Member News

News and updates from BOMA Edmonton members.

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
September 2023

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WCB Alberta said that more than 10,000 Certificate of Recognition (COR) holders in Alberta shared over $78 million in Partnerships in Injury Reduction (PIR) rebates for their 2022 performance. All employers can participate in the program and be eligible for refunds up to 20% by maintaining a COR, which is a part of WCB’s PIR program.

Beyond Edmonton

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
August 2023

Mentions

  • In a mandate letter to Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s minister of transportation and economic corridors, Premier Danielle Smith has asked for an exploration of “a province-led Metrolinx-like model for commuter rail service using heavy rail” that would initially connect the Edmonton International Airport with downtown, but could eventually be expanded to Calgary. The feasibility study will include the use of hydrogen-powered trains, which Canadian Pacific has been testing in Calgary and Edmonton.
  • The Edmonton Police Commission heard on July 20 that the Edmonton Police Service was involved in 18% fewer incidents of chasing suspect vehicles in 2022 than in 2021, and around 18% fewer incidents resulted in an arrest. Chief Dale McFee told reporters that the results point to the success of EPS’s prevention tactics, such as boxing in cars or deflating their tires, and emphasized the importance of the Air One helicopter in tracking vehicles and making arrests. He also said EPS is looking to acquire more drones for use in high-speed chases and asked the province for legislative changes to allow officers to seize vehicles that exceed the speed limit by 50 km/h.
  • The Edmonton Police Service and Alberta Motor Association are partnering with Kal Tire on a catalytic converter engraving program. Until Aug. 31, Edmontonians can have their vehicle’s catalytic converter engraved for $40 per vehicle and $20 for additional converters in the same vehicle. Each vehicle will get decals that state the converter is traceable, which police believe will deter thieves. Catalytic converter thefts in Edmonton increased more than 80% between 2020 and 2022.
  • According to the latest Consumer Debt Index from MNP, the proportion of Albertans concerned about their ability to pay their debts, especially as interest rates rise, has reached an all-time high. More than half (51%) of Albertans report that they are $200 or less away from being unable to meet all their financial obligations, up from 47% last quarter. Donna Carson, a licensed insolvency trustee for MNP, said Alberta is averaging 1,500 insolvencies a month in 2023.
  • Edmonton Unlimited has partnered with MNP to provide accounting expertise to entrepreneurs and innovators in Edmonton.
  • The City of St. Albert has installed 18 new electric vehicle charging stations throughout the city, funded mostly by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre, which is a collaboration between Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and the provincial government. Another six charging stations are expected to be unveiled alongside the reopening of Fountain Park Pool this summer.
  • Pattern Energy has selected Stantec as the owner’s engineer for the SunZia Transmission Project, which is “part of the largest clean energy infrastructure initiative in US history.” The project will deliver 3,000 megawatts of clean renewable energy to communities in Arizona and California.
  • Strathcona County council has approved all three readings of a bylaw to create new zoning districts for Bremner, which will allow Qualico Developments West to begin development. A similar bylaw was defeated on third reading in May when a Coun. Lorne Harvey changed his vote, but he flipped back in favour after a packed-to-overflowing public hearing on July 18.
  • Strathcona County council has agreed to submit a bid to host the 2026 Alberta Summer Games and to amend the operating budget for 2023 to cover the expected $1.9 million cost. “This is something that I am 100% on,” said Coun. Katie Berghofer, who tabled the motion. Mayor Rod Frank was the lone vote against, citing uncertain costs.
  • TC Energy is splitting into two separate companies, with its crude oil pipelines business being spun off. The decision comes after a two-year strategic review and is part of the company’s strategy to pursue faster growth and attract new investors in the natural gas and low-carbon sectors.
  • The University of Alberta has launched a new interdisciplinary research centre focused on water-related topics thanks to $1.4 million in seed funding from EPCOR. The new Water Research Centre will be led by director Mohamed Gamal El-Din, a professor in the Faculty of Engineering. “It’s not just about engineering and science. It also includes sociology, rural economy, Indigenous communities, and anything related to water across the entire university to cover a wide variety of water-related problems,” Gamal El-Din said.
  • A pilot project at the University of Alberta is growing spinach at EPCOR‘s kīsikāw pīsim solar farm to see whether land used for solar panels can also be used to grow crops, a practice known as agrivoltaics. It’s about “trying to use the space in a more efficient way,” soil scientist Guillermo Hernandez Ramirez told CBC. “We are able to combine the two efforts, the challenge of energy transition and the challenge of food security.”
  • West Edmonton Mall has welcomed four new African penguins, which relocated from the Vancouver Aquarium as part of an international breeding program intended to help endangered species. The African penguin has been listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2010. The mall now has 21 in its flock.
  • The average duration of claims with the Workers’ Compensation Board of Alberta has risen from 34 days in 2015 to 63 days for the past two years, reports CBC.

Posts and Publications

Beyond Edmonton

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
July 2023

Mentions

  • The Edmonton International Airport will host the SMART Airports and Regions Conference and Exhibition from July 19 to 21. “With an annual economic output of over C$3.2 billion, YEG supports over 26,000 jobs, illustrating the success of YEG’s Airport City Sustainability Campus approach for diversifying the region’s economy, while leading technological innovation and supporting its sustainability pledge to become carbon neutral,” wrote conference chair Chris LeTourneur in a piece for Airport World.
  • The Downtown District Energy Initiative was endorsed during council’s executive committee meeting on June 23, giving the green light for EPCOR to design, build, finance, and operate the system. The first phase of the project will connect to three buildings but is expected to expand to about 50 buildings once fully operational. The system is “critical as part of our city’s efforts to be a net-zero community by 2050,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. Executive committee also approved an additional $7.7 million in funding for the system to address the project’s changing scope and inflation. The District Energy Building remains under construction at the Francis Winspear Centre of Music.
  • Corporate Knights has recognized Stantec as one of Canada’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens, ranking first in the engineering construction category and fifth overall. This is the 14th time Stantec has been included on the list.
  • The University of Alberta ranked 111th in the world and fourth in Canada in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. The institution ranked 68th worldwide in the international research network category, a new measure that looks at the number and diversity of productive research partnerships with other universities around the world.
  • West Edmonton Mall is the site of a new concept for Kate Spade, the first in Canada to showcase the New York-inspired design.

Lululemon said it will expand its store at West Edmonton Mall this year to more than 10,500 square feet. The location is said to be the top-selling outlet for the chain, which also announced it will close its store on Whyte Avenue.

Posts and Publications

TC Energy said its employees contributed nearly 3,000 hours of volunteer time in May for Mental Health Awareness Month, and the company matched employee donations to contribute more than $468,500 to 310 non-profit organizations across North America.

Beyond Edmonton

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
June 2023

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
May 2023

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

  • In 2022, GWL Realty Advisors celebrated the launch of three new residential buildings and the completion of a new state-of-the-art, 33-storey AAA office tower in downtown Vancouver. All its buildings are equipped with smart technology to deliver significant operational and energy-saving benefits. More information on how the company achieves “operational excellence” can be found in its Annual Review.

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
March 2023

Mentions

The Saville Community Sports Centre at the University of Alberta is getting six new year-round tennis courts. The university is one of four locations in Canada to receive funding for a year-round tennis facility through a partnership with Rogers Communications. A soil-turning ceremony was held March 7.

Posts and Publications

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
February 2023

Mentions

  • Global News featured Lauren Kennedy West, a mental health advocate and one of the winners of the Faces of Wellness 2022 grand prize from Alberta Blue Cross. The program received 350 applications from across the province in 2022, compared to 150 in 2021, the year it launched.
  • Englobe published a piece on the new Roxy Theatre, for which Arrow Engineering provided engineering services. “Rebuilding the Roxy Theatre was a significant undertaking requiring sophisticated engineering, and Arrow’s multidisciplinary team of mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineers welcomed the challenge,” the company wrote.
  • Edmonton City Centre, owned by Canderel Group, is losing another anchor tenant as Sport Chek plans to close on March 12. Coun. Anne Stevenson of Ward O-day’min said workers are starting to return downtown, but some businesses haven’t been able to hold on. “We need people in the core to be supporting stores, and we also need stores in the core to be attracting people, so I think right now we’re sort of seeing a bit of a mismatch,” she told Postmedia.
  • Edmonton CREW published a feature on Stefanie Orsini, a Senior Associate in the Retail Division at Cushman & Wakefield Edmonton. “We couldn’t think of anyone more deserving of a feature like this!” the company expressed on LinkedIn.
  • A preliminary report from the Edmonton International Airport shows a major jump in passenger activity, with more than 5.8 million people arriving at or departing from the airport in 2022, up from around 2.8 million in 2021 when Canada still had significant travel restrictions. The number is still below the record-setting 8.1 million seen in 2019, however. The number of travellers between Canada and the United States was up 775% in 2022.
  • Plant Plus, which produces compostable straws using a novel plant-fibre polymer, is planning to boost production thanks to an upgraded facility at the Edmonton International Airport. The company, which moved to Edmonton from Vancouver, has been working with the Bio Processing Innovation Centre to explore using local crops in its alternative to paper or plastic straws.

Enterprise Square has been freshly renovated thanks to city investments aimed at revitalizing the downtown core. The University of Alberta is relocating more staff to the space, nearly doubling its occupancy, in a move intended to strengthen the university’s relationships with business, arts, and cultural communities and contribute to economic recovery. The space includes the UA Innovation Centre, which offers around 44,000 square feet of leasable office, classroom, and lab space and is home to 17 companies.

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

Wendy Waters, vice president of research services with GWL Realty Advisors, appeared on a recent episode of Altus Group‘s podcast alongside Phil Stone, principal and head of Canadian research at BentallGreenOak (Canada) LP, to review the Canadian real estate market in 2022 and provide insight for 2023.

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
January 2023

Mentions

  • BOMA Edmonton, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, NAIOP Edmonton, and the Urban Development Institute – Edmonton Metro issued a joint statement to raise “deep concerns” over city council’s budget deliberations. “The motions passed thus far scatter priorities and are not related to the core mandate of municipalities,” said Chamber CEO Jeffrey Sundquist on Dec. 13. City council approved the 2023-2026 budgets with a property tax increase of just under 5% in each of the next four years.
  • City council approved various changes to parking rates at city-run EPark stalls in an effort to raise an additional $1.4 million in annual revenue. Starting next year, rates at 92 high-demand EPark stalls will rise from $3.50 per hour to $4.50 per hour, the 30-minute grace period introduced during the pandemic will be reduced to 15 minutes, and some free parking will be cut. “In the last 20 years, transit fares have risen by about 75%, whereas parking fees have not significantly increased over that time,” said Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador, who introduced the motion while acknowledging the changes “will probably not be super popular.”
  • Alberta Blue Cross and Alberta Innovates have formed a strategic partnership to connect employees with digital health solutions to help them manage mental health issues and chronic disease conditions. There are nearly 500,000 health-related digital tools on the market, creating an overwhelming choice for people seeking to improve their wellness. “This partnership will aid people in that search,” says the release.
  • Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) CTO Denise Man spoke with CIOReview about AIMCo’s new approach to technology and innovation. “I’m excited to use technology to help transform the organization, helping to make us smarter, nimbler, with data driven decisions, all to help our many clients meet their fiduciary responsibility to the people of Alberta,” Man said.
  • Higher-end spaces are doing better in Edmonton’s office market, reports Avison Young, noting a “gradual flight to quality benefitting Trophy and Class A properties.” Bell Tower and Baker Centre have seen increased activities since they were upgraded, the firm added.
  • The province announced the launch of the Affordable Housing Partnership Program, which will allow housing providers to apply for funding to support up to one-third of costs for construction, renovation, conversion, or redevelopment projects. Public, non-profit, and private housing providers are eligible to apply until Jan. 11. “These partnership commitments will assist Civida in building new mixed-income affordable housing and provide more housing options for Edmontonians who need it most,” said Civida CEO Gord Johnston. The program is part of the province’s 10-year affordable housing strategy, Stronger Foundations, which began in 2021.
  • The Edmonton International Airport (YEG) is looking forward to continued growth for its cargo business in 2023, even though it’s not a major contributor to its bottom line, because it’s important for the region, said Mammen Tharakan. “Cargo doesn’t buy coffees, park cars, or spend money at duty-free, so it doesn’t have the same revenue impact,” he told Taproot. “But our raison d’être is to drive economic prosperity for the region, and air cargo is a major contributor to that mission.”

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

Pattison Outdoor Advertising has launched a $1 million media grant program to support non-profit and charitable organizations that promote diversity across Canada.

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
December 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
November 2022

Mentions

  • According to data from Altus Group, the top development deal in a strong first half of 2022 for real estate investment in the Edmonton region was the $60-million purchase of 150 acres by Air Products for its multi-billion-dollar net-zero hydrogen energy complex. Demand for industrial assets has been high with total transactions up 68% over the same period in 2021, totalling $1.7 billion.
  • Edmonton is the most successful city in North America when it comes to attracting visitors downtown after the pandemic, according to data from Avison Young. The real estate firm found that downtown visitor volume increased 151.1% between March 2, 2020, and Sept. 5, 2022, ahead of Calgary and San Diego, which tied for second at 123.3%. Cory Wosnack, the firm’s managing director in Edmonton, told CTV News that Rogers Place and ICE District were a “difference maker,” a sentiment echoed by Jeffrey Sundquist, CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. “You can’t argue that the Ice District and that development and ambition has really re-energized the central Edmonton area,” he said. “And in fact, it reinvigorated the entire region.”
  • According to Avison Young‘s Q3 industrial report, vacancy rates in the Edmonton region have dropped to 3.9%. “This compression of vacancy rates is a culmination of several factors, one of which being related to the lack of new supply available for lease,” it said. But heading into 2023, Edmonton is expected to see more new supply than it has seen since 2015.
  • The City of Edmonton has wrapped up its 2022 capital construction season, calling it “one of the most ambitious capital seasons in history.” This year, Integrated Infrastructure Services worked on 302 projects, 70% of which are on schedule and 92% on budget. The city also expects to complete three neighbourhood renewal projects by the end of the year. More details are available on the city’s fact sheet.
  • Mayor Amarjeet Sohi launched the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Business Growth and Opportunities to help “build and feed a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous business ecosystem in Edmonton, and to identify ways to improve our city today, and for the future.” Members include Supriya James of CWB Financial Group; and Andre McDonald, a mechanical engineering professor who serves as the associate vice president of strategic research initiatives and performance at the University of Alberta.
  • Edmonton Airports has named Myron Keehn as its new CEO. Keehn will replace Tom Ruth, who is set to retire at the end of December. The call for a new CEO attracted candidates from around the world, but in the end, the board chose Keehn, who is currently the vice president in charge of air service, business development, and ESG and stakeholder relations.
  • The Edmonton International Airport recently hosted a delegation of business leaders and investors from Japan’s Nagoya Chamber of Commerce and Industry to learn about the Edmonton region’s smart cities efforts, including the latest advancements in logistics technology.
  • Edmonton is the first Canadian city to join UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC), a collection of cities committed to excellence and learning for all. UNESCO’s press release highlights the City of Learners initiative, which has been run by the Edmonton Public Library since 2013.
  • EPCOR announced on Oct. 28 that it has installed 24 new electric vehicle charging stations at eight sites around the city. The EV chargers are free for public use. Natural Resources Canada provided $210,000 to cover the installation costs.
  • MacEwan University is promoting its plans to construct a new business building in the heart of downtown. “MacEwan’s downtown campus is one of its greatest assets,” president and vice-chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee said in a sponsored piece. “Being located in the heart of Edmonton’s business community allows us to share knowledge in ways that are adaptable, engaging, memorable and personal.”
  • John Day and Rob Seidel, who co-chair the capital fundraising campaign at MacEwan University, have a lot to say about the school’s “next chapter” in which it plans to become central to downtown revitalization by, among other things, constructing a new seven-story building to consolidate its downtown campus and increasing enrolment 60% by 2030. “The enhanced campus will be a powerful magnet for people whose knowledge, talents, and creativity will help fuel revitalization where it is needed most,” wrote Day and Seidel.
  • NorQuest College is one of eight educational institutions in the world to receive a Higher Ed XR Innovation Grant from Unity Social Impact and Meta Immersive Learning. The money will go towards the school for its Autism CanTech! program, supporting the development of a road map and team to adapt resources and XR courses for neurodiverse students.
  • The Ice District Plaza, billed as “the social hub at the heart of Canada’s largest mixed-use sports and entertainment district,” officially opened on Oct. 15. The space outside of Rogers Place had already hosted public gatherings during the Oilers’ playoff runs, but it is meant to be a year-round facility. “This was basically a dump,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said of the parking-lot-turned-plaza in an interview with Global News. “It’s been transformed completely.” ICE District was developed through a joint venture between Katz Group and ONE Properties.
  • The City of Edmonton chose PCL Construction to complete part of the Yellowhead Trail Freeway Conversion from St. Albert Trail to 97 Street, which is the “most technically complex” part of the project. Changes will include removing major traffic signals, adding service roads, adding interchanges at 127 Street and 115 Street, and straightening a curve between 121 Street and 107 Street to accommodate a future LRT bridge. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023 and end in 2027.
  • Qualico has been chosen to develop the new 500,000-square-foot distribution centre for Leon’s Furniture Limited (LFL Group). The new facility will be located in the Northwest of Edmonton on 28 acres of land and is expected to open in 2024.
  • Rohit Communities marketing manager Lina Nguyen said the company saw a rush of out-of-province buyers in the first half of the year, but added it always has a steady inventory with possession times ranging from a few weeks to a few months.
  • Strathcona County is spending $658,600 to add accessible parking stalls to areas outside walking paths, green spaces, and designated parks and playgrounds.

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

  • Aspen Properties executive chairman Scott Hutcheson told attendees at the Calgary Real Estate Forum that his company is “competing against the kitchen table of work-from-home.” Aspen has gone “amenity-rich” at its properties as a result. “That’s really what office space has to be: more exciting than your kitchen table.”
  • B.C. companies seeking industrial real estate are finding Alberta attractive, reports Storeys, citing lower prices, higher availability, and less red tape. An acre of land that would cost more than $4 million in B.C. can be had for closer to $400,000 in Alberta, said David St. Cyr of Avison Young.

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
October 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
September 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
August 2022

Mentions

  • Innovate Edmonton and the Edmonton Public Library have teamed up to offer a free four-part series that teaches the fundamentals of entrepreneurship. Designed to help participants develop ideas into pitchable business plans, Innovation U began on July 7 and runs until Oct. 6, both online and in-person at the Stanley A. Milner library downtown.
  • The RiverWatch Institute of Alberta is once again offering its interpretive rafting tours, called Eco Floats, funded by EPCOR. This year, the guided experience begins at the Laurier Park Boat Launch and ends at Dawson Park, passing under nine bridges and past well-known sites like Accidental Beach. “It’s a little bit of a historical view of the city,” said guide River Hoffos, “but it’s also just an enlightening view of the city because you start to realize how much green we have and how beautiful our river valley is.”
  • EPCOR and Stantec were among the 50 companies named to the Corporate Knights list of Canada’s best corporate citizens for 2022.

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
July 2022

Mentions

  • Qualico Properties celebrated the beginning of Phase 2 of the Station Lands project, which will bring a new tower and 600 residential units to downtown Edmonton. The groundbreaking was welcomed by Holly Mah, chairwoman of the Chinatown Business Association. “The investments being made here at Station Lands by Qualico and their partners is such an important signal of their belief in the future of this historically and culturally rich part of Edmonton,” she said.
  • Qualico Properties held a grand opening on June 21 for Maskêkosihk Trail, a newly completed two-kilometre stretch of arterial road that is the first major roadway in the city to be given a Cree name. “Renaming this significant roadway in honour of the Cree First Nations is a show of respect and acknowledgement for the fact that we are creating new communities on Treaty 6 Territory,” the company said in a news release.
  • A new report published by the Business Council of Alberta recommends that Alberta become a global leader in carbon capture and storage, expand the use of new innovations in agriculture, and invest more in health and medical care advancements. Solving global challenges related to energy, food security, and wellness could lead to a more prosperous future for the province. Rohit Group of Companies president Rohit Gupta was a member of the executive task force that guided the project.
  • ServiceMaster Restore has celebrated its 20th anniversary, having grown to more than 140 staff members working out of a 40,000 square foot warehouse. “We’re looking forward to what can be accomplished in the next 20 years,” said co-founder Grant Miller.
  • Spartan Controls and TC Energy are among the sponsors of the second CarbonTech accelerator, launched by Avatar Innovations, which runs until Oct. 27.
  • The University of Alberta has launched Braiding Past, Present and Future — the school’s first formally endorsed Indigenous strategic plan — which aims to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)’s calls to action and bring Indigenous worldviews, histories, and knowledge to all its programs, Postmedia reports. “The plan recognizes our collective responsibility to acknowledge our history and to honour those who came before us and to follow the seven sacred teachings — love, respect, honesty, courage, wisdom, and humility,” wrote Florence Glanfield, the first vice-provost of Indigenous programming and research, who led the creation of the plan in consultation with an Indigenous Advisory Council.
  • The University of Alberta has moved up 16 places to rank 110th in the latest QS World University Rankings, placing it in the top 8% globally and fourth in Canada. The ranking follows its best ever showing in the CWUR World University Rankings for 2022, where it came in 77th out of nearly 20,000 universities.

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
June 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

  • Demand from B.C. investors for single-tenant commercial properties in Alberta “has seen a tremendous increase” over the last year, reports Marcus & Millichap. Industrial and office properties in Calgary and Edmonton are generating annual yields from 1.5-2% higher than in Metro Vancouver, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
  • GFL Environmental is the newest naming sponsor at Canada Games Park in Thorold, Ontario. The company will also serve as the facility’s primary waste services provider.
  • Public Services and Procurement Canada will deliver a new coaching service designed to “help bidders from diverse socio-economic groups that have had limited success bidding on federal procurement opportunities address the bidding challenges they have previously faced.”

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
May 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Field Law explained Alberta’s new umbrella legislation for the regulation of 22 non-health professions in Alberta, expected to come into force by January.

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight:
April 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications

Beyond Alberta

BOMA Edmonton Spotlight: February 2022

Mentions

Posts and Publications