Images Edmonton, AB Canada: 2009-10

2009-10 | IMAGESEDMONTON.COM ®

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EDMONTON, ALBERTA

What’s Online e Video glimpse of Edmonton’s outdoor recreational opportunities

FARE THEE WELL Independent restaurants join forces

Urban Playground Residents love their many green spaces

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What’s Onl Online n

EDMONTON , ALBERTA SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS SUSAN CHAPPELL, JESSY YANCEY STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CARY ESTES, JOE MORRIS, BETSY WILLIAMS DATA MANAGER CHANDRA BRADSHAW SALES SUPPORT MANAGER CINDY HALL SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN McCORD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, J. KYLE KEENER PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT MANAGER ANNE WHITLOW CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA BRACEWELL, KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, CANDICE SWEET, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER GRAPHIC DESIGN ERICA HINES, JESSICA MANNER, JANINE MARYLAND, AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER WEB IMPLEMENTATION DIRECTOR ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR FRANCO SCARAMUZZA WEB CONTENT MANAGER JOHN HOOD WEB PROJECT MANAGER YAMEL RUIZ

PICTURE PERFECT

WEB DESIGN CARL SCHULZ WEB PRODUCTION JENNIFER GRAVES COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN

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AD TRAFFIC MARCIA MILLAR, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

RELOCATION Considering a move to this community? We can help. Use our Relocation Tools to discover tips, including how to make your move green, advice about moving pets and help with booking movers.

SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS V.P./CUSTOM PUBLISHING KIM NEWSOM MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS BILL McMEEKIN MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS

VIDEOS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY SIMPSON DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

In our Interactive section, watch quick videos by our editors and photographers featuring people, places and events.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR YANCEY TURTURICE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE SALES SUPPORT RACHAEL GOLDSBERRY SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

FACTS & STATS

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

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ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE Images gives readers a taste of what makes Edmonton tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) 9990 Jasper Avenue, World Trade Centre, 4th Floor Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 1P7 Phone: (780) 424-9191 • Fax: (780) 426-0535 www.edmonton.com

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2009-10 EDITION | VOLUME 4 ®

EDMONTON, ALBERTA

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 10 FARE THEE WELL Independent restaurants join forces to promote dining locally.

14 URBAN PLAYGROUND Edmonton’s parks, trails and greenway system are the envy of many other metropolitan areas.

30 CULTURAL SUCCESS, SQUARED Art Gallery of Alberta takes its place as third anchor in the downtown arts district.

EDMONTON BUSINESS 22 Diversity Yields Resilience Edmonton’s strong business blend keeps the economy going strong.

26 Biz Briefs 27 Economic Profile

D E PA R TM E NT S 8 Almanac: a colourful sampling of Edmonton’s culture

18 Portfolio: people, places and events that define Edmonton

29 Health & Wellness 33 Community Profile: facts, stats

31 MIX BUSINESS WITH PLEASURE

and important numbers to know

The annual Edmonton and Area Corporate Challenge brings together employees from 160 local companies.

32 SPOILED WITH CHOICES A limitless array of educational options awaits students and parents.

ON THE COVER Edmonton skyline All or part of this magazine is printed with soy ink on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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Explore its landscapes, cultural offerings, food and fun.

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Experience the history, hot spots and local happenings.

Edmonton is rated L for Livability

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Almanac

Bank on It The financial services industry is a key source of strength and influence for Edmonton. An excess of $135 billion already is being managed here by some of the nation’s largest players, including services such as investment management, insurance, banking and credit unions. Edmonton Economic Development Corporation has identified the financial services industry as one of Edmonton’s advantages, recognizing it as a key growth area and a building block for the city’s long term, sustainable growth.

Do the Fringe Fans of theatre, welcome to the home of the oldest and largest fringe theatre festival in North America and the second largest in the world after Edinburgh. Performances for the 10-day Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival are held in numerous venues throughout the vibrant Old Strathcona area, the city’s theatre district that is home to many renowned theatre companies, including the award-winning Catalyst Theatre. Old Strathcona has been voted one of the five best shopping districts in the country by Pure Canada magazine. Founded in 1982 and modeled after the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Edmonton’s festival celebrated its 28th year in August 2009.

Convene Green The largest convention facility in Alberta has taken a few simple steps in hopes of making a big impact in terms of environmental stewardship, and now it is asking convention planners to do the same. The Shaw Conference Centre’s 2008 efforts resulted in 110 metric tonnes of organic waste diverted from the landfill to the city’s composting plant and 25 tonnes of cardboard recycled. The centre also has created a guide called Simple Steps for convention planners who want to make their events environmentally friendly. In the heart of downtown Edmonton‚ the centre boasts award-winning architecture and world-champion chefs. Its newest section‚ Hall D‚ offers unmatched views of the Saskatchewan River Valley.

Enduring Event Marks 25 Years The Subway Coronation Triathlon is all about endurance, for the amateur and seasoned competitors, as well as the event itself. The triathlon marked its 25th year in May 2009 and is one of the oldest urban triathlons in Alberta. The event features a challenging course that runs through Edmonton’s Coronation Park area and includes a 1-kilometre swim in Peter Hemingway Pool, a 26-kilometre cycle on Groat Road and an 8-kilometre run along Groat Road and Mackinnon Ravine.

The Subway Coronation Triathlon is officially sanctioned by the Alberta Triathlon Association, and individuals or teams may register to participate.

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Fast Facts Q Edmonton is a leader in the TV and film industry. More than 150 shows and movies have been produced in the city’s studios over the years.

Q Multiculturalism is encouraged and nurtured here, and one significant advocate for immigrants is the Edmonton Mennonite Centre, which provides many programs and services and works to shape public policy.

Understand Alberta … and the World

Q Discover and explore the real Edmonton by reading stories about living, working and visiting here at www.edmontonstories.ca.

Explore the Royal Alberta Museum to discover the natural and cultural heritage of the province. The provincial museum opened in 1967 and today has more than 10 million objects organized into the categories of life sciences, earth sciences, human history and collections services. These items are showcased throughout three galleries: Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture, Wild Alberta and The Natural History Gallery. The museum is best known for its collections of early fur trade artifacts and religious vestments and implements, and its live invertebrate gallery – the first of its kind in western Canada.

Edmonton At A Glance Legal

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Morinville 28

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St. Albert

Fort Saskatchewan 21

Big Lake

BEGINNINGS Edmonton, named after a town in England, was incorporated as a city in 1904 and became Alberta’s capital in 1905.

ST RATH CON A COUN TY 16

Isle Lake 16

Wabamum

Sherwood Park Stony Plain

Wabamun Lake

Spruce Grove

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City of Edmonton

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PA RKL A N D CO UN TY

Cooking Lake

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FOR MORE INFORMATION Edmonton Economic Development Corporation 4th Floor, World Trade Centre 9990 Jasper Ave. Edmonton, AB Canada T5J 1P7 Phone: (780) 424-9191 or (800) 661-6965 Fax: (780) 426-0535 www.edmonton.com

Redwater

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Take a virtual tour of Edmonton, courtesy of our award-winning photographers, at imagesedmonton.com.

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LOCATION Edmonton is in central Alberta, with British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains to the west, Saskatchewan to the east and Montana to the south.

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POPULATION (2009 ESTIMATE) Edmonton: 782,439 Greater Edmonton: 1,081,275

770

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Beaumont

New Sarepta

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Thorsby Warburg

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Leduc

Calmar

L E DUC COUN TY

Yukon Territory Pigeon Lake

Northwest Territories British Columbia

Newfoundland and Labrador Nunavut

Alberta

Edmonton

Quebec

Manitoba

Prince Edward Island Saskatchewan

Ontario Nova Scotia New Brunswick

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Fare Thee Well INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS JOIN FORCES TO PROMOTE DINING LOCALLY

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN McCORD

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ood for thought: Residents here can expect a diversity of foods and experiences that are exclusively Edmonton, thanks to an array of local restaurant owners who are known for putting all of their energies and talent into their establishments.

Now, a private local company has united many of these business owners and is helping trumpet their collective cause. Original Fare was founded in 2005 to encourage people to dine locally.

“I thought that if we could work collaboratively, we could hopefully make independent restaurants a little more well known – and sustainable – in Edmonton and its immediate surrounding area,” says Jessie Radies, founder of Original Fare as well as owner of The Blue Pear restaurant in Edmonton. “My background is in franchising and working for large multi-national companies, so I know the advertising tricks for helping those restaurant chains succeed. So when I started Original Fare, the goal was to make that kind of group

Jessie Radies is the owner of The Blue Pear restaurant and also is the founder of Original Fare, a group that encourages people to dine locally. Left: Raspberry Almond Cake from Leva, an Original Fare member

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“One thing that the group advocates is purchasing local and organically grown products whenever possible.” marketing work for local independents.”

Each of the member restaurants pays Original Fare a monthly fee, and that money goes toward year-round advertising, as well as to the operation of the organization’s Web site, www.originalfare.com.

Brady Weiler is the owner and operator of Pipestone Food Co. Ltd. in Wetaskiwin, which is an Original Fare member.

Weiler says Pipestone Food offers local fare with gourmet flair and specializes in steak, chicken and seafood – plus 12

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bison and elk dinners. For Weiler, the Original Fare marketing effort has been a success, and it boils down to strength in numbers, he says.

“It sort of evens the playing field for little guys like us, to be able to market ourselves at a higher and more noticeable level,” Weiler says. “It’s a great way for independent restaurateurs like myself to let people know who we are, what we’re about, and how to find us.”

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only investing in a distinctly local dining experience, but also benefiting many businesses down the supply chain.

Weiler explains that Original Fare also advocates among its members practices that promote sustaining Edmonton’s business base, giving preference to local vendors first.

“We have been doing a very brisk business, and I must give a lot of credit to Original Fare for much of our increase,” he says. “One thing that the group advocates is purchasing local and organically grown products whenever possible. I would say that 80 percent of the products I use at Pipestone are local. Even the stationery we buy is made in Edmonton.”

Restaurants within Edmonton that are current members of Original Fare are Accent Restaurant & Lounge, Blue Plate Diner, Culina Highlands, Culina Millcreek, Il Forno, Jack’s Grill, Leva, Parkallen Restaurant, Red Ox Inn, The Blue Pear, The Dish, Upper Crust Cafe & Caterers, Von’s Steakhouse & E D M O NTO N

Oyster Bar, and Wild Tangerine.

Besides Pipestone Food Co. Ltd., members outside of Edmonton are Eco Café in Pigeon Lake, and The Glens Grill at Montgomery Glen Golf & Country Club in Wetaskiwin.

“The only stipulation to joining Original Fare is that a restaurant must be locally owned and independent, meaning that the owner is able to make all of the decisions for their particular establishment,” Radies says. “This is the most successful marketing plan I could have ever been involved with. I just could never do it by myself – I needed 16 other restaurants to help me. And they certainly have.”

Patrons line up at Leva, a member of Original Fare, a group of local independent restaurants with the common goal of providing original, diverse, authentic dining experiences that you just can’t get anywhere else.

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Urban Playground RESIDENTS LOVE THEIR MANY GREEN SPACES

STORY BY JOE MORRIS

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dmonton residents know that greens are good for you, and they treasure the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parks, trails and a greenway system that is the envy of many other metropolitan areas.

Even as the city continues to grow, smart planning that requires developers to donate 10 percent of any new development to the city for a park ensures that the green system will prosper along with the city itself.

So, just how big is big, when it comes to a parks and trails system? Edmonton has 896 city district and neighbourhood parks, 150 kilometres of paved walking trials, 338 playgrounds, more than 70 golf courses, 92 tennis courts and more than 309,000 ornamental trees lining its parks and boulevards.

Among these is a 48-kilometre stretch known as the Ribbon of Green, which includes dozens of major parks.

All this, and more, gives the city the distinction of having the most urban parkland in North America, 22 times the size of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Central Park.

Most of the walking trails in the parks system spin out from the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, and those

Edmonton boasts 150 kilometres of paved trails.

Right: Joggers tackle the steps at Whitemud Park.

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JEFF ADKINS

See the variety of outdoor recreation afforded by Edmonton’s parks in this quick video at imagesedmonton.com.

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who use the trails are only limited by their preference of topography.

“I like the accessibility the whole trail system gives,” says John Stanton, owner of The Running Room, who, along with his clients, is an avid trail-goer. “It has paved trails, grassy trails and pebbled gravel areas, so that runners, walkers, cyclists, people in wheelchairs and, in the winter, skiers and snowshoers, have access to the system. There are even portions of the trail where horses are permitted, so it makes it an all-inclusive system throughout our city.”

Stanton and other running enthusiasts also laud the trail system’s connectivity, which ensures that once on, a user doesn’t have to get off and cross through, over or under major thoroughfares and other obstacles to reconnect with their chosen route.

“You can get on the trails through various feeder ravines throughout the river valley and go up into almost every community,” he says. “You don’t have the gaps that some cities have; it’s fully integrated. That’s a huge advantage for everyone who uses the trail.”

The city of Edmonton has several hundred employees who maintain the parks and trails, but the citizenry pitches in as

“Edmonton has become quite an active city. Part of the reason for that is this trail system.” well, recognizing and preserving the value of the system.

An annual event, Clear the Trails, raises funds to clean and restore the trails and adjacent areas, as well as provides for ongoing maintenance year round. Efforts such as these certainly help, and the city provides some $45 million per year toward maintenance, as well as another $60 million for capital improvements and additional land purchases.

“The way they’re operated really does allow people to come most any time,” Stanton says. “Edmonton has become quite an active city. Part of the reason for that is this trail system. They’re free, people feel safe, and whether you’re a walker, runner, cyclist or horseback rider, you can use them.

People are out there all the time.”

Edmonton residents enjoy to the fullest having the largest expanse of urban parkland in North America.

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PHOTO BY JEFF ADKINS

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Portfolio

A host of special events keeps Edmontonians celebrating year round. For a calendar, visit www.edmonton.com.

Welcome to the Party EDMONTON BOASTS A CALENDAR PACKED WITH MORE THAN 30 FESTIVALS

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any large North American cities host, perhaps, six or seven major cultural festivals each year. Edmonton hosts more than 30. That is why Edmonton is known as The Festival City, welcoming 2 to 3 million people to this array of interesting events each year. The celebrations take place during just about every month of the year and focus on everything from dance, film, music and theatre to the visual arts and sports and recreation.

An initiative called Edmonton Festival City was launched in spring 2003 to begin marketing the Alberta capital as a preferred destination for leisure travel, business travel and film production. As a result, visitors now spend more than $1 billion during the calendar year.

And yes, festivals occur even in the coldest of months, because Edmontonians embrace winter. For example, Ice on Whyte takes place in January with chainsaw and chisel wielders turning blocks of ice into works of art. Meanwhile, the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival whooshes into town 18

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each February to welcome Canada’s top competitive crosscountry skiers. As for live music, the city hosts attractions such as the Labatt Blues Festival, Symphony Under the Sky, Yardbird Jazz Festival and the world-renowned Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Among live theatre, dance and film fests are the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, the Festival of Dance and the Edmonton International Film Festival. Yearly visual arts celebrations include the Works Art & Design Festival and the VisualEyez festival of performance art, while family fun activities include the International Children’s Festival, Edmonton’s Capital EX summer exhibition and the Santa Claus Parade.

Other annual events staged throughout the city include the Edmonton Dragon Boat Festival, the Edmonton Heritage Festival and the rough-and-tumble Canadian Finals Rodeo.

According to Edmonton tourism officials, more than 12,000 community volunteers help make the festivals a success each year.

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Gallery Walk Showcases 124 Street Art

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eauty meets the eye throughout a 12-block area just west of Edmontonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown core district.

In this district, an annual 124 Street Gallery Walk takes place each year on a spring weekend in mid April, then once again in the fall on a weekend in mid October.

The Gallery Walk was initiated in 1981 to attract more people to downtown Edmonton, and the organized art stroll was the first of its kind in Canada.

The event specifically promotes seven galleries, focusing especially on works

by Canadian artists.

The walk is ideally set along 124 Street, which is in the centre of a vital business community known for its many quality restaurants, clothing shops, entertainment venues and bookstores.

The participating art destinations are Agnes Bugera Gallery Inc., Bearclaw Gallery, Electrum Design Studio, Peter Robertson Gallery, Scott Gallery, TU Gallery and West End Gallery.

Although the spring and fall walks are specifically organized, the galleries encourage other types of group walks throughout the year and will happily assist in the planning.

Those individualized walks can be scheduled for schools, conventions or other specific groups.

And besides 124 Street, all of Edmonton continues to serve as a haven for up-and-coming artists, as well as established painters, sculptors and photographers. In fact, more than 60 public art exhibits and new art galleries in the Edmonton area were scheduled to open in 2009 alone.

TU Gallery is among seven member art galleries that participate in the biannual 124 Street Gallery Walk.

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Portfolio Old Strathcona Farmers Market

Almost Out of Bison Meat?

JEFFREY S. OTTO

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Assisting employers to maximize their workforce potential and helping immigrants to become fully integrated in the regional labour market.

#200, 10209 97th St. Edmonton, AB T5J 0L5

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P (780) 497-8866 F (780) 497-8806

www.eriec.ca

unning low on organic kelp or cabbage? What about natural clover and alfalfa honey?

The Old Strathcona Farmers Market features a variety of fresh, locally grown foods, along with a selection of homemade crafts. The appealing market is situated in a renovated 19th-century building on 83 Avenue and is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

More than 130 of the finest food producers, artisans and growers bring their goods each week to Edmonton’s only year round, indoor farmers market. Besides delectable food items, the market exudes an atmosphere of festivity and community.

The slogan for the longtime attraction that first opened in 1983 is “We make it, we bake it, we grow it, we sell it,” and the natural food is sold at the very height of its harvest time.

And because the market specializes in 100 percent local products, it is both sustainable and environmentally friendly in the sense that the food doesn’t have to travel far from the producer to local tables.

Items for sale include Albertagrown meats, bison and poultry; ethnic and gourmet foods such as wild petal jelly and Saskatoon jam; and home baked selections such as royal cakes and sesame bagels.

There are also plenty of unusual arts and crafts items, along with plants and gardening supplies. As for fruits and vegetables, there is the typical selection and not-so-typical offerings such as serviceberries and purple sprouting broccoli.

What’s Online e Join Edmontonians as they shop at the Old Strathcona Farmers Market in this quick video at imagesedmonton.com.

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Change Is in the Air at EIA I

t helps to have good connections, and the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) is taking that to an elevated level.

The airport is a critical transportation hub for all of northwestern Canada and currently serves more than 6.4 million passengers a year. However, a current expansion project will allow the airport to accommodate 9 million passengers a year once the construction initiative is completed in 2012. And by the way, the cost of that current construction initiative is a formidable $1.1 billion but is expected to be a more than worthwhile investment.

For the third year in a row, EIA is the fastest-growing airport in all of Canada, with the busy airport leading the country in percentage of passenger growth from 2006-08. As a result, the expansion project was initiated in order to further serve the growing number of passengers.

One of the specific construction upgrades will be adding new gates, boosting the number to 30 from the current 17. In addition, there will be expanded restaurant offerings, more retail and office space, and a new passenger concourse.

Parking also will be expanded, and new technology will be added to help passengers move through the airport as efficiently as possible.

That technology will include allowing passengers to self-tag baggage and check baggage at multiple locations throughout the entire terminal.

Edmonton International currently features more than 50 non-stop flights to destinations in Canada, the United States, Europe and Mexico, including daily non-stop service between Edmonton and London-Heathrow Airport. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Stories by Kevin Litwin

Edmonton International Airportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion will add a new passenger concourse and 13 gates, plus more restaurant and retail offerings.

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Business

Diversity

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Resilience STRONG BUSINESS BLEND KEEPS ECONOMY STRONG STORY BY BETSY WILLIAMS

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BRIAN M C CORD

ith enviable environmental and energy assets, a strong and diverse economy, excellent transportation arteries and an unmatched quality of life, Edmonton sits at the top of the global economic mountain.

Leading Edmonton’s economic and tourism efforts is the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC), which is concentrating on three strategic areas: driving change through leadership, creating economic growth through innovation and enhancing Edmonton’s global stature and recognition.

To achieve goals in these areas, leadership is key, says EEDC chairman Randy Ferguson.

“We want to create a balance with our board and get the right people around the table,” Ferguson says.

Members are selected through a skills matrix, which provides representation through a cross-section of industry, arts and culture.

Facilitating innovation, research and cooperation is the hallmark of the EEDC. Partnerships are yielding results.

For example, the working relationship between the EEDCmanaged Edmonton Research Park and TEC Edmonton (a business accelerator that is a joint venture between EEDC and the University of Alberta) has led to public/private research investments exceeding $500 million, Ferguson says.

“The purpose is to commercialize the technology,” Ferguson says. “We can achieve that goal by bringing together mentoring, entrepreneurship and financing and working closely with the government, post-secondary and private sectors.”

The Edmonton Research Park has been a success since it

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Edmonton Research Park, a division of the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, houses more than 55 companies and more than 1,500 employees.

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Business

began in the mid-1990s, says EEDC President and CEO Ron Gilbertson, and a 90-acre expansion is in the works. The park is home to more than 55 companies engaged in advanced research in medicine, biotechnology, software, petroleum research, cold climate engineering, nanotechnology and clean energy. These companies employ more than 1,500 workers.

When it comes to economic development, Edmonton takes a “tortoise and the hare” stance, he says.

“We’re more the tortoise, with a steady approach,” Gilbertson says. “We have quite a diversified economy, one of the strongest in the world. When one sector takes a downturn, other sectors are doing well, so we don’t get the ‘boom-bust’ economy that regions with one major employment sector have.”

With an energy-rich economy as Edmonton’s base, the EEDC has identified six diverse areas that are gaining strength: advanced technology, education and research, energy/ petrochemicals, financial services, health and tourism.

Despite the global economic downturn, Edmonton is still winning the race when compared to other cities its size.

“Four years ago, we were seeing investments of about $4 billion here in Alberta,” Gilbertson explains. “Last year it was $20 billion. So it may go down this year, but when you look at where we were four years ago, it’s still quite high, despite slowing down by $10 billion or so. There are countries with a million people that would be happy with those numbers.

I like to say we’re going from a Mercedes to a Cadillac, while most people in the world are driving Chevrolets.”

The innovative efforts are paying off. Edmonton recently ranked third in the world on a global prosperity scorecard produced by Calgary Economic Development using research by the Conference Board of Canada, beating out economic powerhouses New York, Paris, Shanghai and Chicago, among several others.

“That’s pretty impressive,” Gilbertson admits. “The strength of our economy is significant, but our quality of life is the one thing that keeps coming up. Our income is above average, our schools are the best in North America and health care is publicly funded. Whether you work as a lawyer or at McDonald’s, you get great health care. We have the full meal deal.”

Research is conducted at Innovotech™, one of the many innovative companies at Edmonton Research Park.

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“We’re more the tortoise, with a steady approach. We have quite a diversified economy, one of the strongest in the world.”

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Business

Biz Briefs BUSINESSES – BOTH LARGE AND SMALL – THAT HELP DEFINE EDMONTON’S ECONOMIC CLIMATE

Scorecard BUSINESS AT A GLANCE

$85,749 Expenditures per household, Edmonton ($1,000)

$184.5 2009 major projects (billion), Edmonton Service Area

$239 2009 major projects (billion), Alberta Source: Statistics Canada, Alberta Finance and Enterprise, Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

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INNOVOTECH™ Biz: health technology Buzz: Innovotech™ is a product development company focusing on the development of solutions to medical, agricultural and industrial problems caused by microbial biofilms.

Innovotech™ has developed bioFILM PA™, the first in-vitro diagnostic tool designed to help physicians fight resistant biofilm diseases such as Cystic Fibrosis, pneumonia and others. www.innovotech.ca

ALL WEATHER WINDOWS Biz: window and door manufacturer Buzz: All Weather Windows started here in 1978 with nine employees. Founders Harry Buhler, Gord Wiebe and Henry Banman, grew the business from a single 10,000-square-foot facility into Canada’s largest privately owned window and door manufacturer. The partners say they’ve built their reputation and business one customer at a time. www.allweatherwindows.com

EPCOR UTILITIES INC. Biz: utilities Buzz: EPCOR Utilities Inc. builds, owns and operates electrical transmission and distribution networks, wastewater and water treatment facilities and infrastructure in Canada. EPCOR has been named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers nine years running and is one of only 10 companies recognized as Canada’s Most Earth-Friendly Employers. www.epcor.ca

PTI GROUP Biz: accommodations and services Buzz: PTI Group is a fully integrated supplier of remote site services providing temporary and permanent workforce accommodations, food services, facility management, environmental services, and other services to resource industries worldwide. Capabilities range from providing highly portable fire-line camps to 5,000-person oil and gas base camps. www.ptigroup.com E D M O NTO N

Business | Economic Profile

EDMONTON BUSINESS CLIMATE Oil and other natural resources are Albertaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary industries, and Edmonton companies are benefiting by supplying these projects with workers, supplies and services. Further growth in non-resource based industries, such as software development, technology and biomedical research, continues to diversify Edmontonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy.

ECONOMIC RESOURCES Edmonton Economic Development Corp.

9990 Jasper Ave. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 1P7 (780) 424-9191 (800) 661-6965 www.edmonton.com/eedc

TRANSPORTATION Edmonton International Airport P.O. Box 9860 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2T2 (780) 890-8900 www.flyeia.com Edmonton Transit System (780) 496-1611 www.takeETS.com Local Streets City maps are available from www.edmonton.ca and the Edmonton Transit System.

Pedway System An extensive system of pedways (above- and below-ground) connects most major downtown buildings to the underground transit.

Taxis Taxi fare from the airport to downtown approximately $50.

VIA Rail 12360 121 St. N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5L 5C3 (888) 842-7245 www.viarail.ca

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Downtown Business Association 10121 Jasper Ave. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 4X6 (780) 424-4085 www.edmontondowntown.com

INDUSTRIAL SITES Edmonton Research Park www.edmonton.com/ researchpark

DISTANCE TO OTHER CITIES Calgary, 294 kilometres (184 miles) Jasper, 362 kilometres (226 miles) Banff, 404 kilometres (252 miles)

REAL ESTATE Pre-Owned Housing Statistics

$304,430 Average Residential Selling Price

GOVERNMENT OFFICES City of Edmonton (780) 496-8200 Province of Alberta (780) 310-0000 (toll-free within Canada) www.gov.ab.ca Canada 800 O-CANADA (780) 622-6232 www.canada.gc.ca

MORE EO ONLINE imagesedmonton.com More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

Vancouver, 1,159 kilometres (720 miles) Seattle, 1,263 kilometres (785 miles) Salt Lake City, 1,727 kilometres (1,073 miles) Denver, 2,057 kilometres (1,278 miles) Minneapolis-St. Paul, 2,037 kilometres (1,266 miles)

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Health & Wellness

New Hospital Puts Ladies First ALBERTA HEALTH SERVICES’ LOIS HOLE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN OPENS IN 2010

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t is just what the doctor ordered: 112 private beds and state-of-the-art surgical suites dedicated solely to women’s health-care needs.

The Lois Hole Hospital for Women will open in 2010 on the campus of Royal Alexandra Hospital. It will occupy five of the seven stories in the new $215 million Robbins Pavilion patient tower that has been added to Royal Alexandra.

The tower will also include a rooftop Ted & Lois Hole Healing Garden that will be accessible to patients, staff and visitors.

“We have long offered women’s services here at Royal Alexandra, but we have pretty much outgrown our current space,” says Selikke Janes-Kelley, director of women’s health for Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Lois Hole Hospital for Women. “Now we will be able to consolidate the majority of women’s health programs and services that are located throughout the Royal Alexandra Hospital property – all into one brand new building.”

The ground floor of the new tower will be used as an ambulatory clinic, while inpatient care for Lois Hole Hospital will be featured on the second through fifth floors. Meanwhile, the C.K. Hui Heart Centre will occupy the first floor of the tower, while the sixth floor has yet to be assigned.

This new women’s hospital for Edmonton and the surrounding region will specialize in gynaecology, ante partum, post partum, labour and delivery. It also will provide gynaecologic oncology treatment related to ovarian, uterine

and cervical cancers, but not breast cancer.

There also will be teaching and research space for the University of Alberta’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry.

“So, besides new and expanded space for treatment and services, the hospital will encourage the discoveries of new technology by supporting increased research, education and innovation,” Janes-Kelley says. “Helping to identify new and better ways of treating women will be what this new hospital strives for.”

The hospital is named after the Honourable Dr. Lois E. Hole, former lieutenant governor of Alberta from 2000-05 who passed away in 2005.

“This will be a medical centre where, when women walk through the doors, they’ll know they are entering a special place – a place designed with their unique needs in mind,” Janes-Kelley says.

Alberta Health Services oversees Royal Alexandra Hospital and the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, and AHS also now has Rutherford Health Centre under its medical umbrella.

Rutherford Health Centre opened in January 2009 to better serve residents of Rutherford and southwest Edmonton.

In addition, AHS opened the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute on the U of A campus. It is a centre for complete cardiac disease care and serves all of western Canada and beyond.

– Kevin Litwin

Lois Hole Hospital for Women

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Arts & Culture

Cultural Success, Squared ART GALLERY OF ALBERTA BECOMES THIRD ANCHOR IN DOWNTOWN ARTS DISTRICT

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dmonton’s Sir Winston Churchill Square will solidify its place as a local, regional and national arts hub with the opening of the new Art Gallery of Alberta in January 2010. The gallery will join two existing, highprofile destinations there: the Citadel Theatre and the Francis Winspear Centre for Music. By adding visual art to the theatrical and musical offerings

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on the square, the area becomes more complete, says Allan Scott, chairman of Art Gallery of Alberta’s board of directors.

“We’re right there with the other cultural flagships that surround the square and that have been tremendous assets for years,” Scott says. “They are phenomenal venues, and we’re ready to take our rightful place there with them.”

It’s been a long road to the new site, beginning in 1924 when the Edmonton Museum of the Arts was established.

A permanent home in the Edmonton Public Library followed a few years later, and then a series of five moves took place over the ensuing decades.

The new facility, designed by architect Randall Stout, will have 85,000 square feet of gallery space for national and international exhibitions, as well as a restaurant, event space that will be available for public rental, and a gallery shop that Scott says will become a destination in its own right.

And with the opening – and the near-complete building – looming, people are beginning to take notice.

“The citizens are suddenly realizing that they have an iconic piece of architecture growing before their very eyes,” Scott says. “It’s starting to take its final shape as opposed to being just a construction project that’s hard to interpret.”

The arts community from around the corner and around the world is also on alert, adds Oksana Gowin, marketing and communications manager.

“The art community is beginning to see how incredible this structure is going to be and what Randall Stout has done,” Gowin says. “People are also seeing just how much a part of our community it’s going to be.”

In the world of real estate, not to mention tourism, location is everything. The gallery’s prime spot is a key reason for its success. And in more general terms, artistically speaking, having all three major institutions literally within a block for each other will only further galvanize what is already a thriving downtown arts district, Scott predicts.

“We hope that we can be that last catalyst for some urban renewal in the area,” he says. “The city has plans for the area directly east of us, which has residential space as well as retail and restaurants. In areas like that, art galleries have led the way.”

– Joe Morris E D M O NTO N

Sports & Recreation

Mix Business With Pleasure EMPLOYEES FROM 160 AREA COMPANIES COMPETE IN ANNUAL SPORTS CHALLENGE

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’mon, employees. We can beat Telus. We can beat the University of Alberta. Win, win, win.

The Edmonton and Area Corporate Challenge is a two-week sports and recreation extravaganza that involves companies competing against each other in 22 different events. The focus is on participation, sportsmanship and team building, and the event always occurs during the last week of May and the first week of June.

“The games began in 1992 with a handful of local businesses competing, and today there are 160 companies and more than 18,000 athletes involved each year,” says Liane Cournoyer, manager of the Edmonton and Area Corporate Challenge. “It’s an Olympics-style competition that has evolved into one of the largest annual amateur sporting events in Canada.”

The 160 participating companies are broken up into six competitive divisions, based on the number of employees.

“The slogan of the Corporate Challenge is, ‘Where work comes to play,’ with the main goal being to promote health and wellness,” Cournoyer says. “Our hope is that employees will continue with a wellness and fitness lifestyle once the games are over. Indeed, many actually do sign up at clubs and gyms to continue their healthy living.”

All sports are co-ed, and each company can play as many sports as they like. The only stipulation is that participating businesses must be based in the city of Edmonton or the four surrounding counties of Leduc, Parkland, Strathcona or Sturgeon.

“The Challenge is an excellent two-week celebration that promotes the lifestyle that Edmonton is all about: health and wellness, a progressive attitude and camaraderie,” she says.

– Kevin Litwin

PHOTO COURTESY OF LORRAINE STEPHANYSHYN/LORRAINE MARIE FOTOGRAPHY

Participating companies range in size from those with 100 employees up to those with 3,000, such as Telus and the University of Alberta.

The 22 sports competitions include badminton, basketball, bocce, darts, golf, swimming, table tennis, triathlon, volleyball and a 10km road race.

“In order to get the most enjoyment out of the games, we recommend that participating companies have a minimum of 50 employees on their team,” Cournoyer says. “All events take place in the evenings and weekends, and there are more than 40 different competition venues throughout Edmonton.”

The top three finishing companies in all six divisions – and in all 22 sports – receive gold, silver and bronze medals. Therefore, a total of 396 team medals are distributed at the conclusion of the games.

Dragon Boat racing at the Edmonton and Area Corporate Challenge

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Education

Spoiled With Choices PARENTS AND STUDENTS ENJOY A LIMITLESS ARRAY OF EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS

BRIAN M C CORD

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ith its open boundaries and variety of specialized fields of study, the Edmonton Public Schools system gives parents and children an amazing, and growing, range of opportunities.

By letting parents choose a school, limited only by space and programming issues specific to certain locations and fields of study, the entire system is available regardless of where a family lives. And then there’s the roster of special-education and alternative programs, which range from aboriginal education to entire facilities dedicated to the sciences and the arts – and just about everything in between. The end result is a system dedicated to advancing its students’ interests wherever possible and allowing for great latitude while doing so, says Edgar Schmidt, superintendent.

“Open boundaries and programs of choice have been hallmarks of our school jurisdiction,” Schmidt says.

“We believe that if the community supports different types of programs, that we should provide them, given space to provide it and provision under the School Act. These decisions, made by boards over the years, have brought worldwide acclaim to Edmonton Public Schools, as well as significant support and approval by parents and the local community.”

So much so, in fact, that six new schools will open in September 2010.

The system, which has around 80,000 students, has gotten praise for its diverse programming, which allows every student a chance to find his or her niche and prosper.

“Students learn in different ways, and one way to support various learning styles and approaches is to offer delivery of instruction that more closely aligns to student’s ways of learning,” Schmidt says.

– Joe Morris

Dance students practice at the Victoria School of Performing & Visual Arts.

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Ad Index

2-3 Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

32 Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club

20 ERIEC

19 Grant MacEwan College

4-5 Greater Edmonton Growth Team

28 Matrix Hotel

30 NAIT-Corporate

Communications

28 Norquest College

C4 Princeton

Executive Suites

21 University of Alberta

7 West Edmonton Mall

31 Worley Parsons Canada

Community Profile

EDMONTON SNAPSHOT A vibrant prairie city located near the center of the province of Alberta in western Canada, Edmonton is Canada’s fifth-largest city, and the Edmonton metro area is the sixth largest in the country.

The provincial capital, Edmonton offers a wide variety of places to go and activities to enjoy at any time of the year.

EDUCATION Public education is free in Alberta to all Canadian citizens and residents until the age of 20. Attendance is mandatory from the age of 6 until 16. Students may attend public, separate (Catholic or Protestant), Francophone, charter schools or private schools. For a list of schools and other information, visit imagesedmonton.com.

CLIMATE OVERVIEW Edmonton experiences four distinct seasons. Snow cover characterizes winter from November through midMarch. Summers are generally dry and sunny. With about 2,300 hours of bright sunshine per year, Edmonton is one of Canada’s sunniest cities.

LOCAL UTILITIES ATCO Electric 10035 105th St. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2V6 (780) 420-7310, 800-668-2248

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ATCO Gas 10035 105th St. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2V6 (780) 424-5222 Direct Energy Regulated Services-Electric P.O. Box 2427 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2V6 888-420-3181 Direct Energy Regulated Services-Gas P.O. Box 2427 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2V6 866-420-3174 Enmax, (877) 571-7111 EPCOR P.O. Box 500 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3Y3 800-667-2345

January Low Temperature

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January High Temperature

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9C July Low Temperature

More facts, stats and community information, including relocation tools and links to resources.

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questions

visit our

answers

advertisers Edmonton Economic Development Corporation www.edmonton.com/eedc Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club www.edmontonoilers.com

©2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

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ERIEC www.eriec.ca

NAIT-Corporate Communications www.nait.ca Norquest College www.norquest.ca Princeton Executive Suites www.princetonsuites.com

Grant MacEwan College www.macewan.ca

University of Alberta www.ualberta.ca

Greater Edmonton Growth Team www.edmonton.com

West Edmonton Mall www.wem.ca

Matrix Hotel www.matrixedmonton.com

Worley Parsons Canada www.worleyparsons.com

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