Edmonton Means Business

Small and local businesses are at the heart of our economy - and we as a City need to make sure we are supporting them to succeed. 

While there is more work to be done, I was pleased with recent reports that demonstrate some of the changes and service improvements that the City has done to attract and support businesses right here. 

`1. Making Edmonton Business Friendly

This city is launching a new initiative to support new or expanding businesses in Edmonton so that more businesses are likely to grow, expand, and invest right here. This initiative provides a framework of specific programs and services as well as tailored support with Business Friendly Edmonton team members that can help with the municipal regulatory journal and connect with the City networks. 

I’m excited to see the feedback from businesses on this new initiative. 

2. Improving Permits and Licencing 

Under the Permit and Licensing Improvement initiative the City is advancing a number of changes focused on development permits, building permits and business licenses to make it easier for businesses to be successful in Edmonton. Some key changes have already occurred such as automatic permits for simple applications and a shift to online applications. The City will continue this work by identifying service standards for permit and license timelines and creating an integrated application process for permits and licenses. 

3. Edmonton’s Economic Action Plan 

This action plan was approved in 2021 and calls for the development of 121,000 net-new jobs by 2030. This was the first update of this report and showed some of the investments attracted to Edmonton and the Region. 

I’m proud of the track we’re on and look forward to more reports and feedback from the business community that highlights work underway to make Edmonton the desired location to start and grow a business.