Blab Business
Edmonton Mayor Knack Acknowledges Citys Business-Friendly Shortcomings, Announces Economic Development Refresh
Mayor Andrew Knack took the podium on Wednesday to admit that Edmonton’s city hall has long been viewed as unfriendly to business and that the municipality has fallen short of its own economic‑development ambitions. He outlined a forthcoming refresh of the city’s strategy, aimed at cutting red tape, tightening safety standards, boosting the nighttime economy, and sharpening Edmonton’s brand.
The comments followed a review that found Edmonton’s industrial and commercial tax base is shrinking as firms relocate to neighboring jurisdictions. Knack highlighted that construction projects sometimes block commerce, permits and licensing can lag, and that the city’s lack of a clear plan for the nighttime economy, coupled with safety concerns, hampers growth.
"I don’t think we’ve been as serious about economic development as we need to be," Knack said. "If you went and asked every municipality, every leader in every municipality, do you believe in economic development? Is that important for any municipality? I think everyone would, of course, say yes. But, at the end of the day, words are one thing, actions are something entirely different, and that’s where I feel like the city has not been doing as much as we’ve needed."
The refresh will roll out through a series of focused initiatives. City staff met with 37 organizations across 15 business sectors before finalizing the plan, which now includes a streamlined permitting and licensing process, a focus on downtown safety and cleanliness, consolidation of business support in key economic clusters, and a new effort to promote Edmonton’s brand to investors and visitors.
The proposal has the backing of BILD Edmonton Metro, the builders‑and‑developers group. BILD chief executive officer Kalen Anderson said the city should continue to focus on factors that influence investment decisions and business confidence. "Throughout our industry, we regularly hear the perceptions of safety, vibrancy and overall quality of place influence where investors choose to commit capital, businesses choose to locate and employees choose to work," Anderson wrote.
A key part of the strategy is to keep Edmonton on the map for world‑class sporting and cultural events. Although the next four‑year budget contains no money for upgrades to Commonwealth Stadium, Knack said the venue will eventually need to be on the table. "It’s an incredible stadium, but it’s also an aging stadium, and so there will be a point at which further renewal work will be needed, and so that will be something that we do," he said.
Commonwealth’s age has long been a concern for local sports fans. Rob Notenboom, president of the Voyageurs soccer supporters’ group, said the stadium’s concourses struggle to handle crowds. "At halftime, you can’t move, can’t get to the washroom, can’t get food or beverages," Notenboom said. "I’d say it’s even unsafe."
Nighttime‑economy issues have also drawn criticism. In 2024 the city received a report on how to improve the nighttime economy, but downtown business leaders said the city did not act on it. Puneeta McBryan, former CEO of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, called the city’s work on vibrancy an "absolute disaster." Tyson Cale Boyd, a partner at the Starlite Room, said the council had shelved the project when it was needed most.
Arts and culture are also a focus. Renee Williams, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council, said the city should include creative communities in its economic‑development plan. "Too often, arts and culture are framed as ‘nice to have,'" Williams said. She noted that arts organizations generate more than $170 million a year and create 1,400 jobs.
Small‑business groups say the plan does not do enough. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports that nine out of ten small‑business owners feel the city is not doing enough to support them. Luwam Kiflemariam, executive director of the 124 Business Association, said the shop‑local promotion is insufficient and that a dedicated business‑improvement‑area (BIA) investment program is missing. "What’s missing is a dedicated business improvement area (BIA) investment program," Kiflemariam said.
Todd Janes, executive director of the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association, warned that business attraction and retention is competitive and that Edmonton is losing its edge to surrounding municipalities. "There has to be better quality in how to support a larger city," Janes said.
The city’s executive committee debated a motion to create an unfunded service package to assist business associations. Knack said the budget does not allow for the full wish list. "Let’s focus on the areas that we can really lean into," he said.
Councillors expressed concerns about the pace of change. Councillor Keren Tang asked whether the city could wait two years to hire new staff to support the economic‑development initiatives. Councillor Aaron Paquette said the city is in "an existential state" and needs to act quickly, not over a 20‑25‑year timeline.
The economic‑development refresh is part of Edmonton’s broader strategy to build a resilient economy. The city’s next steps will include setting measurable outcomes, securing funding for infrastructure upgrades, and engaging with business groups to address the concerns raised by small‑business owners, downtown leaders and cultural organizations.
The city will report on progress in the next municipal council meeting in September, when it will also review the budget implications of the proposed initiatives.
The comments followed a review that found Edmonton’s industrial and commercial tax base is shrinking as firms relocate to neighboring jurisdictions. Knack highlighted that construction projects sometimes block commerce, permits and licensing can lag, and that the city’s lack of a clear plan for the nighttime economy, coupled with safety concerns, hampers growth.
"I don’t think we’ve been as serious about economic development as we need to be," Knack said. "If you went and asked every municipality, every leader in every municipality, do you believe in economic development? Is that important for any municipality? I think everyone would, of course, say yes. But, at the end of the day, words are one thing, actions are something entirely different, and that’s where I feel like the city has not been doing as much as we’ve needed."
The refresh will roll out through a series of focused initiatives. City staff met with 37 organizations across 15 business sectors before finalizing the plan, which now includes a streamlined permitting and licensing process, a focus on downtown safety and cleanliness, consolidation of business support in key economic clusters, and a new effort to promote Edmonton’s brand to investors and visitors.
The proposal has the backing of BILD Edmonton Metro, the builders‑and‑developers group. BILD chief executive officer Kalen Anderson said the city should continue to focus on factors that influence investment decisions and business confidence. "Throughout our industry, we regularly hear the perceptions of safety, vibrancy and overall quality of place influence where investors choose to commit capital, businesses choose to locate and employees choose to work," Anderson wrote.
A key part of the strategy is to keep Edmonton on the map for world‑class sporting and cultural events. Although the next four‑year budget contains no money for upgrades to Commonwealth Stadium, Knack said the venue will eventually need to be on the table. "It’s an incredible stadium, but it’s also an aging stadium, and so there will be a point at which further renewal work will be needed, and so that will be something that we do," he said.
Commonwealth’s age has long been a concern for local sports fans. Rob Notenboom, president of the Voyageurs soccer supporters’ group, said the stadium’s concourses struggle to handle crowds. "At halftime, you can’t move, can’t get to the washroom, can’t get food or beverages," Notenboom said. "I’d say it’s even unsafe."
Nighttime‑economy issues have also drawn criticism. In 2024 the city received a report on how to improve the nighttime economy, but downtown business leaders said the city did not act on it. Puneeta McBryan, former CEO of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, called the city’s work on vibrancy an "absolute disaster." Tyson Cale Boyd, a partner at the Starlite Room, said the council had shelved the project when it was needed most.
Arts and culture are also a focus. Renee Williams, executive director of the Edmonton Arts Council, said the city should include creative communities in its economic‑development plan. "Too often, arts and culture are framed as ‘nice to have,'" Williams said. She noted that arts organizations generate more than $170 million a year and create 1,400 jobs.
Small‑business groups say the plan does not do enough. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reports that nine out of ten small‑business owners feel the city is not doing enough to support them. Luwam Kiflemariam, executive director of the 124 Business Association, said the shop‑local promotion is insufficient and that a dedicated business‑improvement‑area (BIA) investment program is missing. "What’s missing is a dedicated business improvement area (BIA) investment program," Kiflemariam said.
Todd Janes, executive director of the Stony Plain Road and Area Business Association, warned that business attraction and retention is competitive and that Edmonton is losing its edge to surrounding municipalities. "There has to be better quality in how to support a larger city," Janes said.
The city’s executive committee debated a motion to create an unfunded service package to assist business associations. Knack said the budget does not allow for the full wish list. "Let’s focus on the areas that we can really lean into," he said.
Councillors expressed concerns about the pace of change. Councillor Keren Tang asked whether the city could wait two years to hire new staff to support the economic‑development initiatives. Councillor Aaron Paquette said the city is in "an existential state" and needs to act quickly, not over a 20‑25‑year timeline.
The economic‑development refresh is part of Edmonton’s broader strategy to build a resilient economy. The city’s next steps will include setting measurable outcomes, securing funding for infrastructure upgrades, and engaging with business groups to address the concerns raised by small‑business owners, downtown leaders and cultural organizations.
The city will report on progress in the next municipal council meeting in September, when it will also review the budget implications of the proposed initiatives.
