Business Roundup

Economic development

• The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce has published a breakdown of the 2026 Alberta budget, noting investments in workforce development and infrastructure, while flagging that the province is financing those investments with debt and that a coordinated downtown safety strategy remains absent.
• The Old Strathcona Business Association, the French Quarter Business Improvement Area, Edmonton Transit Riders, and Paths for People have formed the Prioritize Whyte Ave coalition to advocate for investment in public spaces and transit to city council ahead of the next capital budget.
• Chinatown businesses urged Edmonton city council to restore street parking on 101 Street, describing the bus lane conversion as "bike lanes on steroids," and arguing that it significantly harms businesses. Meanwhile, CityNews Edmonton reports that Chinatown business leaders told city council that while public perception of the area is slowly improving, there is still more work to do.
• Capital Power CEO Avik Dey told analysts he is "more excited today than I've been at any other point in time" about opportunities to power data centres in Alberta, calling the company's Genesee Generating Station west of Edmonton "probably one of the most attractive generation sites anywhere in North America" for a potential data centre partner. The company also declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6910 per share on its common shares for the quarter ending March 31, and recently renewed an agreement with the City of Edmonton to keep either a Canadian or global head office in the city for at least 10 years, among other things.
• TransAlta has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Brookfield to develop a data centre at its Keephills power plant in Parkland County, with an initial power agreement for about 230 megawatts that could grow to 1,000 megawatts. Meanwhile, the 2026 Alberta budget introduces a levy of up to 2% on large data centres — expected to generate $102 million when it takes effect in 2028.
• Emissions Reduction Alberta is distributing nearly $46 million to nine oil sands projects focused on mine water and tailings management through its Tailings Technology Challenge, with the investments expected to support hundreds of jobs and $220 million in GDP by 2027.
• Brent Jensen, the senior director of business development with Edmonton Global, told BetaKit the Edmonton Region Defence Alliance allows the region to present a united front to attract defence investment. "We would be able to build a songbook where everyone is singing off of the same sheet, so it's understood clearly what the value proposition is here and then to decode how companies might get more involved in defence contracts," Jensen said.
• Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation CEO Andrew MacIsaac spoke about the organization's partnership with Vimy Pharma to produce a generic GLP-1 product at the Critical Medicines Production Centre. "It's a total game-changer for us to be involved in this," MacIsaac told CBC's Your World Tonight during a segment that starts around 22 minutes into the show. "When you look at the geopolitical conditions that we're in right now, where we've got a whole bunch of tariffs that are being thrown around … if you don't have access to these medicines, your health systems are going to be in big trouble."
• Christine Spottiswood has taken over as executive director of the Northern Alberta Business Incubator in St. Albert, replacing Rajesh Jaiswal, who had led the organization since 2020.
• Sturgeon County has reopened its Small Business Incentive program, which provides eligible businesses up to $5,000 in matching funds for education, marketing, and equipment upgrades, following a first year that saw 13 businesses approved and $192,697 generated in private sector projects.

Visitor economy

• Traci Bednard, president and CEO of Explore Edmonton, addressed the International Indigenous Tourism Conference, where she highlighted Edmonton's Indigenous-tourism strategy, Alberta Native News reported. She emphasized collaborative partnerships with Indigenous Tourism Alberta, Travel Alberta, and local experience providers to ensure Indigenous communities remain central to tourism development. The strategy includes the "In Good Spirit" marketing campaign and guidance from an Indigenous advisory circle, aiming to build capacity, increase cultural awareness, and ensure sustainable growth and shared value for Indigenous tourism operators in the region.
• Explore Edmonton is preparing to share its five-year Visitor Experience Roadmap during a virtual event on March 18. The event will showcase how tourism businesses can make use of the roadmap, among other things.
• NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed that Calgary and Edmonton have submitted a joint bid to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. An announcement regarding the host city or cities is expected in the coming weeks.
• KDays is accepting applications for its feature product program until March 27, inviting businesses to create KDays-themed products in exchange for complimentary festival tickets to distribute to customers. Last year, 24 partners at 48 locations generated more than $330,000 in KDays-related revenue and helped bring more than 18,000 additional guests to the festival.
• The City of Fort Saskatchewan awarded Tourism Hosting Grants of $3,000 each to three organizations bringing major events to the city in 2026: a ringette tournament, a girls' 3×3 basketball tournament, and the Wild Rose Old Time Fiddle Festival and Grand North American Old Time Fiddle Championships.
• Ward Nakota Isga Coun. Reed Clarke's Sports Legacy Motion passed unanimously at council on Feb. 17. The motion formalizes how the city measures lasting impacts from major sporting events, such as economic development. The motion was discussed on Episode 345 of Speaking Municipally, Taproot's civic affairs podcast.
• The Alberta 55 Plus Provincial Summer Games and the Slo-Pitch National Championships, held in Leduc in 2025, generated more than $4.2 million in total economic impact, including more than $1.7 million in direct visitor spending, according to the city's economic impact assessment reports.

Startups and SMBs

• RUNWITHIT Synthetics, which created a synthetic twin of the Edmonton region, has now created Synthetic Canada, a high-fidelity "digital sandbox" of the country that enables governments, industry, and communities to model scenarios related to emergency management, infrastructure, housing, energy, and defence. CEO Myrna Bittner said the platform addresses the challenge leaders face in navigating "extraordinary and dynamic landscapes." It was created using INFLECTOR AI, the company's agent-based platform, which RWI is ready to license to organizations seeking help to visualize the consequences of their decisions.
• Aurinia Pharmaceuticals reported $271.3 million in 2025 annual net product sales for LUPKYNIS, its FDA-approved lupus nephritis therapy. That was up 25% from the prior year, with total revenues projected at $315 million to $325 million in 2026 as Aurinia advances aritinercept, a potential treatment for a broad range of autoimmune diseases.
• Zylotex founder Lelia Lawson and co-founder Wade Chute auditioned for Season 21 of Dragons' Den Canada.
• The Moth Cafe's Khuyen Wales spoke to Edify about her family's decision to close the vegan restaurant after eight years, likely at the end of 2026. Wales cited plans to demolish its space as a reason for the closure.
• Fluid Insight founder and CEO Patrick Emokpae joined the Executive Wins podcast to discuss how his company's real-time fluid monitoring technology helps mining operations reduce costs.
• Scott Cassels, president of General Body & Equipment, joined the Executive Wins podcast to discuss how consolidating from four locations into one facility resulted in increased revenue, as well as the cultural challenges of transitioning from a family-run business to a more structured corporate entity.
• Juanita Roos of Color de Vino and the Alberta Liquor Store Association said the now-scrapped ad valorem wine tax made consumers think twice about buying premium-priced wines. The tax will be replaced by a standard volume-based markup effective April 1.
• FKA has hired Howard Poon as its design director at the VP level. Poon was previously with DDB Canada and TBWA\Canada.

Real estate

• Gene Dub of Five Oaks and Dub Architects has sold the Inglewood Lofts to Strategic Group for $60.5 million, now that an art restoration project is complete. Dub converted the lofts from the Charles Camsell Hospital, where Indigenous patients were treated for tuberculosis and reportedly experienced horrific mistreatment.
• ATB Place is set to gain a new conference centre, food and beverage options, and a fitness upgrade as part of a renovation project scheduled for completion in 2027, with manager Colliers aiming to make the complex as compelling after 5pm as it is during office hours.
• The federal government has announced more than $34 million in funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's Apartment Construction Loan Program to help build 130 rental homes at Tweddle Place in Edmonton's Millbourne neighbourhood, with 79% of units planned as two-bedroom homes.
• Edmonton's executive committee is recommending a new Attainable Housing Program that would cover between 25% and 100% of property taxes for downtown apartment developers, depending on how many attainable units a project includes. The goal is to increase the downtown population to 24,000 by 2030.
• CBC's This is Edmonton podcast has released an episode examining the heated infill debate at Edmonton city council. Reporters explored how lived experience colours Edmontonians' attitudes towards infill.
• The 17,500-square-foot Tollwood Manor, built by the late Bruce Saville, is listed for $7 million.
• Avenue Living Asset Management is considering a debut on the Toronto Stock Exchange, Postmedia reports. The company is based in Calgary but has a significant presence in Edmonton.
• CoStar has named its Power Brokers in the Edmonton market, recognizing the commercial real estate firms and brokers that achieved the highest sale and lease transaction volume in 2025.
• The REALTORS Association of Edmonton has released Episode 4 of its RAEdio podcast, featuring home inspector Dennis O'Sullivan discussing the inspection process, common issues like Poly B piping and aluminum wiring, and the emotional aspects of buying and inspecting a home.

More headlines

• Canadian Pacific Kansas City has selected the CK Hui Heart Centre as its community partner for the 2026 CPKC Women's Open this summer, meaning CPKC will match up to $250,000 in donations. The rail company previously chose the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation as the primary charity partner for the fundraising golf tournament, which takes place at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club from Aug. 19 to 23. CPKC's goal is to raise more than $3.9 million to support the Stollery's pediatric cardiac program.
• Dhruv Gupta, president of Akash Group of Companies, has been elected to the Hockey Canada Foundation board of directors.
• The University of Alberta has formed a partnership with Tohoku University in Japan to grow international opportunities for research in sustainable energy, technology, business, and more.
• CBC profiled the Skillcity Institute, which helps marginalized newcomers and youth forge meaningful careers. The non-profit, operating from the Clareview Recreation Centre, has supported more than 6,000 people over the past decade, including 4,260 who found employment or additional training.
• The Edmonton Police Service's financial crimes unit kicked off fraud prevention month on March 4 at the Central Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, warning about the growing threat of AI-powered scams. Edmontonians lost $58 million to fraud in 2025, primarily to investment schemes, according to the police service, but only 5-15% of incidents are reported.
• Applications are open until March 8 for the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute's ML Exploration program, a six-week course designed to help early-stage startups identify AI and machine learning opportunities.

Happenings

Here are some events coming up over the next seven days:

• March 6: Women and Wealth Gala starting at 5pm at Edmonton Convention Centre
• March 6: The Unachievable starting at 6pm at Flight Deck Sports Bar
• March 9: Mastering Boardroom Skills and Dynamics starting at 4pm at Edmonton Unlimited
• March 9: Emerging Leaders: NextGen Night Mentorship Event starting at 4:30pm at Campio Brewing Co.
• March 10: Paths to the Top: Women Leaders in Conversation starting at 12pm at Brew and Bloom
• March 11: Meet and Greet with Mayor and Council starting at 7:30am at Edmonton Unlimited
• March 11: Community Coffee Takeover: Levven Electronics starting at 9am at Edmonton Unlimited
• March 11: Capital Access & Women Founders: Progress, Gaps, and What's Next starting at 12pm online
• March 12: 2026 Provincial Budget Luncheon, with Minister Nate Horner starting at 11am at Westin Edmonton
• March 12: Young Builders Group Kick-off starting at 4pm at The Druid Irish Pub
• March 12: ERIN x Technology Alberta - Pi(e) Day Meet-Up starting at 4pm at Edmonton Research Park

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• March 19: Perfecting Your Pitch online
• March 19: 2026 State of the Region at Heritage Park Hall
• March 23: Night Matters: The Night-Time Economy in Capital Cities online

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