. tariffs, which have caused a drop in transborder bookings.
• In his latest piece, Postmedia columnist Keith Gerein writes that the UCP government is targeting Edmonton bike lanes, with Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen sending a letter to Coun. Karen Principe criticizing their installation, specifically plans for 132 Avenue between 66 Street and 97 Street. Dreeshen held a town hall at the Killarney Community League, arguing that the province's spending to expand major roadways like Yellowhead Trail and Anthony Henday Drive is undermined when the City of Edmonton reduces lanes on feeder roads. Dreeshen said that ripping out bike lanes is "on the table." Gerein wrote that the UCP is showing a "shockingly low" priority on safety and municipal self-determination.
• Edmonton-based startup NiaHealth, which aims to reduce disease through preventative health testing, raised $2.5 million in pre-seed funding led by Version One Ventures. The company's annual beta program, starting at $299, includes at least 35 tests for biomarkers, with more comprehensive plans available. Using AI insights, diagnostics, and clinician consultations, NiaHealth provides subscribers with action plans based on test results.
• After 33 years of ownership, sisters Betty and Bobbi Weibel have sold the Old Strathcona Antique Mall to Mykel Lewsaw, owner of Rocky Mountain Antique Mall.
• About 800 volunteers participated in an Earth Day clean-up effort in downtown Edmonton on April 22. The effort has taken place annually since 2020.
• Alberta Health Services reported 29 new measles cases, bringing the provincial total to 118 since early March. Most new cases are in the south and central zones, with one case reported in Edmonton. Public exposure may have occurred at the Kinder Care Medical Clinic in Edmonton on April 10, the Ross Creek Medical Imaging Clinic in Fort Saskatchewan on April 11, and the ROKband Pediatric Headshape Clinic in Edmonton on April 14. As of April 22, all but 12 cases are no longer contagious, and eight Albertans have been hospitalized.

Here are some events happening today in the Edmonton area.

• Community Coffee Takeover: Alberta Innovates – IDEATE Alberta and ACRC Program starting at 9am at Edmonton Unlimited
• Chrysalis Connects Information Session starting at 11:45am at Chrysalis
• Founders, Play Your Own Game starting at 4pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• Book Launch: The Beauty of Vultures by Wendy McGrath and Danny Miles starting at 5pm online
• nêhiyawêwin (Cree Language) Classes starting at 6pm online
• Agave with Delavoye Chocolate starting at 6pm at EPIC Market
• Films at the Library: Dream Scenario starting at 6:30m at Edmonton Public Library (Stanley A. Milner)
• State of the County: Mayor Rod Frank starting at 6:30pm at Agora Community Centre
• Book Clubs of EPL: The Dutch House starting at 7pm at Edmonton Public Library (Londonderry)
• Spring Fling: A Night of Songs starting at 7:15pm at Metro Cinema
• Ehnes Quartet starting at 7:30pm at West End Christian Reformed Church
• Hydrogen and Happy Hour Social Mixer starting at 8pm at Craft Beer Market

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• May 1: Sustainability Social: Expert Panel, Networking, and Activities at The Bell in Scona
• May 3: RVA Spring Trail Cleanup at Emily Murphy Park
• May 7: Advancing Healthcare through Simulation: A Provincial Summit at NAIT (Feltham Centre)

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