Culture

WHERE TALENT AND CULTURE CONVERGE

The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is often associated with the cold — and there’s some truth to that. After all, we did set the Guinness record for the World's Largest Snowball fight. Our winters are marked by chilly nights and bright sunny days. The culture of this region is warm and embracing. It’s buzzing and energized by the people who work here and call it home.

The region’s high quality of life is beneficial to both businesses and talent alike.

Diverse

The region is home to more than 1.3 million people who help form a unique and vibrant community. There is strength in our differences and this diversity keeps fresh ideas and perspectives coming.

Welcoming

The region's population consists of 23% of first generation immigrants.

Educated

The region provides ample educational opportunities ranging from doctorates at the world-renowned UAlberta to trade certificates at NAIT.

Balanced

The labor workforce is 46.6% female and 53.4% male.

Affordable

With a notably high and growing average income, citizens here are well compensated for their hard work.

High incomes paired with low costs of living help make our region attractive to young families and growing businesses. Some of the advantages of living here are:

Universal health care
Free public elementary and secondary schooling, ranked among the best in the world
Low personal income tax rates
Affordable housing
Parks, public spaces, and unrivaled access to recreation spaces and facilities

See more in Data and Reports

Vibrant

The region has it all: art, culture, fine food, nature, and family fun. In the region, you can:

Immerse yourself in the “festival city” by joining one of the over 50 yearly festivals and events in Edmonton
Shop ‘til you drop at West Edmonton Mall, the largest mall in North America. The mall is home to 800 stores and attractions including an amusement park, ice skating rink, water park, and adventure golf course
Shred the slopes at any of the 10 ski resorts within a few hours drive of the region
Lose your voice cheering at an Edmonton Oilers, Eskimos, or FC Edmonton game
Ponder spectacular art at the Art Gallery of Alberta
Learn about the region’s history, inspect dinosaur bones, or check out a traveling exhibit at the Royal Alberta Museum
Chow down at 9 of ‘The 100 Best Restaurants for Foodies in Canada'
Stroll through one of the region’s 460 parks, including the largest urban forest in North America (22 times bigger than Central Park)
Explore Canada’s wilderness with dozens of provincial parks, national parks, and UNESCO world heritage sites within less than a days drive including Banff, Jasper, and Dinosaur Provincial Park.

Promising

The Edmonton Metropolitan Region has some of the best post secondary opportunities in the world. Its 7 universities and colleges include the University of Alberta ―one of the world's top 100 universities ― and the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT)― the largest technology and apprenticeship trainer in Canada.