2024 continued to solidify the Edmonton Region’s position as a global leader in innovation, sustainability, and economic growth. From significant investments in clean energy and life sciences to notable advancements in AI and technology, 2024 was a year marked by meaningful progress and important milestones.
With local businesses expanding globally, major infrastructure projects taking shape, and key industries driving innovation, the Edmonton Region is shaping a future filled with opportunity. Here’s a closer look at some of the year’s biggest highlights across the Edmonton Region.
At the Carbon Capture Canada conference in the Edmonton Region, Varme Energy and the Alberta Government announced $2.6 million in funding from Emissions Reduction Alberta to support a $6.1 million front-end engineering and design study for Canada’s first large-scale waste-to-energy facility with integrated carbon capture and storage. The facility will process over 200,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste annually and capture over 1 million tonnes of CO2 during its lifespan. The project builds on Varme Energy’s previous partnership with Canada Growth Fund and Gibson Energy, marking a first-of-its kind agreement for the Canada and positioning the Edmonton Region as a leader in clean technology and decarbonization.
Linde has announced a $2 billion investment to build and operate Canada’s largest clean hydrogen production facility in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, expected to be completed by 2028. The facility, part of Dow’s Path2Zero project in Fort Saskatchewan, will use advanced autothermal reforming and Linde’s carbon capture technology to sequester over 2 million metric tons of CO2 annually. This marks Linde’s largest single investment and will supply clean hydrogen to industrial customers aiming to decarbonize their operations.
This year both Blackjacks Roadhouse opened Alberta’s first commercial hydrogen fueling station and Velocity Truck Centres (VTC) launched the province’s first CNG and Hydrogen Service Bay in the Edmonton Region. These milestones build critical infrastructure and foster collaboration that will support the growth of this emerging sector.
Air Products announced their plans to create a hydrogen fueling network along Alberta’s QE2 highway, a major highway linking two of Alberta’s major cities, Edmonton and Calgary. The “hydrogen highway” will use liquid hydrogen from its net-zero energy complex in the Edmonton Region. This will support the transition to zero-emission fuel for long-haul transportation and help Western Canada meet the goals of the 5,000 Hydrogen Vehicle Challenge. The fueling stations aim to boost consumer confidence and make hydrogen-powered vehicles more accessible.
In June, the Critical Drug Commercialization Initiative (CCDI), a collaboration between Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) and the University of Alberta’s Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute, broke ground on the Critical Medicines Production Centre (CMPC) – this will be Canada’s largest critical medicines facility upon its completion in 2026. The 83,000-square-foot Critical Medicines Production Centre (CMPC) is expected to supply over 70 million doses of critical medicines annually and bolster the Edmonton Region’s life sciences sector, create thousands of jobs, and enhance Canada’s pandemic readiness by advancing biotech innovation and retaining talent and intellectual property.
Only a year after the Edmonton-based Nanostics launched their prostate cancer detection test, the company have announced their expansion to the U.S. and the Middle East. Additionally, during life sciences week in September, Nanostics announced their partnership with Protein BioDiagnostics in Florida and Calgary’s Oncohelix to bring their ClarityDX (CDX) Prostate test to an even bigger market.
WestCan Proton Therapy Inc. announced plans for Canada’s first proton therapy centre in the City of Edmonton. The facility will be named the Ben Stelter Centre for Proton Therapy and Neuroscience. Proton therapy is an advanced cancer treatment that uses high-energy protons to precisely target tumours, minimizing harm to healthy tissue. This investment is worth $120 million and will create over 250 construction jobs and 100 permanent positions. Previously, Canadians had to travel to the U.S. for this care, but the centre will provide life-saving treatment locally while positioning the Edmonton Region as a leader in health innovation.
The University Hospital Foundation received a transformative $4 million donation from philanthropist Don Hunter to advance Alzheimer’s research. This funding will support a team led by Dr. Jack Jhamandas, Dr. Lorne Tyrrell, and Nobel Laureate Sir Michael Houghton at the University of Alberta, who have been developing a promising treatment aimed at reversing the effects of the disease. With dementia cases in Canada projected to rise by 187% by 2050, this research is crucial to addressing one of the greatest scientific challenges of our time. Hunter’s generosity also sparked a campaign to secure an additional $4 million to bring the treatment to human clinical trials.
The University of Alberta secured nearly $100 million to advance vaccine and therapeutic development, strengthening Canada’s biomanufacturing capacity. Supported by initiatives like the PRAIRIE Hub and Canadian Critical Drug Initiative, these funds will enhance infrastructure, create jobs, and prepare researchers to address future health crises, positioning the Edmonton Region as a leader in pandemic preparedness.
RUNWITHIT Synthetics secured a $3.5 million investment from Raven Indigenous Capital Partners to expand globally, develop new products, grow its team, and establish additional hubs for driving change.
An all-new bus service includes four daily trips between Alberta’s two major cities, Edmonton and Calgary, as well as two daily trips between Calgary and Lethbridge, with stops in Red Deer, Okotoks, Fort Macleod, and Claresholm. FlixBus operates through partnerships with local bus companies, handling route planning, ticketing, and marketing while leaving operations to partners like Universal.
English Bay Blending and Fine Chocolates, a leader in private label and co-manufactured food since 1983, announced the relocation of its manufacturing facility from Delta, BC, to Stony Plain with operations set to begin in November 2025. The move to the Edmonton Region was followed by English Bay’s acquisition of Kinnikinnick, a family-owned Edmonton-based producer of high-quality gluten-free baked goods with an established international market presence. Kinnikinnick’s facility will remain dedicated to producing gluten-free, allergen-friendly products.
NAIT’s Applied Research Centre for Culinary Innovation successfully experimented with Alberta-grown pulses to create plant-based miso, discovering unexpected floral and chocolate flavours that have since inspired local chefs. NAIT’s culinary innovation program also worked with Hansen Distillery’s Kris Sustrik, to develop a vegan, oat milk-based cream liqueur. After refining the recipe through 80 iterations and overcoming challenges with stability, they launched the product in May, aiming for national distribution. Both projects highlight innovation in local food and beverage industries, blending persistence with unique, Alberta-inspired creations.
The Little Potato Company opened a new $40-million packaging facility in Nisku. The 240,000-square-foot plant generates 25% of its energy through over 3,000 solar modules and has the capacity to distribute 125 million pounds of potatoes each year.
Amii partnered with the Google for Startups Cloud Program to empower early-stage startups with advanced AI expertise and resources. Through this partnership, startups participating in Amii’s ML Exploration or Level Up CTO Coaching programs gain access to personalized coaching, Google Cloud credits, learning resources, product discounts, and a dedicated Startup Success Manager. This collaboration equips founders to scale their businesses with AI-driven innovation and accelerate growth using Google Cloud’s infrastructure and tools. By combining Amii’s leading AI expertise with Google’s vast ecosystem, this partnership aims to foster the next generation of startups and strengthen the Edmonton Region’s competitive edge in global markets.
The Liberal government announced a $2.4 billion investment in AI innovation, reinforcing Canada’s global leadership in the sector. The funding includes support for infrastructure, AI adoption, small businesses, workforce training, and safety initiatives. With the funding, the Edmonton Region, home to the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) and a key part of Canada’s Pan-Canadian AI Strategy, had its position as a centre of excellence in AI further solidified.
The federal government is investing over $3 million through Prairies Economic Development Canada to support Amii (the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute) in helping up to 30 small- and medium-sized businesses across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba adopt artificial intelligence over the next three years.
As any local of the Edmonton Region will tell you, 2024 was the year the Oilers made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team made it all the way to game seven of the final series before losing to the Florida Panthers, but the team’s cup run contributed a $281M economic boost to the City of Edmonton’s economy.
Here’s to another great year in economic development for the Edmonton Metro Region — and for the Oilers making the playoffs again.
