images edmonton, ab canada: 2008-09

LIFE AT ANY SPEEDFrom cool to country, this place has it all

THEY SHOOT, THEY SCOREUniversity of Alberta wins 13th hockey title

Opportunity Keeps KnockingDowntown thrives with business, retail and arts

SPONSORED BY THE EDMONTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

OF EDMONTON, ALBERTA

2008-09 | IMAGESEDMONTON.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTESTMTM

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TM

2008-09 EDITION | VOLUME 3

CONTENTS

FEATURES

14 OPPORTUNITY KEEPS KNOCKINGDowntown is the place to go to fully experience Edmonton’s culture.

18 A CENTURY OF EXCELLENCEThe University of Alberta marks its 100th anniversary in 2008.

22 E-TOWN BECOMES ELECTRICMillions fl ock to Edmonton’s over-the-top music, culture and sports festivals.

24 SHOPPING ON A BIG SCALEYou could actually shop ’til you drop at the West Edmonton Mall.

26 TRY THE BISON MEATLOAFRestaurants here offer fresh takes on regional cuisine.

30 A RIBBON OF GREENEdmonton is a promised land for the 10 million sports enthusiasts who visit each year.

32 LIFE AT ANY SPEEDEdmonton holds out housing possibilities geared to match your life – at any speed.

51 THEY SHOOT, THEY SCORE The Golden Bears keep bringing in the hockey championships.

ON THE COVER Photo by Jeff AdkinsThe view of Edmonton’s downtown skyline from the top of the Muttart Conservatory.

14

EDMONTON IMAGESEDMONTON.COM 5

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ACTION! ADVENTURE!

AT IMAGESEDMONTON.COM

THE MOVIETHE MOVIEImages of EdmontonImages of Edmonton

STARTS TODAY!

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SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PLACES, EVENTS OR QUALITY OF LIFE IN EDMONTONIS PURELY INTENTIONAL!

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“IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”“IT KEPT ME ON THE EDGE OF MY LAPTOP!”

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TM


EDMONTON BUSINESS 42 Aiming High

Companies here work at being as diverse as the community at large is.

44 Biz Briefs

47 Economic Profile

DEPARTMENTS

10 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Edmonton’s culture

36 Portfolio: people, places and events that defi ne Edmonton

49 Health & Wellness

50 Arts & Culture

51 Sports & Recreation

52 Education

53 Community Profi le: facts, stats and important numbers to know

52

44

This magazine is printed entirely or in part on recycled paper containing 10% post-consumer waste.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE


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“Find the good – and praise it.”– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

OF EDMONTON

TM

What’s More lists, links and tips for newcomers

IMAGESEDMONTON.COM

or newfoor n

SENIOR EDITOR ANITA WADHWANI

COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS

ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, SARAH B. GILLIAM

STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS SHEILA BURKE, PAMELA COYLE,

HOLLIE DEESE, BETSY WILLIAMS

DATABASE PROJECT MANAGER YANCEY TURTURICE

DATA MANAGER RANETTA SMITH

SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN

SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BRIAN MCCORD

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT,

ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO,

KYLE KEENER, JESSE KNISH

PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT ANNE WHITLOW

CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS

ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN

PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER

PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGERS MELISSA HOOVER,

KATIE MIDDENDORF, JILL WYATT

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER,

KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS

LEAD DESIGNER ALISON HUNTER

GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER,

ERICA HINES, JANINE MARYLAND,

AMY NELSON, MARCUS SNYDER, CANDICE SWEET

WEB PROJECT MANAGERS ANDY HARTLEY, YAMEL RUIZ

WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ

COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN TWILA ALLEN

AD TRAFFIC MARCIA BANASIK, SARAH MILLER,

PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY

CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN

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./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART

V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS

MANAGING EDITORS/BUSINESS

MAURICE FLIESS, BILL McMEEKIN

MANAGING EDITOR/COMMUNITY KIM MADLOM

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO

CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY

ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK,

DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS

RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP

COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY

DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH

IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE

IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR RACHEL MATHEIS

SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/SALES SUPPORT KRISTY DUNCAN

OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

RECEPTIONIST LINDA BISHOP

C U S TO M M A G A Z I N E M E D I A

Images of Edmonton is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Edmonton Economic Development

Corporation and its member businesses.For advertising information or to direct questions

or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080

or by e-mail at [email protected].

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

9990 Jasper Ave., 4th FloorEdmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 1P7

Phone: (780) 424-9191 • E-mail: [email protected] www.edmonton.com

VISIT IMAGES OF EDMONTON ONLINE AT IMAGESEDMONTON.COM

©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc.,725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067,

(615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.No portion of this magazine may be reproduced

in whole or in part without written consent.

Member Magazine Publishers of America

Member Custom Publishing Council

Member Edmonton Economic Development Corporation

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SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past content by section or search for specifi c articles by subject.

INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services.

EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; fi nd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINEImages of Edmonton is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Edmonton tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

AN ECLECTIC MIXEdmonton is home to people of many nationalities, and the cuisine you’ll fi nd here refl ects an eclectic mix of tastes. Find out more at imagesedmonton.com.

SHORT AND SWEETWith plenty of pleasant, sunny days and four distinct seasons, Edmonton is a great place for gardeners to put down roots. Find out more at imagesedmonton.com.

VIDEO TOUR INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Edmonton through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imagesedmonton.com.

MOVING PICTURES PLUS

8 IMAGESEDMONTON.COM EDMONTON

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LIFE AT ANY SPEEDFrom cool to country, this place has it all

THEY SHOOT, THEY SCOREUniversity of Alberta wins 13th hockey title

Opportunity Keeps KnoDowntown thrives with business, retail and arts

SPONSORED BY THE EDMONTON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CO


2008-09 | IMAGESEDMONTON.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTESTM

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More Than HockeyRexall Place is home to the Edmonton Oilers

NHL hockey team, and so much more.

The 17,000-seat arena is ranked as the

third-busiest in Canada and 12th in the world

for concerts and family events. It is also home

to the Edmonton Rush NLL lacrosse team,

WHL Oil Kings, and hosts the annual Canadian

Finals Rodeo.

The 2008-09 entertainment lineup at Rexall

Place includes shows like Cirque du Soleil,

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Kanye West,

Oasis, James Taylor and Nine Inch Nails.

Also appearing are Coldplay, Santana,

Elton John, Neil Diamond, Rush and

Celine Dion.

Move Over, Hollywood

It’s all a big act in

Edmonton for the TV

and film industry.

Nearly 150 television

series and films have been

produced in Edmonton

studios over the years, and

2007 was another busy one.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt and

Casey Affleck, and Good Luck Chuck, starring Jessica

Alba, were both filmed in

Edmonton in 2007.

Meanwhile, Fear Itself, a new horror-anthology

series from Lions Gate

Entertainment and Industry

Entertainment Partners, is

airing during the summer

of 2008 on NBC. The entire

series is filmed in Edmonton.

Grains of Liquid GoldThere’s oil in those sands.

Edmonton is the closest major city to the Alberta Oil Sands, the

second largest oil reserves in the world – second only to Saudi Arabia.

Time magazine says the oil sands in Alberta could satisfy the world’s

demand for petroleum for the next century.

Oil Sands are deposits of bitumen, a naturally occurring viscous

(like molasses) mixture of hydrocarbons. Bitumen must be upgraded

into crude oil before it can be used by refineries to produce gasoline

and diesel fuels. In northeastern Alberta, the deposits span an area the

size of Florida.

Only about two percent of the oil sands resource has been produced

for petroleum to date, according to Alberta Energy.


Almanac

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To the MaxNow that’s a big screen.The IMAX Theatre at the TELUS World of

Science in Edmonton was the first site in western Canada ever to feature IMAX innovation. Fellow Canadian company IMAX Corp. of Mississauga, Ontario invented the technology.

The gigantic screen at TELUS measures 13 metres by 19 metres, has six channels and features a multi-speaker sound system. Today, IMAX innovation is found in 150 theatres in 22 different countries throughout the world.

Lentils and LungwortFood for thought: More than 100 vendors

sell their produce and products at the

Old Strathcona Farmers Market.

Everything featured at the popular

marketplace on 83rd Avenue is from western

Canada, including fresh fruit and vegetables

such as sweet carrots, crispy lettuce,

colourful bell peppers and fresh herbs.

The market also features fresh meat,

eggs, seafood, cheese, bagels, buns,

pies, cakes and cookies.

Treats such as pierogi and kimchi are for

sale, and handmade crafts are also available.

The market is open year round on Saturdays

from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Walk, Don’t RunArt enthusiasts, rejoice.

More than 60 art galleries and public

art exhibits in the Edmonton area are

scheduled to open in 2009. They

include the 124th Street Gallery

Walk, which was formed in

1981 to promote work by

Canadian artists.

The 12-block

Gallery Walk area

is just west of the

downtown core

around 124th Street,

which is a vibrant

business community

in Edmonton.

Besides art venues,

the area has several

restaurants, gift

and clothing shops,

bookstores and live

theatre venues.


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Big Lake

Pigeon Lake

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Gibbons

Bon Accord

Morinville

Spruce Grove

Wabamum

Devon

Calmar

Thorsby

Leduc

Beaumont

Fort Saskatchewan

New Sarepta

Bruderheim

St. Albert

Warburg

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City of Edmonton

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EdmontonAt A GlancePOPULATION (2006 ESTIMATES)Edmonton: 752,412, Greater Edmonton: 1,034,945

LOCATIONEdmonton is in central Alberta, with British Columbia

and the Rocky Mountains to the west, Saskatchewan

to the east and the U.S. state of Montana

to the south.

BEGINNINGSIn 1795, Fort Edmonton was

established as a major trading

post for the Hudson’s Bay Co.

Edmonton, named after a town

in England, was incorporated

as a city in 1904 and became

Alberta’s capital in 1905.

FOR MORE INFORMATIONEdmonton Economic Development

Corporation (EEDC)

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

On the LevelIt costs $2,000 an hour

to operate the waterfall

on High Level Bridge.

That’s why it only runs

during summer weekends,

in celebration of

holiday events.

In 1980, the “Great

Divide Waterfall” was

sculpted and engineered

by artist Peter Lewis, and

added to the bridge.

The actual waterfall

drops 45 metres from

the top of the bridge into

the North Saskatchewan

River below.

The sculpture opened

to the public in May 1980.

Fast Facts More than 50 ethnic groups

are represented in Greater Edmonton, with nearly 500 places of worship.

Residents of Edmonton are known as Edmontonians.

The city of Edmonton covers 684 square kilometres – larger than Chicago, Philadelphia or Toronto – and boasts one of the lowest population densities among major North American cities.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Edmonton, visit imagesedmonton.com.

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

Alberta

Edmonton

British Columbia

Yukon Territory

Northwest Territories

Nunavut

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Prince Edward Island

Newfoundlandand Labrador

Alberta

Edmonton

BritishColumbia

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Prince Edward Island

NewNewfofoundlndlandandndddandand Labrador

Almanac


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OpportunityKeeps


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T o fully experience Edmonton’s multi-faceted, one-of-a-kind culture, there’s only one place you need to go – downtown.

With more than 500 places to shop, 200-plus restaurants and several popular clubs, pubs and hotels, Edmonton’s downtown core is a thriving arts, retail, business and government centre that just keeps getting better.

“It’s a fairly small downtown – only eight by 14 blocks,” says Jim Taylor, executive director of the Downtown Business Association. “But we’ve had about 20 high-density residential devel-opments locate there recently, and the office vacancy rate is only three percent. Seven or eight years ago, we didn’t have a Starbucks downtown. Now we have seven.”

Downtown Edmonton has clearly come a long way since it hit rock bottom in the mid-’90s.

“In ’94 and ’95, it was a very depressed area. Downtown businesses were doing poorly,” Taylor recalls. “But around ’96, things started turning around, and in the last 10 years, there’s been phenomenal change. It’s been a very exciting revitalization.”

Today, people are drawn downtown for a variety of reasons – shopping and dining, of course, but also working, going to school at the University of Alberta’s downtown campus and visiting the Arts District. Nestled in the centre of downtown, the Arts District is a four-block area that’s home to key cultural institutions such as the Francis Winspear Centre for Music, the Art Gallery of Alberta and the Shaw Conference Centre,

DOWNTOWN EDMONTON IS A THRIVING ARTS, RETAIL, BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT HUB

Freshly made crème brulée and sandwiches are on display at the new Sobeys gourmet grocery store located in the heart of downtown Edmonton.

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Knocking



which hosts some of the city’s biggest concerts and events.

“The arts is one of the main things that draws people to live and work here and draws tourists here,” says Marcus Miller, assistant curator at the Art Gallery of Alberta. “We’re in the Arts District next to symphony, theater and the library, and the fact that we’re all clustered together next to City Hall is important. It shows the world that Edmonton supports the arts.”

The Art Gallery of Alberta is currently housed in Enterprise Square in the old Hudson Bay building while its new home is under construction on Sir Winston Churchill Square. Slated for completion in 2010, the 82,000-square-foot building will give the gallery more than 10 times the amount of climate-controlled space than its previous building.

“We’ll be able to handle any kind of historical artwork and bring the best art

to Edmonton,” Miller says. The gallery’s choice to build its new

facility downtown was very deliberate.“With our strong exhibition record

in contemporary art, it’s very important for us to be downtown, because artists tend to live downtown and entertain themselves downtown,” Miller says. “And we hope to get street traffic because of our urban location.”

These days, street traffic is some-thing downtown Edmonton certainly isn’t lacking.

“There’s a big chunk of residents living downtown – more than we’ve ever had – and that residential magnet brings friends and relatives downtown,” Taylor says. “Even people who live in the suburbs are coming downtown more because we have boutiques and high-end stores that weren’t here before.”

Allison Byrne lives in a downtown apartment and works in Commerce Place

as an industry development officer for the provincial government.

“I choose to live downtown because it’s close to work and has so many amenities,” Byrne says. “There are new clubs and pubs, new housing and cultural elements – it’s really coming alive. I spend most of my time downtown and tend not to even leave the radius because I don’t need to.”

Taylor also lives downtown in a high-rise condominium. He appreciates Edmonton’s downtown core for all its amenities, but also for the way it has helped shape the city’s magnetic culture.

“The Citadel Theatre and the Winspear Centre are both world-class, and they’re both right in the heart of downtown,” he says. “There’s also a huge library down-town, and Churchill Square is a great big plaza downtown where we have all our festivals from May through September. It’s a very vibrant core.”

Downtown Edmonton offers a hip, urban scene with plenty of window shopping – there are more than 500 places to shop – popular restaurants and public spaces to sit down, grab a bite to eat and take in free, outdoor performances.




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S tarting college can be nerve wracking. But it helps when the university you choose to attend has a background in excellence,

a variety of programs and a community of students who love being there.

As the University of Alberta celebrates its 100th year, all of the school’s best attributes are being celebrated, but students have long known how well the school lives up to its reputation.

“It has an amazing atmosphere,” says Michael Gaultois, 21, a senior majoring in chemistry. “There are great oppor-tunities for student involvement, amazing research opportunities, and incredible professors from what I’ve experienced. There are just so many chances to get involved, whether it’s in research, vol-unteering or special interests.”

With about nine other schools to choose from in the area, U of A needs to stand out to the more than 150,000 students who flock to Edmonton every year seeking education.

“University of Alberta offers students an enormous range of program options in an environment that fosters learning

UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA MARKS MILESTONE

Century

STORY BY HOLLIE DEESEPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

ExcellenceofA

With a University of Alberta education just behind them, students gather inside the Jubilee Auditorium for commencement ceremonies. Left: A cyclist pedals across the serene and green historic campus of the University of Alberta.



and research excellence,” says Indira Samarasekera, president of the U of A.

Programs unique to the school include polar research: It is home to the Canadian Circumpolar Institute and the Canadian International Polar Year secretariat. U of A also has established an inter-disciplinary School for Energy and the Environment, is the first school of public health in Canada and has the only teaching facility devoted to rehabilitation medicine in Canada.

And when it came to student affairs, U of A stood out to Gaultois, influencing his decision to go to school there.

“I considered going to UBC and McGill,” he says. “But after I visited U of A, my mind was set on attending. Their campus tour was great, and the admin-istration had plenty of people you could talk to.”

It’s these distinctions and more that

bring students to the school and make them proud to be graduates of U of A.

“I feel the university has a proud history, with generations of proud U of A alumni,” says Ian Bushfield, 22, an engineering physics major. “The students make the university, and we have an incredible population of students at this school. I’m always proud to be a rep-resentative of the U of A.”

So what can future students expect from U of A over the next 100 years?

“We are in the midst of unparalleled expansion with more than $1 billion dollars currently invested in new amenities and facilities over the next five years,” Samarasekera says. “We are attracting professors with international reputations and connections. We have created important partnerships and lev-eraged our expertise to deliver education and research that matters.”

The sprawling University of Alberta campus is an integral part of Edmonton city life. Left: The university’s new engineering facility provides a top-notch environment for a program that is consistently ranked as one of the best in the nation.



E-Town ElectricBecomes


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E dmonton sure knows how to throw a big party. In fact, it hosts 30 of them every year.

An estimated 2 million to 3 million people annually attend the major festivals that have

allowed Edmonton to proclaim itself as The Festival City. These celebrations run throughout the year and focus on a wide array of disciplines, including dance, film, music, theatre and the visual arts as well as sports and recreation

“We are a very multi-cultural city and have a lot of pride in that, and each year our festivals celebrate approximately 60 cultural backgrounds,” says Jenifer Christenson, managing director of marketing services for EEDC. “People really get a sense of the city when they attend one of our events. Many visitors come to realize that Edmonton residents are really friendly, have a lot of energy and are enthusiastic about this region.”

There are festivals every month of the year, even in the coldest of months. For example, Ice on Whyte takes place in January with chainsaw and chisel wielders turning blocks of ice into works of art. In February, the Canadian Birkebeiner Ski Festival has become the country’s premier cross-country ski event.

Then in springtime, The International Children’s Festival is an annual extravaganza that celebrates performing, literary and visual arts for young people. Meanwhile, the autumn months feature the Edmonton International Film Festival and the Edmonton International Literary Fest.

“Like most places, summertime is prime time for many festivals, and Edmonton is no different,” Christenson says. “Up to 17 hours of daylight allow organizers to take advantage of lush outdoor settings and late-evening sunsets, with several events devoted to the arts.”

One of those events is The Works Arts & Design Festival, a cutting-edge experience bringing North America the best in contemporary and traditional visual art and design. Other summertime traditions are the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival and the 10-day Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival.

“The success of the Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival – where more than 100 acting troupes provide 1,000 live performances in 10 days – has spawned the Fringe fanatic,” Christenson says. “While the average Fringe aficionado might take in up to 10 plays, true fanatics set their goal of at least 25 to 30. You can spot the Fringe fanatic by their heavily annotated Fringe programs, backpacks and running shoes.”

Other major gatherings throughout the year include the Edmonton International Jazz Festival, Capital Ex, the Servus Heritage Festival and the Rexall Edmonton Indy car race. Christenson says that to smoothly plan and pull off the 30 annual major festivals, a community of 12,000 volunteers has been vital to their success throughout the years.

MORE THAN 30 ANNUAL FETES EARN EDMONTON THE NICKNAME ‘FESTIVAL CITY’

STORY BY KEVIN LITWIN

Thousands of music fans enjoy Edmonton’s open air Folk Festival.


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MALL IS ALBERTA’S BIGGEST TOURISM DESTINATIONBIGScale

Shoppingon a


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STORY BY KEVIN LITWINPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

I t is quite possible that you could actually shop ’til you drop at the West Edmonton Mall.

The retail and entertainment showplace covers 48 city blocks, which makes it the size of a small city. The

average yearly visitation to the mall is 22 million people, making WEM the No. 1 tourist attraction in all of Alberta – and most of western Canada.

It is home to more than 800 stores and services, nine entertainment attractions, a spacious hotel and 100 dining venues. West Edmonton Mall is zoned as a shopping centre and is also accredited as a zoo.

The mall opened in September 1981 with Phase I consisting of 1.1 million square feet with 220 stores.

Nobody then could have imagined what a Phase II might look like. It was just as impressive, opening in 1983 and increasing the overall size by another 1.1 million square feet.

Phase III opened in 1985 with attractions such as World Waterpark, Deep Sea Adventure and Sea Life Caverns, and 1986 saw the addition of a 12-story Fantasyland Hotel. During the 1990s, WEM worked at raising fun factor to the max, and in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of tourists, a second hotel was added across the street in 1999.

“I enjoy the IMAX movie theatre at the mall as well as watching the sea lion shows on the weekends when I’m there,” says Kara Reed, an employment outreach consultant with the City of Edmonton. “My husband and I also like to take in a live show every once in awhile at Jubilations Dinner Theatre.”

Reed says her favourite stores at West Edmonton Mall are H&M, lululemon athletica and Old Navy, and her favourite restaurant is Old Spaghetti Factory.

“I’m lucky that the mall is close to where I live, and I shop there on a weekly basis,” she says. “It’s nice that I’m able to make one stop to get everything I need, instead of driving from store to store somewhere else.”

Today, the mall that bills itself as The Greatest Indoor Show on Earth is home to the world’s largest indoor amusement park, the world’s largest indoor lake complete with a replica of Christopher Columbus’ Santa Maria, and the world’s largest indoor wave pool. It also features a casino and themed streets such as Europa Boulevard, Chinatown and Bourbon Street. Meanwhile, outdoors is the world’s largest parking lot with room for 20,000 vehicles.

“West Edmonton Mall is great for me because it has many specialty boutiques and mainstream stores that are unique to Edmonton,” says Amal Jamal, who is also an employment outreach consultant with the City of Edmonton.

Jamal says she doesn’t live close to WEM, but makes a point of visiting it at least once a month.

“My fiancé and I can’t leave West Edmonton Mall without visiting stores such as Bebe, Sephora, BCBG Max Azria, Nine West and Femme de Carriere,” she says. “We also visit Bourbon Street for some good food at Moxies between all the shopping madness. It’s an all-in-one mall that works for me. It is amazing.”

A sea lion climbs out of the water to greet Nathan Noble, 4, during a show at the mall’s Sea Lion’s Rock. Above: Shoppers stroll through one wing of the vast mall, which covers 48 city blocks – the size of 115 football fields.


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C hoosing from among the hundreds of restaurants in Edmonton can be a daunting task. There are bistros,

cafés, delis, vegetarian, seafood – whatever you want, you can get.

But when it comes to white table-cloths and impeccable fine dining, three restaurants stand out in the city of about 1 million.

Characters, Hardware Grill and Jack’s Grill are known among local foodies for their use of local game and pro-duce, serving Canadian cuisine with flair.

“All three restau-rants are high-end,

STANDOUT RESTAURANTS OFFER THE BEST OF CANADIAN CUISINES

the

STORY BY HOLLIE DEESEPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

The pan-seared jumbo sea scallops and slow-braised bacon with marinated apples at Jack’s Grill Left: Guests enjoy dining at the Hardware Grill.

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The hardware grill is a popular dining spot in Edmonton’s Arts District. Right: A rare bottle of 1937 Glenfiddich single malt scotch is proudly displayed at Characters restaurant. A one-ounce shot will set you back $1,500.

well-appointed, suitable for business and celebratory dinners as well as romance,” says Mary Bailey, editor of City Palate magazine.

Located in a historic building, hard-ware grill sets the scene in Edmonton’s Arts District with diners surrounding the open kitchen. “This is contemporary Canadian rustic cooking with excep-tional service,” Bailey says.

Chef Larry Stewart, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Melinda, takes local ingredients and turns them into dishes like mocha crusted venison with chocolate-balsamic syrup, paired with bison meatloaf and a barbecue glaze, all with russet potato gnocchi and sun-dried cherries.

Characters seats 110 in their main dining room, with four private dining rooms. Reservations are a must. “Char-acters serves contemporary, sophisticated meat and potatoes,” says Bailey.

Chef Shonn Oborowsky is known for dishes like grilled red snapper with pinot gris braised root vegetables and squash or a juicy Alberta Black Angus beef tenderloin and short rib with morel sauce and buttered carrots.

The atmosphere at Jack’s Grill may appear a little more casual, but the cuisine is not.

Sure, the white tablecloths are there, but so is white butcher-block paper that covers them. The length of one wall of the restaurant was replaced with a window

showing off a lush courtyard, where fresh herbs for the kitchen are grown.

“We serve homemade smoked duck sausage,” says Peter Jackson, chef and restaurant owner. “We make all our own ice creams, cure our own bacon and make our own pancetta. Everything is lovingly prepared.”

And that can include a smoked lamb carpaccio, crusted in rosemary with arugula and apple salad with a Dijon aioli or Quebec fois gras torchon on a Yukon gold blini with plum compote and pomegranate syrup.

“We are a place to go for good food, good wine and good service,” says Jackson. “If you want a waiter to fawn all over you and give you the white glove

treatment, you aren’t going to get that here.”

What you will get at all three spots is impeccable cuisine that utilizes all the best Canada has to offer, knowledgeable wine service and an ideal location to make some romantic memories, if only to be seduced by the menu.

Beef tartar with sweet onions is a favorite at Characters restaurant.



Ethnic Restaurants

NEW ASIAN VILLAGEwww.newasianvillage.com

NEW ASIAN VILLAGE CENTRAL10143 Saskatchewan Dr.(780) 433-3804

NEW ASIAN VILLAGE WEST17507-100 Ave.(780) 483-6666

NEW ASIAN VILLAGE SOUTH9308-34 Ave.(780) 463-9997

NEW ASIAN VILLAGE NORTH320 Manning Crossing(780) 473-7777

THE LINGNANwww.thelingnan.com10582-104 St. NW(780) 426-3975(708) 426-3976(780) 426-3977

KING AND I8208 107 St. NW(780) 433-2222

Some Like It HotNUMEROUS ETHNIC RESTAURANTS CALL EDMONTON HOME

In a city as diverse as Edmonton, you

expect to find every cuisine under the sun.

And from spicy Indian to authentic Thai,

you can truly have it all.

“Edmonton has some really great ethnic

restaurants and casual owner-operated

bistros,” says Mary Bailey, editor of City Palate magazine. “That’s what we do best.”

Residents must think so, too. New Asian

Village, one of the first Indian restaurants

in the area, opened in 1973 with a small,

28-seat restaurant. Now there are four

outposts around the city, room enough

for hundreds of diners.

“It is very traditional cuisine influenced

by my mother,” says owner Harmeep

Kapur. “It is very flavorful. Indian food is

a food where spicy does not mean hot.”

Of course, you can ask for plenty

of heat if you like it that way. And the

restaurants are now offering a healing

food menu, based on ayurvedic practices.

“We will use a few drops olive oil and

lots of spices,” says Kapur. “Spices and

garlic calm you down.”

If you’re feeling like Chinese food

instead, head over to the popular Lingnan,

which specializes in Cantonese and

Szechuen cuisine. Open since 1947, the

traditional food is available for dine-in or

carryout. Favorites like Singapore noodles,

a curried dish with veggies, share the

spotlight with the more exotic peaches

and cream shrimp and lobster tail Canton

with minced pork, garlic and black bean

sauce. The decadent décor is all red satin

and gilded edges, with an equally opulent

banquet room.

And for those craving a heaping plate

of pad thai, The King and I is the place to

go. Consistently winning “best of” awards

in the area, those new to Thai food will

appreciate the flavorful – but not too

spicy hot – cuisine. From curries and

peanut-based noodle dishes to a

flavorful Phuket seafood soup, the

King and I always comes out on top.

– Hollie Deese

Indian artwork adds ambience and color to the dining experience at New Asian Village, which serves traditional Indian food inspired by the owner’s mother’s home cooking.



EDMONTON’S VAST PARK SYSTEM DRAWS

MILLIONS OF VISITORS

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I t could be called Canada’s own Emerald City.

Instead of a yellow brick road, however, the city of Edmonton

features a ribbon of green: the vast system of parks, walking trails and ravines along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.

“We have a very large, deep river valley, with large terraces, and then coming back from the river system is a ravine system, which feeds our parks,” says Rob Marchak, director of parks planning with the city’s Department of Asset Management and Public Works.

Edmonton’s park system is described by Marchak as “quite massive,” and the numbers back that up: 22 major parks along the 48-kilometre river stretch that runs through the city; 896 city district and neighborhood parks; 150 kilometres of paved walking trails; 338 playgrounds; three municipal and numerous private golf courses, plus 92 tennis courts; and more than 309,000 ornamental trees in the parks and along the city’s boulevards.

Fort Edmonton Park, Valley Zoo and Muttart Conservatory are top attractions

located just minutes from the River Valley.“We’ve been very fortunate,” says

Marchak, who notes that despite a very healthy oil-based economy and city growth, “the river valley has not had a huge amount of industrial development, so it is very intact. We have an amazing jewel here.”

All that green, with 17 hours of summer daylight to enjoy it, makes Edmonton a promised land for the 10 million sports enthusiasts who visit each year. Just ask Tiffany Jackson, a personal trainer who has run boot camps in the river valley.

“We have runs through the river valley that go along these amazing ‘stairs’ that are naturally built into the river banks,” says Jackson, a seven-year city resident. “It’s nature’s gem, that’s for sure.”

Maintaining this expanse of parkland doesn’t come cheaply. “We have 431 fulltime employees, augmented by 470 summer workers who are responsible only for the maintenance of the parks and boulevards,” says Marchak. “The overall annual budget for the parks system is $45 million for operations and

$60 million for capital improvements.”As opportunities arise, the city is

using that money to acquire river valley terraces, including a recent acquisition of 70 hectares of property, and work is under way on a new pedestrian bridge over the river, as well as better access to the river.

Edmonton’s parks system is comple-mented by the River Valley Alliance, which is using $50 million in donations to link the city’s trails with others in the region. “When we fully expand the whole region, it will become a major destination park,” says Marchak.

The City of Edmonton has named five parks within its system in honor of each of the Famous 5, a group of women who fought in the early part of the 20th century for women to have the same rights and privileges afforded to men. They also were responsible for the original planting of elm trees, says Marchak. That set the stage for today’s requirements, where a developer must give 10 percent of any new development to the city for a park. “This gives us an incredible resource,” says Marchak.

STORY BY BETSY WILLIAMS | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

A pedestrian walks past an Asian gazebo in downtown’s Louise McKinney Park. Right: A cyclist rides across High Level Bridge heading to bike-friendly downtown Edmonton. Left: A couple takes in the view of the Edmonton skyline.


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W hether you’re seeking the urban, contem-porary vibe of downtown, the casual, family-friendly f low of the suburbs, or the green expanses and laid-back pace of the

country, Edmonton holds out housing possibilities geared to match your life – at any speed.

“We have entry-level housing all the way through exclusive executive neighborhoods,” says Mark Perras, president of the Realtors Association of Edmonton.

Loft apartments, high-rise condominiums, historic 100-year-old homes, single-family dwellings and rural acreages represent the wide range of residential real estate available in the city proper and throughout the 25 municipalities that make up Greater Edmonton. Furthermore, housing is amazingly affordable here.

“Edmonton is not as expensive as Toronto or Vancouver or even Calgary,” Perras explains. “Vis-à-vis the rest of the country, we’re right where we should be.”

So are Miranda and Ian Wemyss. Their home in the heart of the city suits the couple’s lifestyle perfectly. Miranda Wemyss says she and her husband couldn’t be happier with the condo they purchased near the company where both work in downtown Edmonton.

“I love that I walk to work,” Wemyss says. “We’re only eight

FROM COOL TO COUNTRY, EDMONTON OFFERS MANY HOUSING OPTIONS

at Any

STORY BY CAROL COWANPHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Dénes and Priscilla Németh moved to suburban St. Albert and call it “the prototypical great place to raise a family.”

SpeedLife


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Kari Zral moved to an apartment in the heart of downtown Edmonton, where urban living means she can walk to restaurants, shops, pubs and clubs – without ever getting in her car.

or nine blocks from my work. I love that we’re only eight blocks from the [Edmonton] City Centre mall. I love, love, love that I can run down 109th to River Valley [Parks System] and run up and down the stairs there.”

Wemyss also notes that she and her husband live close to the grocery store where she buys fresh food each day and the beautiful, bustling Legislature Grounds where the young couple enjoys walking together among the pools and fountains.

They snatched up their condo as soon as it went on sale. “We never considered anything else,” Wemyss says. “We

knew this was where we wanted to live.”A different set of considerations led Dénes and Priscilla

Németh to buy their home in the suburbs. Following the birth of their first daughter, the young professional couple chose to settle in St. Albert near their extended family.

“It’s the prototypical great place to raise a family,” says Dénes Németh, referring to the St. Albert municipality of 55,000, which is located in Sturgeon County north of Edmonton. “It’s a very educated, professional community. Where we live is a pretty well-to-do area, but St. Albert is not an ‘upscale’

city. It’s very down to earth. “In this area, there is more space, and the houses are

farther apart than they are in the city. It’s got good schools and an excellent healthcare system. It has the largest farmers market in western Canada. And there’s a good selection of restaurants and everything you need, but it’s close enough to Edmonton to go shopping and out for entertainment. ”

And to go to and from work. Németh works in downtown Edmonton, but the region’s excellent thoroughfares make for an easy 30-minute commute.

Strathcona County lies east of Edmonton and has housing options in both urban and rural settings.

More than two-thirds of Strathcona County’s population resides in Sherwood Park. The urban community – where housing includes single-family homes in contemporary neigh-borhoods, condominiums and estates – boasts excellent economic opportunities and top-notch schools and public services, as well as prime shopping and entertainment destinations.

Real estate in the Strathcona County’s scenic rural areas features acreages, farms and lakeside cabins.




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You never have to look far to play a round of golf in Edmonton. There are about 90 golf courses in and around

the city that offer tee times for enthusiasts at every level.“I would say in general that Edmontonians are extremely

keen golfers,” says Mandy Foster, acting president of the Edmonton Golf Association. “There are so many people who love golf in the greater Edmonton region, and that’s really highlighted by the number of golf courses that we have.”

The picturesque Saskatchewan River Valley has highly rated public courses. If you’re in the heart of downtown, the Victoria Golf Course is a stone’s throw from the city centre. Riverside Golf Course can boast one of the best municipal courses in the world.

Venture minutes away from downtown, and you’ll find Jägare Ridge Golf Club. Located along the banks of the Whitemud Creek Valley, the course has a feel of being inside a secluded countryside. And the Blackhawk Golf Club, which opened in 2003, is quickly gaining the reputation of being one of the best golf facilities in the country.

The city has a long history of welcoming golf tournaments at every level. That includes the LPGA’s CN Canadian Women’s Open, which was held in 2007 at the Royal Mayfair Golf Club. The TELUS Edmonton Open is another tournament that attracts some of the best golfers in the world.

The long summer daylight hours of Edmonton provide for plenty of time to get a round of golf in, even after the busiest of workdays. “You can quit work at 5 o’clock and still play 18 holes of golf because it doesn’t get dark until 11 o’clock at night,” Foster says of summertime play. “So, we have hours and hours of golf here in Edmonton.”

Round the Clock Golf17 HOURS OF SUMMER SUNLIGHT MEANS THERE’S ALWAYS TIME TO TEE OFF

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Just minutes from downtown offices, a golfer practices his swing at Victoria Driving Range in the River Valley.


Portfolio


The Big Leagues of CommunitiesThe leagues also draw the civic-

minded who are concerned about traffic, redevelopment or new trends that might affect their neighborhood. The leagues, in turn, act as a collective voice for a community.

For newcomers to Edmonton, joining a community league is a sure way to meet people and get to know your community. The typical family fee for joining a league is about $25 to $30 a year, Bolstad says.

The community leagues in Edmonton are somewhat of a novelty in Canada. Only Calgary has a similar program, says Bolstad, who spends a lot of time talking to people outside Edmonton interested in learning how their cities can set up similar programs.

Edmonton’s first community league began in 1917. The Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues, which is a non-profit umbrella organization over all the leagues, was later formed in 1921.

Today, there are about 100,000 people in the leagues. The success is a reflection of the spirit of the early settlers of Edmonton, which began as an agri-cultural society where people pitched in to help each other. That spirit is very much alive today, Bolstad says.

In Edmonton, neighbors not only know one another, they band together in com-

munity leagues that allow people to make friends and strengthen neighborhoods.

Edmonton has 150 community leagues – neighborhood groups that work to improve the quality of life in their communities.

“It’s all about strengthening neigh-borhoods and developing friendships,” says Allan Bolstad, Executive Director of the Edmonton Federation of

Community Leagues. Typically, the community leagues

are involved in sports and activities for children. Soccer teams are a staple, with some leagues responsible for over-seeing as many as 20 teams.

Most of the leagues have their own halls that offer exercise classes, host parties and hold special events and meetings. A lot of them have playgrounds, outdoor rinks, basketball courts, tennis courts and child care centers.

Edmonton’s unique community leagues provide opportunities for recreation, children’s activities and political involvement.


Portfolio


More than six million passengers a year come through Edmonton’s airport.

Airport Has Much To Declare

Edmonton International Airport has been the fastest growing major

airport in Canada for the last two years in a row. EIA flew more than 6 million passengers to 53 non-stop destinations in Canada, the U.S., Europe and Mexico in 2007.

The dramatic increase in traffic – double-digit passenger growth for the last three years – is impressive by world airport standards, EIA officials say. Driving much of the increase are the international f lights out of Edmonton, which rose 85 percent from 2006 to 2007. The rise in international f light traffic is due in large part to the success of Air Canada’s daily non-stop service between Edmonton and London-Heathrow Airport.

Additional non-stop destinations added last year, including expansion of winter service to sunspots in the Caribbean and Mexico, are also driving up airport demand.

To keep up with the boom, EIA is spending $1.1 billion on an airport expansion project that will accom-modate 9 million passengers by 2012.

The expansion project will add new gates, build a new passenger concourse and expand parking. It will add new technology to help passengers move through the airport as smoothly as pos-sible. Common-use, self-serve, check-in kiosks will allow customers to access their boarding passes at multiple points throughout the terminal. Passengers will also be able to self-tag baggage and check baggage at any location in the terminal.

A new office-control tower complex will replace a current one built in the 1960s and provide more office space, restaurants and services, and also allow for easier baggage check-in. The expansion project, underpinned by the philosophy of “we’ll move you,” will have additional new technology to make the airport experience easier and more convenient for passengers.

Apart from the expansion program, construction is set to begin on a 200-plus-room Courtyard by Marriott hotel that will be connected by a walkway to the north terminal.



High There, Outdoor Fans

W hether you are looking for a relaxing weekend getaway, an

adventure filled with snowmobiling or rafting or a chance to view some of the rarest wildlife in North America, the Canadian Rockies offers it all.

Alberta’s majestic Rocky Mountains are a three-hour drive west of Edmonton. For those searching for a more rustic and adventurous vacationing experience, Jasper National Park may be your best bet. Snowmobiling, dog sledding and cross-country skiing are popular in the wintertime. Or explore the mountains while riding winding trails on all-terrain vehicles. Visitors in the summer enjoy hiking and camping in the magnificent Alberta wilderness, go white-water rafting, horseback riding and fishing.

Nestled inside the park is the little town of Jasper, where towering snow-capped mountains crown the horizon and pristine alpine lakes and lush evergreen forests wow visitors every year. The park – the largest national park in the Rockies – is known internationally for its wildlife viewing. Mountain sheep, bears, elk and mountain goats are protected here, and visitors can spot them by simply driving down the road. There are great restaurants in Jasper as well as accommodations for every budget. Vacationers can take guided fishing trips, go camping, skiing and then relax in a nice hotel afterward.

“They can be rugged and rustic all day and then go back to a nice spa,” says Gloria Keyes-Brady, tourism specialist for Parks Canada. Jasper National Park is especially good for families with younger children, she says. For more, visit www.pc.gc.ca or www.canadianrockies.com.

The Rocky Mountains are a magnet for visitors during all seasons.



Edmonton ranks as a world leader in recycling, and residents pride

themselves on keeping the city both green and clean.

Eighty percent of Edmontonians recy-cle their trash, thanks to the curbside blue bag recycling initiative introduced in the city in 1999. Under the program, residents put all their recyclables in a blue bag and leave it out on the curb next to the trash for pickup.

“It’s been well received by the residents,” says Connie Boyce, director of community relations for the city of Edmonton’s Waste Management Branch. The blue bag makes it easy, because there’s no sorting. Apartment dwellers put their recyclables in blue bins and there are recycling depots in about 20 shopping centers throughout the city.

Last year the city collected close to 50,000 tons of recyclables, and that doesn’t include beverage containers that are recycled through a separate program for all of Alberta. Additionally, about 40 percent of residents participate in the grass-recycling program and 32 percent do backyard composting, Boyce says.

Edmonton also has one of the highest waste diversion rates in all of North America. Currently, about 60

percent of all residential waste is diverted from the landfill through recycling and composting. But with new technology being introduced, 90 percent of the waste will be diverted from the landfill by 2012.

Edmontonians also work hard to make sure none of that waste winds up on the streets.

The city launched the Capital City Clean Up program in 2005 to reduce litter and graffiti. Under the program, volunteers adopt a block to pick up

litter and sweep sidewalks in their neighborhoods. Close to 800 people pick up litter and report graffiti. Additionally, the annual river valley clean up usually attracts about 1,500, Boyce says.

When it comes to keeping the city beautiful, there’s never a shortage of volunteers, Boyce says.

“There are a lot of people in the city who are very dedicated to keeping it clean.”

– Stories by Sheila Burke

Green With Envy About Recycling

Edmonton is a world leader in recycling programs.


Portfolio


HighAimingBusiness


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E dmonton is fast emerging as an international city.

The city is attracting a diverse population of new-

comers from all corners of the globe. Many of the businesses here welcome these new citizens with open arms and want their companies to be a reflection of the diversity in the community at large.

Two of the firms leading the way are Associated Engineering Group Ltd., and KPMG of Canada.

Associated Engineering, an employee-owned consulting engineering firm with services in water supply and treatment, waste management and urban devel-opment, recently made the list of Top 20 Best Employers for New Canadians. Mediacorp Canada Inc. compiled the prestigious ranking.

The company was recognized for its aggressive recruitment of engineers from other countries and its programs, including language training, that help these new Canadians adjust to life here. The company also helps internationally educated engineers obtain a provincial

engineering license and encourages new Canadian employees to enroll in special business communication programs pro-vided by a local college.

And when it comes to adjusting to life in Edmonton, the company goes all out to help its new recruits, from greeting them at the airport, making sure they have accommodations or simply buying groceries for them, Liana Mah of Associated Engineering says.

That philosophy was what attracted Milada Majumdar to the company from a job in Ottawa.

“I was hoping that it would be a great company to work for and it really is,” says Majumdar, who is an electrical engineer of Indian origin. “Their culture is to retain the employees and to develop leaders, so they really put so much into all their employees.”

Over at KPMG, a firm that provides auditing, tax and financial services, the commitment to diversity is a top priority. KPMG is ranked as one of Canada’s 25 Best Diversity Employers, according to a 2008 ranking also

compiled by Mediacorp. It even has a full-time staffer devoted

to promoting diversity.The man who filled that position

says having a diverse workforce that respects employees without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation or age is vital to the company.

“I would say that it’s close to the top of our list of priorities with people,” says Michael Bach, director of diversity, inclusion and equality.

Edmonton itself, he says, is a reflection of a culturally mixed city that has grown dramatically in the last 10 years.

The company’s commitment to diver-sity was a big draw for Esther Weltert, a senior accountant who came to the Edmonton office of KPMG in January of 2008. Originally from Switzerland, Weltert was drawn to the company because of its reputation and its client base, as well as its workforce. “I think it’s an advantage,” she says of the diverse group of employees at KPMG. People from different backgrounds, she says, bring many different perspectives.

STORY BY SHEILA BURKE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF ADKINS

Edmonton is attracting a diverse population of newcomers from around the world. Malida Majumdar, right, was attracted to her job at Associated Engineering because of the company’s commitment to its employees.

EDMONTON COMPANIES STAND OUT FOR PROMOTING WORKPLACE DIVERSITY



Matrix Hotel Edmonton is among the latest boutique hotels to open in the city.

INCITE-ING MARKETINGThe Daytona Group is a big player

in Edmonton’s residential construction boom, but it had a problem marketing itself. The company’s small marketing staff was overwhelmed, salespeople were creating their own ads and branding was inconsistent.

Then, Daytona brought on board Incite Solutions, a marketing management firm in 2005. Incite created new print ads for 11 residential developments in Alberta, streamlined marketing materials and standardized the company’s logos, designs, letterhead, signs, information packets and other business-branding materials.

The overhaul got some attention. In 2006, Daytona Group raked in the industry’s SAM (Sales & Marketing) Awards. The company won the Grand SAM (Builder of the Year) and seven other honors, including best magazine ad.

Incite’s approach to marketing attracts a wide range of clients. Among them are Pivotal Research, which works with government agencies, nonprofits and corporations; Machine O Matic Ltd., which competes against dozens of other machine shops in Edmonton; and

XSensor Technology Corp., a big maker of pressure mapping systems.

Lexus of Edmonton, another client, just won the top Lexus dealer in Canada for the second year running in 2008. And Alberta Venture named Incite winners of the “The Fast 50 – Alberta’s Growth Champions 2008.” Check out Incite’s approach at www.surfincite.com.

A MODERN SPIN ON AN OLD INN

A $20 million renovation of an old inn has given downtown Edmonton its newest gem in a string of boutique hotels that have become destinations of their own.

Matrix Hotel Edmonton has 185 stylish rooms and 8,500 square feet of meeting space. The regular guest rooms have granite working desks, walnut furnishings and chrome accents. One-bedroom suites each have a wet bar, fireplace and separate living room.

Not plush enough? Book the Onyx Suite. At 857 square feet, it has more space than most Manhattan apartments plus a terrace, fireplace, barbeque and seating area.

Developers wanted to create some-

thing striking, sleek and stylish, says Delores March, director of marketing at Matrix. They succeeded.

Matrix combines fire, water and stone, creating sophisticated rooms with warm earth tones. The earth elements also coordinate with soaring modernist public spaces accented with bold, graphic carpets and contemporary art.

Matrix Hotel Edmonton joins the Varscona and Mettera, two other bou-tique hotels. All three were projects of the same developer, Westcorp Properties.

BANK ON ITA bank is a bank is a bank, unless

it is Canadian Western Bank. It’s the largest Schedule I bank with a focus on Western Canada. Report on Business in 2008 named it one of the best 50 employers in the country.

Canadian Western has about 1,200 employees at more than 30 branches and provides trust and insurance services in addition to banking. It also specializes in small to medium business clients.

Something else sets Canadian Western apart. The bank has no exposure to U.S. loans and has been unaffected by the

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U.S. housing and credit crises. In fact, in mid-2008, Canadian Western was running ahead of its 15 percent profit growth target at a time when many other Canadian banks had given up on their earnings targets.

The bank’s focus on Western Canada also gives it an edge and closer ties to the community it serves.

PCL BUILDS BIGPCL Construction is a big company

that builds big. Ongoing projects include a $100

million upgrade at the Anchorage airport, a 32-story mixed-use building in down-town Orlando and Puget Sound’s elevated light transit system.

The company is the largest general contracting organization in Canada and the 8th largest in the U.S., with 28 offices that include branches in Hawaii and the Caribbean.

As a place to work, PCL’s reputation is notable, too. Report on Business named PCL one of Canada’s 50 best employers in 2008; MediaCorp put it third on its list of 100 top Canadian employers this year. Headquartered in Edmonton, PCL also is a Platinum Member of Canada’s Best Managed program.

PCL does buildings, infrastructure and heavy industrial. It has more than 3,000 full-time staff members plus more than 5,000 hourly trades people. Ownership also sets PCL apart: The company is 100 percent owned by the majority of PCL salaried employees.

Prospective PCL workers have a wealth of information available at the company’s Web site, with detailed job descriptions at each of the company’s main offices at www.pcl.com.

BIOWARE’S GOT GAMEBioWare, a division of Electronic

Arts, develops games for computers, hand-held devices, consoles and online. The Edmonton-based company has created some of the world’s best-selling titles: Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights series, as well as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the 2003 Game of the Year. The New York Times named Mass Effect its 2007 Game of the Year, citing “its focus on character development, personal growth and moral tension.”

In 2008, BioWare was named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for the fourth year in a row. The competition, organized by Mediacorp Canada Inc. and published in the Financial Post, also named BioWare one of the country’s 10 Best Companies to Work For for its

forward thinking.The company started in 1995 with

three people and now employs about 370 in Edmonton and 100 in a second office in Austin, Texas, according to Derek Sidebottom, director of human resources.

– Pamela Coyle

A shot from “Mass Effect,” BioWare’s latest electronic game


Business | Biz Briefs



715 Econ Profile.indd 46 8/21/08 1:42:45 PM

BUSINESS CLIMATEPro Body

EDMONTON

BUSINESS CLIMATEGreater Edmonton is an economic powerhouse where businesses

and careers thrive. Its sizzling growth is fed by the lowest cost

of doing business and one of the hottest investment climates

in Canada.

FACTS/STATISTICS

Edmonton was ranked as

the best Canadian city to do

business by Canadian Business

magazine in September 2006.

Edmonton was the only

Canadian city in the Top 10

“Cities of the Future” ranking

by Foreign Direct Investment

magazine in April 2007.

The Edmonton service area

has the second-largest oil

reserves in the world –

second only to those

of Saudi Arabia.

Edmonton is debt

free, enabling the city to

allocate more spending on

infrastructure – 2.5 times per

capita more than the average

of other provinces.

Edmonton has the lowest-cost

class-A office space among

major Canadian cities. And it

offers an ideal corporate tax

structure, with no provincial

sales tax, capital tax or

payroll tax.

TRANSPORTATION

Air

Edmonton International

Airport, (780) 890-8382

www.edmontonairports.com

Drive

Shortest daily commute time

of Canada’s largest cities.

Public Transportation System

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 the city centre is

approximately $50.

WORKING IN EDMONTON

Edmonton offers some

of the best employment

prospects in Canada in a

variety of industry sectors

because of its booming,

sustainable economy.

To search for opportunities

in Edmonton, visit www.

movetoedmonton.com and

check out the job banks.

One of the requirements to

work in Canada is a Social

Insurance Number (SIN).

Apply for a card at Social

Development Canada at

www.sdc.gc.ca.

GOVERNMENT

City of Edmonton

(780) 496-8200

www.edmonton.ca

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

Sources:www.edmonton.com

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Edmonton Economic Development Corp.3rd Floor

World Trade Centre

9990 Jasper Ave.

Edmonton, AB

Canada T5J 1P7

Phone: (780) 424-9191

Toll-free: (800) 661-6965

www.edmonton.com www.movetoedmonton.com

DISTANCE TO OTHER CITIES

Calgary 294 kilometres (184 miles)

Jasper 362 kilometres (226 miles)

Banff 404 kilometres (252 miles)

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)


Business | Economic Profile

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715 Health.indd 48 8/21/08 1:44:57 PM

Women in Edmonton will soon have a state-of-the-art hos-pital all their own.

The Lois Hole Hospital for Women is scheduled to open its doors in 2009.

It will be unlike any other health-care facility in the province of Alberta.

“Think healing that encompasses body, mind and spirit: spa-like colors, beautiful art, soft lighting, a roof-top healing garden, a serene chapel and a resource center,” says hospital spokes-woman Sharlene Rutherford.

“It’s our goal that when women walk through the doors of the Lois Hole Hospital for Women they will recognize immediately that this hospital was designed with their needs in mind,”

Women’s health needs are unique and go far beyond pregnancy and child-birth, Rutherford says.

In partnership with the University of Alberta, the hospital aims to lead the way in research on women’s health issues and bring the latest technology and

treatments to Edmonton.Specialized clinics at the hospital will

offer a holistic approach to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of women with a myriad of health concerns.

Consider the pre-teen struggling with irregular or painful menstrual cycles, Rutherford says. Or a 25-year-old just given a diagnosis of cervical cancer who faces the possibility of a radical hyster-ectomy. Or a woman who is told the ovarian cancer she fought successfully six years ago has returned. These women will all have a place at the new hospital.

A mature woman’s clinic will address healthy aging. A multiple miscarriage clinic will help patients and their partners through difficult emotions while physicians research the root of the problem.

The hospital was named after former Alberta Lt. Governor Lois Hole, an icon and example of strong women’s lead-ership in the region. She passed away in 2005. – Sheila Burke

Leading the Way in Women’s HealthLOIS HOLE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN WILL OFFER CUTTING-EDGE CARE

Health Care, Canadian-StylePUBLIC HEALTH, PRIVATELY OFFERED

Canada has a publicly funded national health-care system known as Medicare. Under the system, Canada’s provinces and territories are responsible for running their own health-care plans and must provide residents with all medically necessary hospital and doctors’ services.

Unlike other nations with universal health-care, Canada’s health-care system is not socialized medicine. Health-care providers operate independently and are not employees of the government.

The system doesn’t pay for everything. “Generally, drugs aren’t covered,” says Dr. Philip Jacobs, a professor of medicine at the University of Alberta. Many people seek private drug coverage insurance, Jacobs says.

Newcomers, Jacobs says, need to start in the system by fi nding a general practitioner.


Health & Wellness

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A stroll through downtown Edmonton reveals more than just skyscrapers and restaurants.

There are also brightly colored murals in unexpected places, bronze sculptures of historic residents and towering geometric installations made of steel and concrete in the midst of busy city blocks.

“The Places” is a public arts project designed to revi-talize downtown Edmonton through a series of sometimes quirky, sometimes majestic, and always-eye-catching public works of art.

“The Places projects raise the profile and livability of the area, and thereby increase the attractiveness of down-town,” says Linda Wedman, executive director.

The Places launched in 1999. Today there are 30 per-manent public works of art in the area, including mosaics, flag displays, sculptures and murals, such as the unexpected It’s About Time, by artist Sandra Bromley, a laminated glass and photographic mural incorporating 100 images of Albertans documented over the course of Alberta’s history

Every year, The Places introduces a minimum of three new art and design projects, increasing the lure of the downtown area for local businesses, tourists and residents.

The best way to experience the artwork is through a self-guided walking tour.

“Public artwork is an essential community development tool,” Wedman says. “It reflects and enhances the culture of the community into which it is placed, invites the community to interact directly with their neighborhood, and animates the urban environment thus improving the safety of the area.”

Projects are chosen after artists or designers are awarded commissions following local, provincial or national com-petitions. The Edmonton Arts Council takes the lead in the review and selection of the competition entries through a two-stage community jury process. The Works Society provides Project Management and contracts the successful artist or designer to complete the commissions.

Currently, The Places has commissioned its 33rd project – a life-sized bronze sculpture titled The Lois Hole Memorial Library Statue. The sculpture, created by Edmonton artist Danek Mozdzenski, will depict the late lieutenant governor of Alberta.

The Places is also working with The City of Edmonton to ensure art and design elements are a feature of the Louise McKinney Riverfront Park Development Legacy Project.

– Hollie Deese

Pedestrian Eye CandyCITY ARTS PROGRAM ADDS SCULPTURE TO DOWNTOWN’S CITYSCAPE

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The Epcor Water Feature, titled Light Venturi, by Terry Frost, operates during the spring and summer months at Churchill Square in downtown Edmonton.


Arts & Culture

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No disrespect intended toward the Edmonton Oilers, but men’s head hockey coach Eric Thurston

of the Alberta Golden Bears wants the university team to play like the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

“My philosophy is just like the Red Wings’ philosophy, which is to be a very skilled, puck-possession team that attacks teams with our speed,” Thurston says. “Meanwhile, our defence moves the puck from tape to tape and doesn’t just dump it into the other team’s zone. We want to aggressively carry the play to the oppo-sition whenever possible. And finally, of course, great goaltending makes all coaches look good.”

Thurston has put together a good-looking resume during his three years as head coach of the Golden Bears. The team has won two Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey cham-pionships in that time, including the recent 2007-2008 crown when they

defeated defending national champion University of New Brunswick, 3-2, in the title game in Moncton, New Brunswick.

“In its long history, Alberta has won 13 CIS hockey championships, more than any other university in Canada,” Thurston says. “It just so happened that the school’s 100th anniversary is in 2008, so it was obviously a real honor for our hockey team to win the Canadian cham-pionship during U of A’s 100th birthday.”

The 13 CIS titles in hockey are the most by any school across Canada. The Golden Bears also won the CIS cham-pionship the year before Thurston arrived in 2006, so the school is on a nice run of winning three of the past four titles.

The Golden Bears posted an overall record of 33-9-2 in 2007-2008, and several players had strong seasons. They included goaltender Aaron Sorochan, team captain Harlan Anderson, centre Ian McDonald, second-year player Dylan Stanley and newcomers Jason Fransoo, Eric Hunter

and Derek Ryan.“First-year players Fransoo, Hunter

and Ryan gave us four great lines and some added solid defence in 2007-2008,” Thurston says. “These three guys have now provided the Golden Bears with a solid foundation for years to come.”

Thurston says he believes the success of the team can be attributed to every player buying into what is best for U of A hockey.

“Before I arrived here, the great Clare Drake coached here for 28 years, and his philosophy was, ‘It’s amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares who gets the credit,’” Thurston says. “That’s what happened to us in ’07-’08. We had 25 individuals who left their egos at the door and accepted their team roles. If that kind of thinking continues in 2008-2009, who knows? We just might win our third CIS title in a row, and fourth in the last five tries.”

– Kevin Litwin

They Shoot, They ScoreALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS CONTINUE TO WIN HOCKEY TITLES

The Golden Bears take a moment to celebrate at the 2008 Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship game.


Sports & Recreation

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Back in the mid-1970s, Edmonton Public Schools implemented a revolutionary idea: Parents could

choose to send their children to any school in the district, regardless of where they lived. Schools were also tailored to meet the needs of particular student populations and interests.

More than three decades later, the district still champions choice for parents, and that philosophy has been the trade-mark of its success.

“The notion that parents could choose any school began with the belief that there are different ways of educating children,” says Edgar Schmidt, super-intendent of Edmonton Public Schools. “Even though the government says a student should be able to do certain things by the end of a school year, we believe there are different ways to get there. The one-size-fits-all model of education and the idea that there’s only one way to cross the finish line doesn’t fit our diverse society.”

The district reflects that diversity and includes everything from Ukrainian,

Muslim and Christian schools to specialty schools that teach the Alberta curriculum by incorporating the arts, international lan-guage studies and pedagogical programs.

“We have quite a number of families who choose alternative programs, though we never want to lose sight of the importance of the community school program as well,” Schmidt says. “About half of parents in our community choose their own neighborhood school.”

Through its international language programs, the schools offer students, teachers and the general public the opportunity to receive international certification for their second language proficiency in French, Mandarin, German, Japanese and Spanish.

“Our Mandarin program has been recognized internationally, which has been quite an honor because the Chinese government provides funding to support improving the knowledge of Chinese culture and language,” Schmidt says.

In collaboration with the Shandong Education Commission and the Communication University of China,

the new Confucius Institute opened at Edmonton’s Alberta School for the Deaf in May 2008. The Confucius Institute will support Chinese language pro-gramming in Edmonton Public Schools and offer increased professional devel-opment opportunities for teachers and resources for instruction of Chinese language and culture.

Examples of other Edmonton specialty schools include the Victoria School of Performing and Visual Arts; Mee-Yah-Noh School, which focuses on literacy and reading comprehension; Talmud Torah School, which offers a program of Judaic and secular studies in a Hebrew bilingual setting; and Edmonton Christian School.

Schmidt says giving parents a choice benefits students in the end.

“When you have parental choice linked with teachers who are passionate about teaching a particular way, students benefit from their parents and teachers walking together,” he says. “Giving that option to parents creates opportunities for students to find their niche.”

– Jessica Mozo

Not Your Average SchoolEDMONTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT CHAMPIONS CHOICE FOR PARENTS

A teacher walks past the entrance to the Edmonton Islamic School, a fully funded public school.

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Education

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SNAPSHOTPro Body

EDMONTON

SNAPSHOTGreater Edmonton’s 25 municipalities provide a diversity of

living options, from loft to acreage, all within a short commute.

For a map of the region with links to each municipality, go to

www.edmonton.com/region.

LIFESTYLE

MoneySense magazine in

2006 ranked Edmonton as

Canada’s second-most livable

major city.

The average price of a single-

family residence in Edmonton

as of July 2008 was $335,100,

about 50% less than in

Vancouver and 30% less than

in Toronto and Calgary.

Residents of Greater

Edmonton enjoy low personal

taxes, no provincial sales tax

and high disposable incomes.

Numerous government-

regulated child-care options

are available to Albertans.

These include day-care centres,

drop-in centres, nursery schools

and out-of-school care. Contact

Edmonton and Area Child and

Family Services at (780)

427-2250 or visit www.ed

montonandareacfsa.gov.ab.ca.

Edmonton has independent,

volunteer-based community

leagues providing a number

of social and recreational

activities for all ages. Contact

Edmonton Federation of

Community Leagues at (780)

437-2913 or visit www.efcl.org.

There are numerous

municipally operated parks,

recreational facilities and

programs offering a range

of recreational opportunities

year-round. Contact City

of Edmonton Community

Services at (780) 496-4999

or visit www.edmonton.ca.

The North Saskatchewan River

Valley, the longest stretch

of urban parkland in North

America, has more than 150

kilometres of trails designated

for biking, hiking, jogging

and cross country skiing.

Edmonton is the gateway

to Jasper National Park, the

largest of Alberta’s world-

famous mountain parks.

CLIMATE

Edmonton is one of the

sunniest cities in Canada and

experiences four distinct

seasons. Winter generally

occurs from November

to February. Summers are

between mid-May and August,

with up to 17 hours of daylight

per day in June.

Temperatures

Average January high

-7.3 C, 18.9 F

Average January low

-16 C, 3.2 F

Average July high

22.8 C, 73 F

Average July low

12.1 C, 53.8 F

Precipitation

Annual rainfall

365.7 mm, 14.40 inches

Annual snowfall

123.5 mm, 48.62 inches

MUNICIPALITIES

Town of Beaumont

Beaumont, located on a

“beautiful hill,” maintains

strong ties to its French

heritage. One of the Top 20

Fastest Growing Communities

in Canada, Beaumont

promotes healthy and active

lifestyles and offers many

Can you imagine …a world without children?

We Can’t.Call 1-800-996-4100 to help.

www.stjude.org Head Office8835 – 60th Ave.

Edmonton, AB T6E 6L9(780) 496-9300

Toll-free: (888) 496-9300

The area code for Edmonton is 780. IMAGESEDMONTON.COM 53

Community Profile

715 Comm Profile.indd 53 8/21/08 1:42:41 PM

recreational opportunities.

www.town.beaumont.ab.ca

Town of Bon Accord

The translation of Bon Accord,

“Happy to meet, sorry to part,

happy to meet again,” reminds

visitors and residents of the

town’s Scottish roots. The

town is set among a lush

landscape that includes a

wetlands conservation area.

www.town.bonaccord.ab.ca

Town of Bruderheim

Bruderheim was first settled

in 1894 by a colony of German

Moravians. They organized

the first congregation of the

Moravian Church in western

Canada, naming it Bruderheim

– home of the brethen.

www.bruderheim.ca

Town of Calmar

Calmar is built around

Highway 39. The Main Street

atmosphere is enhanced by

antique lighting, flared curbs

with park benches and trees,

and quiet recreation areas.

www.town.calmar.ab.ca

Town of Devon

Devon lies adjacent to the

North Saskatchewan River and

provides residents and visitors

with ample parkland and

numerous recreation/tourism

opportunities. www.devon.ca

City of Edmonton

Edmonton, the capital city of

Alberta, is the largest city in

central and northern Alberta.

With more than 35 festivals a

year, access to the best health

care in the country and superb

education, Edmonton offers a

diverse and satisfying quality

of life. www.edmonton.com

City of Fort Saskatchewan

Its 16,000+ residents enjoy

safe, clean and friendly

neighbourhoods on the banks

of the North Saskatchewan

River. The city has spacious and

well-maintained parks, with a

30-km trail system and excellent

recreational/cultural facilities,

including the Dow Centennial

Centre. www.fortsask.ca

Town of Gibbons

Gibbons offers a beautiful

natural setting along the

Sturgeon River, with a

selection of homes and

amenities of a large city only

minutes away. Its numerous

community organizations

provide activities for all age

groups. www.gibbons.ca

Town of Lamont

Nestled in the heart of vast,

rural landscapes, Lamont lives

up to its motto of “city living,

country style.” The town

serves as the central trading

center for some 17,000 people

in the surrounding rural

countryside. www.lamont.ca

Lamont County

Lamont County has a cherised

past and an excellent quality

of life – all in a beautiful,

rural setting. With abundant

opportunities for residential,

agricultural, commercial and

industrial growth, we are truly

a municipality of the future.

www.lamontcounty.ca.

City of Leduc

Leduc is a safe, vibrant and

active community with an

eclectic mix of residential

housing from heritage

to modern day design.

Local developments

and neighbourhoods

are complemented by

playgrounds in attractive

lakeside settings. Known

for its welcoming atmosphere

– the City of Leduc is an ideal

place to live, work and play.

Experience Leduc today

at www.leduc.ca.

Leduc County

Leduc County, home to

Edmonton International Airport,

is a dynamic municipality. It

provides the opportunity for

acreage living in many of its

subdivisions or a farm lifestyle.

www.leduc-county.com

Town of Legal

Legal offers fully serviced lots,

which is a great incentive for

young families wanting to own

their own home and have

peace of mind knowing they

are raising their families in a

safe, quiet, friendly community.

www.town.legal.ab.ca

Town of Morinville

Morinville is a vibrant

suburban community, which

has been carefully developed

on the foundations of English,

French and German heritage.

With all the contemporary

conveniences of a much larger

town, it retains the spirit of

a smaller community.

www.town.morinville.ab.ca

Village of New Sarepta

New Sarepta is moments away

from Joseph Lake, Centennial

Park and Miquelon Lake

Provincial Park. The

community offers the peaceful

setting of a park and picnic

area. www.newsarepta.com

Parkland County

Parkland County is a diverse

and dynamic municipality,

with amenities suited to every

lifestyle. Numerous natural

areas combined with

exceptional recreation facilities

make it a community of choice.

www.parklandcounty.com

Town of Redwater

Redwater is the center of one

of Canada’s largest oil fields

and the home of the tallest

oil derrick in North America.

This year marks the 60th

anniversary of the discovery

of oil in the area. Redwater is

a full-service, family-oriented

community and is located in

close proximity to the Industrial

Heartland upgrader projects.

www.town.redwater.ab.ca

City of Spruce Grove

Friendly, affordable and full

of green spaces that invite

you outdoors, Spruce Grove

is a fresh-air city only 11kms

west of Edmonton on the

scenic Yellowhead Trans

Canada Highway. The city

offers an array of outstanding

sports and recreation facilities,

a vibrant cultural scene, an


Community Profile


extensive menu of commercial

shops and services from

big retail to independent

businesses, and a diverse

economic and industrial base.

www.sprucegrove.org

City of St. Albert

This community of 60,000 is

located adjacent to northwest

Edmonton and provides easy

access and a full transit service.

St. Albert has an urban forest

providing a full-range of

cultural and recreational

amenities for the whole family.

The city offers a variety of

business services ranging

from big-box retailers to unique

shops, with opportunities for

industrial and commercial

growth. www.stalbert.ca

Town of Stony Plain

Residents of Stony Plain enjoy

modern recreational facilities,

three school jurisdictions, an

extensive trail system, arts

and cultural amenities, and

a vibrant, historic downtown

core featuring 27 outdoor

murals. www.stonyplain.com

Strathcona County

Strathcona County is a

specialized municipality with

both urban and rural lifestyles.

Along with its the excellent

quality of life and amazing

recreational opportunities,

Strathcona County has more

than $15 billion worth of

projected construction projects

over the next five to seven years.

www.strathconacounty.com

Sturgeon County

Family values here are

pleasingly integrated with

agriculture, commerce and

industry. Sturgeon County,

a vibrant community of nearly

19,000 residents, offers the

lowest tax rates in the

Alberta Capital Region.

www.sturgeoncounty.ab.ca

Village of Thorsby

A large farming community

surrounds Thorsby. Residents

enjoy diverse recreational

activities at the village’s

extensive recreation complex.

Rodeos, livestock shows and

other events are held at

the Haymaker Centre.

www.village.thorsby.ab.ca

Village of Wabamun

Wabamun, which translates

to “looking glass” from Cree,

is also the name of the local

lake known for the recreational

activities it offers, such as

fishing, boating, water skiing,

wind surfing and swimming.

www.wabamun.ca

Village of Warburg

Warburg is a progressive

community with a strong

desire to grow with the times

yet still retain its small-town

atmosphere. Residents

maintain communication with

the German community of

Warburg on the Rhine River.

www.villageofwarburg.ab.ca

EDUCATION

Edmonton is a North American

leader in boundary-less school

zoning, with a publicly funded

kindergarten to grade 12 school

system that allows students

to choose their schools based

on specialization.

Public & Private

Alberta Education

(780) 427-7219

www.education.alberta.ca

Alberta Learning

(780) 427-7219

www.learning.gov.ab.ca

Edmonton Catholic Schools

(780) 441-6000

www.ecsd.net

Edmonton Public Schools

(780) 429-8000

www.epsb.ca

Higher Education

The University of Alberta

is the top-ranked university

in the province. The Northern

Alberta Institute of Technology

is Alberta’s largest technical

school. Grant MacEwan

College is Alberta’s

largest college.

Athabasca University

(780) 421-8700

(800) 788-9041

www.athabascau.ca

Concordia University

College of Alberta

(780) 479-8481

(866) 479-5200

www.concordia.ab.ca

King’s University College

(780) 465-3500

(800) 661-8582

www.kingsu.ca

Lakeland College

(780) 416-8844

(800) 661-6490

www.lakelandc.ab.ca

Grant MacEwan College

(780) 497-5040

(888) 497-4622

www.gmcc.ab.ca

NorQuest College

(780) 644-6000

(866) 534-7218

www.norquest.ca

Northern Alberta

Institute of Technology

(780) 471-7400, (800) 661-4077

www.nait.ca

Taylor University

College and Seminary

(780) 431-5200

www.taylor-edu.ca

University of Alberta

(780) 492-3111

www.ualberta.ca

University of Lethbridge

(780) 424-0425

www.uleth.ca

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Edmonton Economic Development Corp.3rd Floor

World Trade Centre

9990 Jasper Ave.

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

T5J 1P7

Phone: (780) 424-9191

Toll-free: (800) 661-6965

www.edmonton.com www.movetoedmonton.com

Sources:www.edmonton.com

The area code for Edmonton is 780. IMAGESEDMONTON.COM 55

Community Profile


A.L.L. Stars Realty Ltd. www.allstarsrealty.ca

Canadian Western Bank Group www.cwbankgroup.com

Capital Health www.capitalhealth.ca

Colt Engineering Corporation www.colteng.com

Dr. J.G. Magathan www.magathan.com

Edmonton Airports www.edmontonairports.com

Edmonton Economic Development Corporation www.edmonton.com/eedc

Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club www.edmontonoilers.com

Electric Motor Service Ltd. www.emsl.ca

Enbridge Pipelines Inc. www.enbridge.com

Grant MacEwan College www.macewan.ca

Greater Edmonton Growth Team www.edmonton.com

Manpower Inc. www.manpower.com

Matrix Hotel www.matrixedmonton.com

McCoy Corporation www.mccoycorporation.ca

NAIT Corporate Communication www.nait.ca

NorQuest College www.norquest.ca

Q Bridge Inc. www.qbridge.ca

Royal LePage Noralta Real Estate www.royallepage.ca

TEC Edmonton www.tecedmonton.com

The King’s University College www.kingsu.ca

Union Bank Inn www.unionbankinn.com

University of Alberta www.ualberta.ca

West Edmonton Mall www.westedmontonmall.com

Visit Our Advertisers




Looking for ways to save money

on gas and help the environment?

The EPA wants to share some

smart driving tips that could give

you more miles per gallon of gas

and reduce air pollution. Tips

like making sure your tires are

properly infl ated and replacing

your air fi lter regularly. And

where possible, accelerate and

brake slowly. Be aware of your

speed ... did you know that for

every 5 miles you go over 65 mph,

you’re spending about 20 cents

more per gallon of gas? If you’re

shopping for a new car, choose

the cleanest, most effi cient

vehicle that meets your needs. If

we each adopt just one of these

tips, we’d get more miles for our

money and it would be a little

easier to smell the fl owers. For

more tips and to compare cleaner,

more effi cient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

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