Business Roundup

Economic development

• Cree filmmaker Georgina Lightning is working with Edmonton Screen to make Alberta the "Indigenous film capital of the world," she first told Alberta Native News. She said she was partly inspired to build an Indigenous film fund because her son, Cody Lightning, was the only filmmaker to receive a grant from Telefilm Canada to make an Indigenous film last year. Cody is the auteur behind Hey, Viktor! and the forthcoming Smudge the Blades; Georgina's vast credits include directing Older than America and acting in Die My Love.
• Explore Edmonton has introduced its Visitor Experience Roadmap, a five-year plan outlining priorities and projects for improving visitor experiences. "It's important that we welcome, attract, and reach visitors completely different than we did pre-COVID," the destination marketing organization's Rachel Appels said during an event. "We don't want to just revert back to projects and initiatives that were once successful prior to COVID, because we know that those visitor trends and movements and the way (visitors are) seeking out information is dramatically different."
• The Edmonton International Airport nearly reached pre-pandemic passenger levels in 2025, serving 8.14 million passengers, a 2.8% increase from 2024. Domestic travel, including new services to Kamloops, Hamilton, and Prince George, drove much of the growth. Cross-border traffic declined, but the airport added new routes to Houston, Chicago, and Salt Lake City, and non-stop flights to Iceland's capital are set to return in June.
• Edmonton and Calgary will co-host the World Cup of Hockey 2028, a "best-on-best" international hockey tournament. Prague will be the European host city. Edmonton Mayor Andrew Knack and Explore Edmonton CEO Traci Bednard emphasized the event's potential for economic activity. Rogers Place will host the semifinals and championship.
• Exceed Oilfield Equipment has made its final investment decision to expand in Nisku. The $16.1-million investment will create 19 permanent full-time jobs and approximately 100 temporary positions, Edmonton Global noted, with the project supported by a $500,000 grant from Alberta's Investment and Growth Fund.
• CAC Metal Recycling has received $1 million from Prairies Economic Development Canada via the Regional Tariff Response Initiative. The Acheson company will use the money to expand its non-ferrous metal processing capabilities and reduce reliance on imported steel products.
• Edmonton Unlimited has unveiled the first participants of its Venture Pilots: Built World Tech program. RoBIM Technologies is among the first five startups selected, working with Honomobo to use robotics to build trusses. A celebration on March 18 drew more than 200 ecosystem members, including former mayor Amarjeet Sohi and councillors Keren Tang and Reed Clarke.
• Mayor Andrew Knack is urging entrepreneurs to reach out to the city so it can offer support to tech businesses, noting at a meet-and-greet at Edmonton Unlimited that economic development is one of city council's four strategic priorities.
• Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish argued that drone strikes on Amazon Web Services data centres in the Middle East validate Alberta's pitch as a destination for sovereign computing infrastructure, pointing to the province's energy resources, cold climate, and political stability.

Startups and SMBs

• Antigoni Studios has launched what it describes as Canada's first femtech venture studio, supporting early-stage femtech innovators through non-dilutive funding, investor connections, and a membership-based community. The studio was co-founded by Riya Ganguly and Kate Ellis.
• The UA Innovation Fund has invested in Zero Point Cryogenics, which provides über-cooling solutions for quantum computing. The company is showcasing its Model L dilution refrigerator and its new collaboration with Rigetti Computing's Novera QPU Partner Program at a summit in Denver until March 20.
• Startup TNT has been recognized as Canada's most active private venture capital firm in the 2025 CVCA Venture Capital Report. It is calling for a community-driven approach to early-stage investing to counter the concentration of Canadian venture funding in a small number of large deals. Applications are open until March 30 for the next Edmonton investment summit.
• Rob LeLacheur of Road 55 is trading upwards for NAIT students. The One Lollipop campaign most recently swapped donated pies from Fifendekel for an Apple Watch. "I'm trying to at least double or triple the value each time," he said. LeLacheur, a NAIT grad, said his approach is inspired by a trade journey one man took from a single red paper clip to a house. He plans to sell his final trade to fund tuition for NAIT students. Potential traders have until April 17 to assist him in the quest.
• Wyvern has launched two international partnerships, one with US-based Orbital Advisors for oil and gas pipeline monitoring, and the other with Saudi government-backed Neo Space Group for agricultural applications in Saudi Arabia.
• Samdesk founder James Neufeld joined the Fed Gov Today podcast to argue that AI-powered information infrastructure is not competing with military readiness but is essential to it. Meanwhile, the Samdesk blog examined the "messy middle" of disruption — the phase between a first alert and effective response when information is incomplete and events are still unfolding — and outlined how organizations can bridge the gap between detecting a crisis and acting on it.
• Shani Gwin of pipikwan pêhtâkwan and wâsikan kisewâtisiwin is among the women cited by Abi Awomosu in a piece on women who are building sound and responsible AI. "The dominant industry built AI by fathering it — directing it, shaping it, deploying it — before mothering it. Before the foundational work of attunement, reciprocity, and genuine care for the being being brought into the world," Awomosu wrote. "Shani built the mothering first."
• Tiramisu Bistro has been selected as the food and beverage operator for the newly reopened Hawrelak Park, with a new venue called Lift Me Up on the Lake set to open later this spring.
• Riccardo Baldini of Strathcona Microgreens said his business's diversified client base will help absorb the recent closure of L'OCA Quality Market, with customers such as Community Natural Foods and the Italian Centre Shop.
• Zwick's Pretzels is looking for a tenant at its retail space and commercial kitchen at 12415 107 Avenue NW as it builds out a new manufacturing facility.
• Kristopher Marks, CEO of VĪV Mental Health, discussed his journey from trauma and homelessness to becoming a mental health advocate focused on workplace psychological safety on The Business Development Podcast.
• Clavis Studio is participating in a Canadian trade mission to the Biennale of Sydney, showcasing its immersive 3D technology in collaboration with Canadian artists and marking its official entry into the Australian market.
• Reimagined Fabrics has become a popular destination for sewers and quilters looking to source affordable materials, as rising fabric costs have squeezed those who sew for business or personal use.

Real estate

• The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation predicts Edmonton's record-breaking new homes construction will moderate through 2028 as population growth slows and inventory builds. Housing starts this year are forecast to be between 16,500 to 24,500 units. Meanwhile, data from the Canadian Real Estate Association shows average home prices rose across Alberta in February 2026 compared to the previous February, but not in Edmonton, where the average home price dropped by $8,000.
• The federal government, alongside the City of Edmonton, Jasper Place Wellness Centre, and Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation, announced $7.5 million for the Parkdale2 project. It will create 24 new affordable transitional homes and expand the Bridge Healing Care Model, providing wrap-around services for unhoused people discharged from hospitals to offer stability and reduce repeat hospital visits.
• Edmonton is launching the Attainable Housing Incentive, a 10-year tax rebate program to increase downtown residential density. Applications open later this month. The incentive is expected to help add up to 850 attainable units and 3,400 total units.
• Edmonton city council voted 12-1 to direct Mayor Andrew Knack to advocate to the provincial government for a ban on grocery store restrictive covenants. This push aims to prevent food deserts in Edmonton by stopping grocery companies from placing clauses in property sales that restrict competitors from using former store locations.
• BILD Edmonton Metro held its annual Awards of Excellence Gala on March 14, drawing over 1,500 industry leaders to recognize achievements in building, development, design, and sales. The many winners — including Maclab Development Group, StreetSide Developments, and Anthem Properties — are sorted among 12 categories.
• Effect Home Builders, Excel Homes, and Landmark Homes are finalists for the Maverick Awards from Built Green Canada. The winners will be announced on April 7.
• REALTORS Association of Edmonton CEO Larry Westergard discussed his journey to lead the association, the importance of trust in real estate transactions, and the current market shift toward balance on Episode 5 of the RAEdio Podcast.

More headlines

• CKUA has appointed Adam Mitchell as permanent CEO after he became acting CEO last year. The broadcaster's board said Mitchell, who joined the organization in 2023, continued to stabilize CKUA's finances following the departure of former CEO Marc Carnes. Mitchell previously served as executive director of the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.
• YWCA Edmonton has appointed Rachel Foley as its next CEO. She brings more than a decade of senior leadership experience, including executive roles with the Government of Alberta in health, housing, and education.
• Edmonton's single-use item bylaw has significantly reduced plastic bag and straw use since coming into force — retail bag use is down 80% and straw and utensil consumption down 26% — but city council's utility committee voted to await a waste characterization study before making any changes.
• The Alberta government is reviewing 17 recommendations to improve recovery of unpaid oil and gas property taxes, including integrating enforcement into the Alberta Energy Regulator's mandate. Roughly $250 million in accumulated arrears is considered unlikely to be recovered, the province said, while measures are already underway to limit future uncollectible taxes.

Happenings

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

• March 20: Indigenous Innovation & Knowledge Exchange starting at 10:30am online
• March 23: Night Matters: The Night-Time Economy in Capital Cities starting at 10am online
• March 24: Coffee with the Chamber starting at 8:30am at Don Wheaton Family YWCA
• March 24: Selling to the City Information Sessions starting at 1pm online
• March 24: Edmonton Job Fair starting at 3pm at Polish Hall
• March 25: GitHub Copilot Dev Days starting at 4:30pm at Enterprise Square
• March 25: Business of Sport Series - Driving Growth: Leveraging Women's Golf for Edmonton's Business Community starting at 6pm at Royal Mayfair Golf Club
• March 26: UofA Entrepreneurial Law Clinic Pop-Up: Free Student Legal Support starting at 12pm at Edmonton Research Park
• March 26: Canada-China Business Dialogue & Mixer starting at 2pm at World Trade Centre Edmonton
• March 26: Why Entrepreneurs Stay Stuck (And How to Move Forward) starting at 12pm online

And here are some upcoming events to keep in mind:

• April 2: Protecting Your Intellectual Property on Social Media at 12pm online
• April 9: YEG Secure 2026: Partnering for Community Safety & Resilience at Sandman Signature (Edmonton Downtown Hotel)
• April 11: Voices and Ventures 2026 at Alberta Aviation Museum

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