It has been a difficult time for the downtown community, with the closure of several restaurants and nighttime venues. The unprecedented amount of construction and concerns about safety are pushing people away from downtown. This adds to the pain of retailers that have closed over the years. Behind every small business are the personal investments of the business owners and the livelihoods of their families and employees. Earlier today, I spoke at City’s Executive Committee to advocate for business owners and push for improved construction mitigation – you can watch my address to committee here (timestamp 1:31:51 to 1:39:43).
At the same time, tremendous investments are underway that will position Downtown Edmonton to thrive.
Residential and retail development
It’s been announced this week that Westrich Pacific is purchasing the Edmonton City Centre properties. This downtown asset has unrealized potential for a sizeable residential population along with unique attractions that serve the growing downtown community and our growing city. The new owners are locally based and are already investing in the development of three residential properties around the newly opened O-day’min Park.
Likewise, the iconic Paramount Theatre promises to bring a fresh energy to Jasper Avenue. The new owners, Gather Co, also have an exciting local track record of reinvigorating historic properties, including the Mercer Warehouse on 104 Street – a hub of restaurants, pubs, and small office-based businesses.
Entertainment and sports
The Ice District continues to extend its impact as the downtown destination for sports and large-scale entertainment. Upcoming in 2027, is the construction of Fan Park. Planning and design are also underway for the residential tower by the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory.
Office and commercial repositioning
Big moves are underway in office properties. As buildings age, they require renewal. Morguard’s podium redevelopment of the former Scotia Place into Rice Howard Place has created stunning new tenant amenities and a vibrant main floor food hall attracting restaurants including Fox Burger, District Café, and Joon’s.
The transformation of Manulife Place into the National Bank Centre is creating a stunning new banking pavilion and top-quality space for consumer-facing businesses.
The former Phipps-McKinnon building now includes 91 residential units through its repositioning as the Connect Tower by Josan Properties. Likewise, work is underway on Leder Investments’ partial office-to-residential conversion of the former Standard Life Centre into The Standard – a community-centric vertical hub.
ATCO’s upcoming move in 2028 to the former CWB building will also bring new life to Jasper Avenue. Other significant office leases will soon be announced for major corporate moves from existing major employers and new entries into our downtown geography.
Transit infrastructure and advocacy
While construction is currently detrimental to accessing downtown, investment from all three levels of government is building the Valley Line LRT – a critical project for connecting downtown to our growing city. While the line is still a few years from operating, work appears on track to reopen 102 Avenue and the intersecting streets to vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians by year-end 2026.
In the meantime, EDBA is advocating on behalf of business members to minimize the impact. Our requests to the City of Edmonton include:
- Priority reopening of intersections affected by Valley Line LRT construction
- A review of timelines for upcoming projects
- A formal framework to assess business impacts when sequencing future capital projects
Looking forward
The renewal of Downtown is well underway. We recognize the impacts of construction are significant for many of our members, and we will continue advocating for and supporting businesses through this transition. By working together and maintaining confidence in the vision ahead, we’d like to turn today’s disruptions into tomorrow’s opportunities and ensure Downtown’s positive revitalization momentum continues.
Sincerely,
James L Robinson
Executive Director, Edmonton Downtown Business Association