Edmonton is home to members of a number of world religions. According to the 2021 Census, 44.6 percent of metropolitan Edmonton residents identify as Christian. Significant religious minorities include Muslims (8.3 percent), Sikhs (4.1 percent), Buddhists (1.5 percent), Hindus (3.4 percent), Jewish people (0.4 percent), and practitioners of traditional Aboriginal spirituality (0.2 percent). Those belonging to smaller religions account for 1.1 percent, while 36.4 percent profess no religious affiliation. In the 1980s, Muslim students at the University of Alberta found it difficult to rent prayer rooms large enough to accommodate the local population, and opened the Muslim Community of Edmonton as a mosque and outreach centre in 1992. From these beginnings, Muslims now form the city's largest religious minority, with 83,015 members (2021) at over 20 Edmonton-area mosques (2019).
Edmonton's Jewish community is represented by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, operating the historic Edmonton Jewish Cemetery, purchased in 1907. The city contains six synagogues. The oldest, Beth Israel, was established in 1912 and served as home of Canada's first Jewish day school. Other Abrahamic religions active in Edmonton include the Baháʼí Faith, operating a Baháʼí Centre in Norwood, and Druze, with its Canadian Druze Centre located in the Northwest Industrial District.
left|thumb|[[St. Joseph's Basilica, Edmonton|St. Joseph's Basilica is the only Roman Catholic basilica in Western Canada. In 2021, 21.0 percent of residents of Edmonton identified as Catholic.]]
The Hindu community of Edmonton is served by the Hindu Society of Alberta (North Indian Temple), the Maha Ganapathy Society of Alberta (South Indian - Sri Lankan Tamil Temple), Bhartiya Cultural Society Of Alberta and Sri Sri Radha Govindaji Mandir (Iskcon Edmonton). The Sikh community in Edmonton is served by four gurdwaras. Edmonton is also home to two of Alberta's five Unitarian Universalist congregations – the Unitarian Church of Edmonton and the Westwood Unitarian Congregation; the other three are located in Calgary, Lethbridge, and Red Deer.
Economy
alt=|thumb|Edmonton is home to Alberta Innovates, a provincially-funded applied research and development corporation based in Edmonton's [[Bell Tower (Edmonton)|Bell Tower. ]]
Edmonton is the major economic centre for northern and central Alberta and a major centre for the oil and gas industry. As of 2014, the estimated value of major projects within the Edmonton Metropolitan Region was $57.8-billion, of which $34.4-billion are within the oil and gas, oil sands, and pipeline sectors.
Edmonton traditionally has been a hub for Albertan petrochemical industries, earning it the nickname "Oil Capital of Canada" in the 1940s. Supply and service industries drive the energy extraction engine, while research develops new technologies and supports expanded value-added processing of Alberta's massive oil, gas, and oil sands reserves. These are reported to be the second-largest in the world, after Saudi Arabia.
Much of the growth in technology sectors is due to Edmonton's reputation as one of Canada's premier research and education centres. Research initiatives are anchored by educational institutions such as the University of Alberta (U of A) as well as government initiatives underway at Alberta Innovates and Edmonton Research Park. The U of A campus is home to the National Institute for Nanotechnology.
alt=|left|thumb|View of Edmonton's [[central business district in 2018]]
During the 1970s and 1980s, Edmonton became a major financial centre, with both regional offices of Canada's major banks and locally based institutions opening. The turmoil of the late-1980s economy radically changed the situation. Locally based operations such as Principal Trust and Canadian Commercial Bank would fail, and some regional offices were moved to other cities. The 1990s saw a solidification of the economy, and Edmonton is now home to Canadian Western Bank, the only publicly traded Schedule I chartered bank headquarters west of Toronto. Other major financial institutions include Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), ATB Financial, Servus Credit Union (formerly Capital City Savings), TD Canada Trust and Manulife Financial.
Edmonton has been the birthplace of several companies that have grown to international stature. The local retail market has also seen the creation of many successful store concepts, such as The Brick, Katz Group, AutoCanada, Boston Pizza, Pizza 73, Liquor Stores GP (which includes Liquor Depot, Liquor Barn, OK Liquor, and Grapes & Grains), Planet Organic, Shaw Communications, Empire Design, Running Room, Booster Juice, Earl's, Fountain Tire and XS Cargo. Bioware, a video game developer owned by American Publisher Electronic Arts, is also based in Edmonton.
Edmonton's geographical location has made it an ideal spot for distribution and logistics. CN Rail's North American operational facility is located in the city, as well as a major intermodal facility that handles all incoming freight from the port of Prince Rupert, British Columbia. In early 2020, CN Rail announced that it was closing its Montreal control centre and would eventually close its Vancouver control centre as well, with a goal to consolidate all of its control operations into Edmonton.
Retail
thumb|[[West Edmonton Mall is the second-largest shopping mall in the Americas.]]
Edmonton is home to several shopping malls and the second largest mall in North America, West Edmonton Mall, which is also considered to be the 10th largest mall in the world. Other mentionable malls include Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre, Edmonton City Centre (a combination of the former Edmonton Centre and Eaton Centre malls), Southgate Centre, Kingsway Mall, Northgate Centre, Riverview Crossing, Londonderry Mall, and Mill Woods Town Centre.
Edmonton also has many big box shopping centres and power centres. Some of the major ones include South Edmonton Common (one of North America's largest open air retail developments), RioCan Mayfield, Westpoint Centre, Skyview Centre, Terra Losa Centre, Unity Square, SouthPark Centre, The Meadows, Christy's Corner, Currents of Windermere, and Manning Village.
In contrast to suburban centres, Edmonton has many urban retail locations. The largest of them all, Old Strathcona, includes many independent stores between 99 Street and 109 Street, on Whyte Avenue and in the surrounding area. Old Strathcona also houses the city's largest indoor farmer's market with over 130 vendors selling local and regional produce, meat, crafts, and clothing year-round. In and around Downtown Edmonton, there are a few shopping districts, including the Edmonton City Centre mall, Jasper Avenue, and 104 Street. Near Oliver, 124 Street is home to a significant number of retail stores. Edmonton is the Canadian testing ground for many American retailers, such as Bath & Body Works and Calvin Klein.
Arts and culture
Many events are anchored in the downtown Arts District around Churchill Square (named in honour of Sir Winston Churchill). On the south side of the river, the university district and Whyte Avenue contain theatres, concert halls, and various live music venues. The centrepiece of the square builds a life-size bronze statue of Churchill, unveiled by Lady Soames on May 24, 1989. It is a copy of a statue by Oscar Nemon.
Performing arts
thumb|[[Francis Winspear Centre for Music is a performing arts centre in downtown Edmonton. The centre is home to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.]]
Francis Winspear Centre for Music opened in 1997 after years of planning and fundraising. Described as one of the most acoustically perfect concert halls in Canada, it is home to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and hosts a wide variety of shows every year. It seats 1,932 patrons and houses the $3-million Davis Concert Organ, the largest concert organ in Canada.
Citadel Theatre, named after the Salvation Army Citadel in which Joe Shoctor first started the Citadel Theatre Company in 1965. It is now one of the largest theatre complexes in Canada, with five halls, each specializing in different kinds of productions. In 2015 the Citadel Theatre also became home to Catalyst Theatre.
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, a 2,534-seat venue which had over a year of heavy renovations as part of the province's 2005 centennial celebrations. Both it and its southern twin in Calgary were constructed in 1955 for the province's golden jubilee and have hosted many concerts, musicals, and ballets. On the front of the building is a quote from Suetonius' "Life of Augustus": "He found a city built of brick – left it built of marble." It is on the University of Alberta grounds.
The Edmonton Theatre District in Old Strathcona has a number of venues including the ATB Financial Arts Barns (headquarters of the Edmonton International Fringe Festival), The Walterdale Playhouse, and the Varscona Theatre (base of operations for several theatre companies, including Teatro la Quindicina, Shadow Theatre, Die-Nasty, Plane Jane Theatre, and Grindstone Theatre!).
The Roxy is a purpose-built theatre and multidisciplinary arts centre that opened on April 14, 2022, and is owned and operated by Theatre Network. This venue is on 124th Street.
Mayfield Dinner Theatre is a live performance theatre bringing entertainment to Edmontonians for over 50 years. The theatre has dining and world-class productions, featuring cast and crew from across Canada and around the globe. The venue is along Mayfield Road in west Edmonton.
Jubilations Dinner Theatre is a long-standing entertainment venue that combines live theatre with a multi-course dinner. It is known for its parodies of popular culture, featuring actors who engage the audience and offer a Canadian experience. It is within West Edmonton Mall.
Timms Centre for the Arts a multiroom venue for theatrical and musical performances on the University of Alberta Campus
Horowitz Theatre is a tiered 720-seat theatre presenting concerts, plays, comedy, dance and other performances on the University of Alberta Campus in the Students Union Building.
Allard Hall is a multi-venue building for theatrical and musical performance on the MacEwan University Campus in downtown Edmonton. Included in this building is the Triffo Theatre, the main 415-seat performance space.
The Ukrainian Dnipro Ensemble of Edmonton, along with other Ukrainian choirs such as the Ukrainian Male Chorus of Edmonton, helps preserve the Ukrainian musical culture within the parameters of the Canadian multicultural identity in Edmonton.
Festivals
Edmonton hosts several large festivals each year, contributing to its nickname, "Canada's Festival City". The TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival takes place in late June and, along with Montreal, were the first jazz festivals in Canada.
thumb|left|The [[Edmonton Folk Music Festival. Edmonton is host to several large festivals each year.]]
Edmonton's main summer festival is K-Days, formerly Klondike Days, Capital Ex and originally the Edmonton Exhibition. Founded in 1879, the Edmonton Exhibition was originally an annual fair and exhibition that eventually adopted a gold rush theme, becoming Klondike Days in the 1960s. It moved back to Edmonton in 2024 and will be held at Rogers Place through 2026.
The Edmonton International Fringe Festival, held in mid-August, is the largest fringe theatre festival in North America. The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is also held in August. It was the fourth major Canadian folk festival to be created and has the largest budget for talent of Canada festivals. Other summer festivals in and around Edmonton include the Edmonton Heritage Festival, Taste of Edmonton, the Edmonton Pride Festival, Chaos Alberta Festival, Interstellar Rodeo, Big Valley Jamboree, Pigeon Lake Music Festival, Edmonton Rockfest, Edmonton International Reggae Jamboree Festival, Edmonton Blues Festival and Cariwest. Edmonton also hosts a number of winter festivals, one of the oldest being the Silver Skate Festival. Others are Flying Canoe Volant,
Music
In the city's early days, music was performed in churches and community halls. Edmonton has a history of opera and classical music performance; both have been supported by a variety of clubs and associations. Edmonton's first major radio station, CKUA, began broadcasting music in 1927. The city is a centre for music instruction; the University of Alberta began its music department in 1945, and MacEwan University opened a jazz and musical theatre program in 1980. Festivals of jazz, folk, and classical music are popular entertainment events in the city. Edmonton is also hosts the Grand North American Old Time Fiddle Championship each summer in July, which showcases some of the best fiddlers in Canada, the United States, and Scotland.
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra has existed under various incarnations since 1913. In 1952 the Edmonton Philharmonic and the Edmonton Pops orchestras amalgamated to form the 60-member modern version. The Orchestra performs at the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.
The city also has a vibrant popular music scene, across genres including hip-hop, reggae, R&B, rock, pop, metal, punk, country and electronic. Notable past and present local musicians include Robert Goulet, Tommy Banks, Eleanor Collins, Stu Davis, Tim Feehan, k.d. lang, Cadence Weapon, Eamon McGrath, Kreesha Turner, the Smalls, SNFU, Social Code, Stereos, Ten Second Epic, Tupelo Honey, Mac DeMarco, Revenge, Shout Out Out Out Out, Psyche, Purity Ring, The Wet Secrets, Nuela Charles, Celeigh Cardinal, and Ruth B.
Nightlife
thumb|Opened in 1915, the [[Princess Theatre (Edmonton)|Princess Theatre is the oldest cinema in the city.]]
There are several key areas of nightlife in Edmonton. The most popular is the Old Strathcona (82 Avenue) strip, between 109 Street and 99 Street; it has the highest number of heritage buildings in Edmonton, and bars, clubs, and restaurants throughout, but mostly west of Gateway Boulevard (103 Street). Once the heart of the town of Strathcona (annexed by Edmonton on February 1, 1912), it fell into disrepair during the middle of the 20th century. Beginning in the 1970s, a coordinated effort to revive the area through a business revitalization zone produced an area rich with restored historical buildings and pleasant streetscapes.
Downtown Edmonton has undergone a continual process of renewal and growth since the mid-1990s. Many buildings were demolished during the oil boom, starting in the 1960s and continuing into the 1980s, to make way for office towers. There have always been numerous pub-type establishments, hotel lounges, and restaurants. The past decade has seen a strong resurgence in more mainstream venues. Edmonton also has a high demand for pub crawl tours in the city. Various clubs are found along Edmonton's main street, Jasper Avenue. The Edmonton City Centre mall also houses a Landmark Cinemas movie theatre with nine screens. The nonprofit Metro Cinema shows a variety of alternative or otherwise unreleased films every week.
West Edmonton Mall holds several after-hour establishments in addition to its many stores and attractions. Bourbon Street has numerous eating establishments; clubs and casinos can also be found within the complex. Scotiabank Theatre (formerly known as Silver City), at the west end of the mall, is a theatre with 12 screens and an IMAX. The river valley is home to various parks ranging from fully serviced urban parks to campsite-like facilities with few amenities. This main "Ribbon of Green" is supplemented by tributary creeks and ravines, particularly the Whitemud Creek, Blackmud Creek, and Mill Creek Ravine. There are also numerous neighbourhood parks located throughout the city, to give a total of of parkland. These trails are also part of the Waskahegan walking trail. The City of Edmonton has named five parks in its River Valley Parks System in honour of each of "The Famous Five".
thumb|left|A trail in the [[North Saskatchewan River valley parks system ]]
Edmonton's streets and parklands also contain one of the largest remaining concentrations of healthy American elm trees in the world, unaffected by Dutch elm disease, which has wiped out vast numbers of such trees in eastern North America. Jack pine, lodgepole pine, white spruce, white birch, aspen, mountain ash, Amur maple, Russian olive, green ash, basswood, various poplars and willows, flowering crabapple, Mayday tree and Manitoba maple are also abundant; bur oak, silver maple, hawthorn and Ohio buckeye are increasingly popular. Other introduced tree species include white ash, blue spruce, Norway maple, red oak, sugar maple, common horse-chestnut, McIntosh apple, and Evans cherry. Three walnut species—butternut, Manchurian walnut, and black walnut—have survived in Edmonton.
Several golf courses, both public and private, are also located in the river valley; the long summer daylight hours of this northern city provide for extended play from early morning well into the evening. Golf courses and the park system become a winter recreation area during this season, and cross-country skiing and skating are popular during the long winter. Four downhill ski slopes are located in the river valley as well, two within the city and two immediately outside.
thumb|Entry to Larch Sanctuary
The Edmonton & Area Land Trust (EALT) is a charity focused on conserving natural areas in Edmonton and surrounding municipalities. Its first project in Edmonton was conserving Larch Sanctuary, via a conservation easement with the city, straddling Whitemud Creek south of 23rd Avenue, and containing the only oxbow lake in the city. EALT works with many organizations in Edmonton, and is working to conserve the of forest and farmland in a loop of the river in northeast Edmonton.
A variety of volunteer opportunities exist for citizens to participate in the stewardship of Edmonton's parkland and river valley. Volunteer programs include River Valley Clean-up, Root for Trees, and Partner in Parks. River Valley Clean-up engages volunteers to pick up hundreds of bags of litter each year.
Museums and galleries
alt=|thumb|Entrance to the Royal Alberta Museum
Royal Alberta Museum (RAM) is the largest museum in western Canada with more than exhibition space and in total, featuring galleries for natural history and anthropology (human history). The museum houses over 10 million objects and artifacts in its collection. The natural history gallery features exhibits in flora, fauna, and geology ranging from prehistoric to modern day. The human history gallery features exhibits beginning with an extensive First Nations history of the Alberta region to the current multicultural society of Alberta. The museum is in downtown Edmonton at 9810 103a Avenue, just northeast of the Edmonton city hall.
thumb|Exterior of the Telus World of Science Edmonton
Telus World of Science Edmonton (TWOSE) is a broad-based science centre featuring five permanent galleries ranging in topics from astronomy, science and technology to exhibits exploring the human body, as well as containing a gallery for rotating and travelling exhibits. Additionally, located here are features such as an IMAX theatre, a planetarium, an observatory, the Zeidler Dome: a digital visualization theatre offering immersive 360-degree experiences, and an amateur radio station. It is at 11211 142 Street, northwest of the city centre in the Woodcroft neighbourhood adjacent to Coronation Park.
Edmonton Valley Zoo is a zoological park, home to over 350 animals, with species from different climates and habitats an Canada and abroad. The zoo focuses on animal well being, conservation and education. It is at 13315 Buena Vista Road along the north bank of the North Saskatchewan River the river valley, southwest of the city centre.
Alberta Aviation Museum is a museum focusing on Edmonton's aviation history. Located in a historic Second World War hangar, built for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, its collection of features more than 30 civilian and military aircraft, such as a Curtiss Stinson Special from 1917, a North American B-25 Mitchell from the Second World War, and two McDonnell Aircraft Corporation CF-101 Voodoos from the Cold War. It also has one of only two remaining CIM-10 Bomarc missiles on display in Canada. The museum also includes a restoration area, an archives and library, simulators, a gift shop and a large events facility. It is at 11410 Kingsway next to the Blatchford community, the site of the decommissioned City Centre Airport.
Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum is dedicated to preserving the military heritage and the sacrifices made by the people of Edmonton and Alberta in general. The museum features two galleries and several smaller exhibits. The collection includes historic firearms, uniforms, souvenirs, memorabilia, military accoutrements, as well as a large photographic and archival collection spanning the pre-First World War period to the present. The museum features an exhibit on the role of the 49th Battalion, CEF, in Canada's Hundred Days Offensive. The museum is in the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Centre, which is also the home of the City of Edmonton municipal archives.
Alberta Railway Museum is a museum that collects, preserves, restores and interprets the railway artifacts and stories that helped shape Alberta and Canada through exhibits, tours, educational programs, publications and heritage train operations of Alberta's railway history. It contains a variety of locomotives and railroad cars from different periods, and includes a working steam locomotive. It is at 24215 34 Street NW in the rural northeast portion of the city. Since most of its exhibits are outdoors, it is only open between Victoria Day and Labour Day.thumb|left|[[Fort Edmonton Park is Canada's largest living museum by area.]]Fort Edmonton Park, Canada's largest living history museum, is in the river valley southwest of the city centre. Edmonton's heritage is displayed through historical buildings (many of which are originals moved to the park), costumed historical interpreters, and authentic artifacts. In total, it covers the region's history from approximately 1795 to 1929 (represented by Fort Edmonton), followed chronologically by 1885, 1905, and 1920 streets, and a recreation of a 1920s midway. A steam train, streetcars, automobiles and horse-drawn vehicles may be seen in operation (and utilized by the public) around the park. This museum is at 7000 143 Street NW in the river valley southwest of the city centre.
John Janzen Nature Centre features events and interactive exhibits designed to promote awareness and engagement with nature in an urban setting. The centre explores local wildlife and how they adapt to each of the four seasons. It is at 7000 143 Street along Whitemud Drive and Fox Drive and shares a parking lot with Fort Edmonton Park.
John Walter Museum and Historical Area is a small interpretive museum focusing on the life of John Walter and the Strathcona community of Walterdale from 1870 to 1942. The museum is on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
thumb|The [[Art Gallery of Alberta is Edmonton's largest art gallery.]]
Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) is the city's largest single art gallery. Its collection includes over 6,000 works, with a focus on art produced in Alberta, and other parts of western Canada. In addition to exhibiting its permanent collection, the museum also hosts travelling exhibitions and offers public education programs. This gallery is located at 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square, directly east of the Edmonton City Hall.
McKay Avenue School is a former school and a designated provincial and municipal historic resource, and home to the Edmonton Public School Board's archives and museum.
Rutherford House is a historic building and museum in the Strathcona area. The structure was the home of the first premier of Alberta, Alexander Cameron Rutherford, from 1911 to 1940, and has subsequently been designated a provincial historic site.
Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Alberta Branch. The museum collects and preserves items of historical, cultural and artistic significance to advance knowledge about Ukrainian heritage in Canada. It is at the St. John's Cultural Centre (10611 110 Avenue NW)
University of Alberta Museums operates its own internal museums and collections service. The University of Alberta Museums and Collections also has 17 million objects, 29 registered museum collections and occasional exhibitions.
thumb|Main entrance to the Muttart Conservatory
Muttart Conservatory () is a botanical garden in the river valley, across from the downtown core. One of the best-known landmarks of Edmonton, the conservatory consists of three city-operated greenhouses, public gardens, as well as four feature pyramids for display of plant species found across three biomes, with the fourth pyramid hosting a seasonal display. A fifth minor skylight pyramid lights up the central foyer.
Edmonton is home to four artist-run centres all located in the downtown core Harcourt House, Latitude 53, Ociciwan Contemporary Art Collective and Society of Northern Alberta Print-Artists (SNAP).
The University of Alberta and MacEwan University also have galleries: the Fine Arts Building Gallery and the Mitchell Art Gallery, respectively.
Sports and recreation
Edmonton has a number of professional sports teams, including the Edmonton Elks, formerly referred to as the Edmonton Eskimos and, for a brief period, the Edmonton Football Team, of the Canadian Football League, Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League and Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League. Edmonton is the only city home to two teams in the semi-professional National Ringette League: the Edmonton WAM! and Edmonton Black Gold Rush. The city also hosts an amateur women's football team, the Edmonton Storm of the Western Women's Canadian Football League. Junior sports clubs include the Edmonton Huskies and Edmonton Wildcats of the Canadian Junior Football League, the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, and the Edmonton Riverhawks of the West Coast League. Venues for Edmonton's professional and junior sports teams include Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton Elks), Argyll Velodrome, Rogers Place (Oilers and Oil Kings), RE/MAX Field (Riverhawks), the Edmonton Expo Centre (Stingers), and Clarke Stadium (Huskies, Wildcats, and Storm).
thumb|[[Rogers Place is a multi-use indoor arena, and the present home arena for the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.]]
Edmonton's teams have rivalries with Calgary's teams and games between Edmonton and Calgary teams are often referred to as the Battle of Alberta.
Past notable hockey teams in Edmonton include: the original junior hockey incarnation of the Edmonton Oil Kings, with multiple league and national Memorial Cup championships playing in the Western Hockey League; the Edmonton Flyers, with multiple Lester Patrick Cups and one national Allan Cup, and; the Edmonton Roadrunners of the American Hockey League. Other past notable sports teams include; the Edmonton Grads, a women's basketball team with 108 local, provincial, national, and international titles and the world champions for 17 years in a row; the Edmonton Trappers, a Triple-A level baseball team with multiple division and league titles in the Pacific Coast League, and; the Edmonton Rush, a box lacrosse team with one league championship.
Local university-level sports teams include the University of Alberta Golden Bears (mens) Pandas (women's), the NAIT Ooks, the MacEwan Griffins, the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder, and the King's University Eagles.
Local amateur teams, among others, include the Edmonton Gold of the Rugby Canada Super League and two flat track roller derby leagues: Oil City Roller Derby and E-Ville Roller Derby.
The RAD Torque Raceway hosts regular sprint car and a national International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) events at their facility next to Edmonton International Airport. The airport also hosts horse racing at the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino. The Edmonton International Raceway, which hosts NASCAR Pinty's Series races, is located about to the south near Wetaskiwin.
thumb|[[Commonwealth Stadium (Edmonton)|Commonwealth Stadium is an open-air multi-purpose stadium. Opened in 1978 for the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the facility is also used as the home stadium for CFL's Edmonton Elks.]]
thumb|[[RE/MAX Field, a ballpark opened in 1995 home to the Edmonton Riverhawks]]
From 2005 to 2012, Edmonton hosted an annual circuit on the Indy Racing League known as the Edmonton Indy. Other past sporting events hosted by Edmonton include:
- 1978 Commonwealth Games
- 1981 U-18 Women's Softball World Cup, and 1981 U-18 Men's Softball World Cup
- 1983 World University Games (Universiade)
- 1981 and 1985 Intercontinental Cup
- 1990 Baseball World Cup
- 1990 North American Indigenous Games
- 1996 World Figure Skating Championships
- 1999 World Taekwondo Championships
- 2001 World Championships in Athletics
- 2002 World Ringette Championships
- 2005 World Masters Games
- 2006 Women's Rugby World Cup
- 2002 and 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
- 2014 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup
- 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
- 2004 and 2012 Women's Baseball World Cup
- CN Canadian Women's Open
- 1995 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (co-hosted with Red Deer and Calgary), 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (co-hosted with Calgary), 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (co-host with Red Deer)
- 2007 World Men's Curling Championship and 2017 World Men's Curling Championship
- 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
- 2022 World Dodgeball Championships
Despite submitting a bid, Edmonton was not selected as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Edmonton will co-host the 2027 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships alongside Calgary.
{| class="wikitable col5center col6center"
|+Professional sports teams
|-
! style="width:130px;"| Club
! style="width:130px;"| Type
! style="width:240px;"| League
! style="width:200px;"| Venue
! style="width:50px"| Established
! style="width:20px"| Championships
|-
| Edmonton Elks
| Canadian football
| Canadian Football League
| Commonwealth Stadium
| 1949
| 14
|-
| Edmonton Oilers
| Ice hockey
| National Hockey League
| Rogers Place
| 1972
| 5
|-
| Edmonton Stingers
| Basketball
| Canadian Elite Basketball League
| Edmonton Expo Centre
| 2018
| 2
|}
{| class="wikitable col5center col6center"
|+Semi-pro, amateur and junior clubs
|-
! style="width:130px;"| Club
! style="width:130px;"| Type
! style="width:240px;"| League
! style="width:200px;"| Venue
! style="width:50px;"| Established
! style="width:20px;"| Championships
|-
| Edmonton Huskies
| Canadian football
| Canadian Junior Football League
| Clarke Stadium
| 1947
| 5
|-
| Edmonton Wildcats
| Canadian football
| Canadian Junior Football League
| Clarke Stadium
| 1948
| 3
|-
|Edmonton Storm
|Canadian football
|Western Women's Canadian Football League
|Clarke Stadium
| 2004
| 0
|-
| Edmonton Riverhawks
| Baseball
| West Coast League
| RE/MAX Field
| 2020
| 0
|-
| Edmonton Oil Kings
| Ice hockey
| Western Hockey League
| Rogers Place
| 2007
| 3
|-
| Edmonton BTB SC
| Soccer
| League1 Alberta
| Clarke Stadium
| 2013
|
|-
| Edmonton Scottish
| Soccer
| League1 Alberta
| Hamish Black Field
| 1909
| 1
|}
Government
City council
thumb|[[Edmonton City Hall]]
The Edmonton City Council consists of a mayor and twelve councillors serving four-year terms. Each councillor is elected in a ward (electoral district); the mayor is elected at-large through first-past-the-post voting. Most candidates are non-partisan, but municipal political parties were instituted in 2025.
The council has the responsibility of approving the city's budget, and develops laws and policies intended to promote the health and safety of Edmonton residents based on the powers granted by the Municipal Government Act. The council passes all legislation related to the city's police, firefighting, parks, and libraries, as well as its utilities electricity, water supply, solid waste handling, and drainage.
On July 22, 2009, City Council adopted an electoral system that divides Edmonton into 12 wards, instead of the previous system where two councillors were elected in each of six wards. As of 2010, each ward would elect one councillor by first-past-the-post voting. This system came into effect with the following election in October 2010. The most recent election was held in October 2025, and elected members to a four-year term.
On December 7, 2020, a bylaw approving new ward boundaries and Indigenous ward names was passed by city council.
Provincial politics
thumb|Edmonton is home to the [[Alberta Legislature Building, the meeting place for the Legislative Assembly of Alberta.]]
Edmonton is the capital of the province of Alberta and holds all main provincial areas of government such as the Alberta Legislature. The Edmonton Metropolitan Region is represented by 20 MLAs, one for each provincial electoral district. Many of these boundaries have been changed, adjusted and renamed while the city has grown. In the current 31st Alberta Legislature all of Edmonton's districts are represented by members from the Opposition Alberta New Democratic Party. One of the MLAs, Naheed Nenshi, became Leader of the Opposition in 2025.
{|class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:400; font-size:90%; margin-left:1em;"
|+ Edmonton provincial election results
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Year
! colspan="2" scope="col" | United Cons.
! colspan="2" scope="col" | New Democratic
|-
| style="width: 0.25em; background-color: |
! 2019
| | <span style="color:#FFFFFF">35%</span>
| style="text-align:right; background:#005D7C;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF">140,672</span>
| | 53%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| 213,546
|-
| style="width: 0.25em; background-color: |
! 2023
| | <span style="color:#FFFFFF">34%</span>
| style="text-align:right; background:#005D7C;"| <span style="color:#FFFFFF">127,773</span>
| | 63%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| 232,879
|}
Federal politics
Edmonton is represented by nine Members of Parliament (MP), with one being elected to represent each of its federal electoral districts. In the 43rd Canadian Parliament, which was in session from late 2019 to late 2021, eight MPs were members of the Conservative Party of Canada, while the remaining MP was part of the New Democratic Party. After the 2019 federal election, Edmonton lacked elected representation in the federal government for the first time since 1980. Compared to the rest of Alberta, Edmonton tends to vote for more left of centre leaning parties. Due to vote splitting, the Conservative Party dominated the city, with Edmonton Strathcona the only electoral district not to have voted Conservative in the 2019 federal election. This changed in the 2021 federal election, when the NDP also flipped the seat of Edmonton Griesbach while holding Edmonton Strathcona, and the Liberals retook Edmonton Centre.
{|class="wikitable" style="float:right; width:400; font-size:90%; margin-left:1em;"
|+Edmonton federal election results
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Year
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Liberal
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Conservative
! colspan="2" scope="col" | New Democratic
! colspan="2" scope="col" | Green
|-
| rowspan="2" style="width: 0.25em; background-color: |
! 2021
| | 23%
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| 94,886
| | 39%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| 160,938
| | 32%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| 133,984
| | 0%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| 1,933
|-
! 2019
| | 23%
| style="text-align:right; background:#EA6D6A;"| 100,759
| | 52%
| style="text-align:right; background:#6495ED;"| 231,813
| | 21%
| style="text-align:right; background:#F4A460;"| 92,733
| | 2%
| style="text-align:right; background:#99C955;"| 10,264
|-
|}
Fire department
thumb|Edmonton Fire Rescue Services Headquarters, Administration Offices, & Number 1 Station
Edmonton Fire Rescue, established in 1892, is a full-time professional firefighting department which provides a variety of services in Edmonton and the surrounding region. Some of the service's major tasks include fire suppression, assistance in medical emergencies, watercraft rescues on the North Saskatchewan River, and emergencies which involve hazardous materials.
Policing
The city's police force, the Edmonton Police Service, was founded in 1892, and had approximately 1,400 officers in 2012.
Military
Canadian Forces Base Edmonton is home to 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1 CMBG), the Regular Force army brigade group of 3rd Canadian Division of the Canadian Army. Units in 1 CMBG include Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), 1 Combat Engineer Regiment, two of the three battalions of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, and various headquarters, service, and support elements. Although not part of 1 CMBG, 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron and 1 Field Ambulance are located with the brigade group. All of these units are located at Lancaster Park, immediately north of the city. From 1943, as CFB Namao (now CFB Edmonton/Edmonton Garrison), it was a major air force base. In 1996, all fixed-wing aviation units were transferred to CFB Cold Lake.
The Canadian Parachute Centre was located in the city until 1996, when it was moved to CFB Trenton, Ontario, and renamed the Canadian Army Advanced Warfare Centre. The move of 1 CMBG and component units from Calgary occurred in 1996 in what was described as a cost-saving measure. The brigade had existed in Calgary since the 1950s, and Lord Strathcona's Horse had traditionally been a Calgary garrison unit dating back to before the First World War.
Edmonton also has a large army reserve element from 41 Canadian Brigade Group (41 CBG), including The Loyal Edmonton Regiment (4th Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry); 41 Combat Engineer Regiment; HQ Battery, 20th Field Artillery Regiment; and B Squadron of The South Alberta Light Horse, one of Alberta's oldest army reserve units. Despite being far from Canada's coasts, Edmonton is also the home of , a naval reserve division. There are numerous cadet corps of the different elements (naval, army and air force) within Edmonton as well.
Crime
Edmonton experienced a decrease in crime in the 1990s, an increase in the early 2000s, and another downturn at the end of the decade.
thumb|Edmonton Police Service vehicle at Downtown Headquarters
The Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) had a crime severity index of 84.5 in 2013, which is higher than the national average of 68.7. Its crime severity index was the fifth-highest among CMAs in Canada behind Regina, Saskatoon, Kelowna and Vancouver. Edmonton had the fourth-most homicides in 2013 with 27, a 49% decrease from 2011. In 2017, it hit another peak in homicides with a slightly lower total of 49, for a rate of 5.2 per 100,000. In 2023, Edmonton saw an increase in homicides with 46 being reported, giving the city a homicide rate of around 4.5 per 100,000 and also had a record 221 shootings, a 33.9% increase from the year before.
Infrastructure
Transportation
thumb|The control tower for [[Edmonton International Airport. The international airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region.]]
Aviation
Edmonton is a major air transportation gateway to northern Alberta and northern Canada. Edmonton Airports is working to establish a major container shipping hub called Port Alberta.
Rail
Edmonton serves as a major transportation hub for Canadian National Railway, whose North American operations management centre is located at their Edmonton offices. It is also tied into the Canadian Pacific Kansas City network, which provides service from Calgary to the south and extends northeast of Edmonton to serve Alberta's Industrial Heartland.
Inter-city rail passenger rail service is provided by Via Rail's premier train, the Canadian, as it travels between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Toronto, Ontario. Passenger trains stop at the Edmonton railway station two days a week in both directions. The train connects Edmonton to multiple stops in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.
Public transit
alt=|thumb|An ETS bus at the [[Stadium station (Edmonton)|Stadium Station transit centre]]
The Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) is the city's public transit agency, operating the Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT) network as well as a fleet of buses. In 2017, ETS served approximately 86,997,466 people; the bus system saw 62,377,183 riders, while the LRT network served 24,620,283 passengers.
From the 1990s to early 2009, Edmonton was one of two cities in Canada still operating trolley buses, along with Vancouver. On June 18, 2008, City Council decided to abandon the Edmonton trolley bus system and the last trolley bus ran on May 2, 2009.
Scheduled LRT service began on April 23, 1978, with nine extensions of the network completed since. The original Edmonton line is considered to be the first "modern" light rail line (i.e., built from scratch, rather than being an upgrade of an old system) in North America to be constructed in a city with a population of under one million people. It introduced the use of German-designed rolling stock that subsequently became the standard light rail vehicle of the United States. The Edmonton "proof-of-payment" fare collection system adopted in 1980 modelled after European ticket systems became the North American transit industry's preferred approach for subsequent light rail projects. The four-year South LRT extension was opened in full on April 24, 2010, which sees trains travelling to Century Park (located at 23 Avenue and 111 Street), making stops at South Campus and Southgate Centre along the way. Construction on the second and final phase of the Valley Line, which will extend the line west to Lewis Farms, commenced in 2021. Unlike the Capital and Metro lines, trains on the Valley Line use low-floor technology. The Edmonton Metropolitan Transit Services Commission is scheduled to be disestablished May 31, 2023, as a result of Edmonton's withdrawal.
Roads and highways
alt=|thumb|[[Anthony Henday Drive in Edmonton. The freeway is the main ring road for the city.]]
A largely gridded system forms most of Edmonton's street and road network. The address system is mostly numbered, with streets running south to north and avenues running east to west. In built-up areas built since the 1950s, local streets and major roadways generally do not conform to the grid system. Major roadways include Yellowhead Trail (Highway 16), Wayne Gretzky Drive, Whitemud Drive, and Anthony Henday Drive.
The major roads connecting to other communities elsewhere in Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan are the Yellowhead Highway to the west and east and Highway 2 (Queen Elizabeth II Highway) to the south.
Trail system
Edmonton maintains over of multi-use trails, mostly within the river valley parkland system.
Electricity and water
Edmonton's first power company established itself in 1891 and installed streetlights along the city's main avenue, Jasper Avenue. The power company was bought by the Town of Edmonton in 1902 and remains under municipal ownership today as EPCOR. Also in charge of water treatment, in 2002 EPCOR installed the world's largest ultraviolet (UV) water treatment (ultraviolet disinfection) system at its E. L. Smith Water Treatment Plant.
Waste disposal
thumb|The [[Edmonton Composting Facility was the largest co-composting facility in North America by volume and capacity.]]
Edmonton delivers source-separated organics waste collection to all single-unit, and some multi-unit homes. The city collects four streams of waste under this program: Garbage in black bins, organic waste in green bins, recycling in blue bags, and yard waste in large brown paper bags or clear plastic bags (four times per year). The rollout of the source-separated organics program began in March 2021, and was completed on September 3, 2021. During this period, Edmonton delivered approximately 10,000 new carts every week to a total of approximately 250,000 homes. City employees collect waste from half of these homes, and collection from the other homes is contracted to a private company.
An anaerobic digester began service in April 2021, and has the capacity to process 40,000 tonnes of organic waste annually. Edmonton signed contracts for private partners to process the remaining 28,000 tonnes of organic waste generated annually. Meanwhile, the city has stopped offering curbside waste collection from commercial businesses, and has not yet said whether businesses will eventually be required to separate their organic waste. The rollout of the new waste collection system follows a successful two-year pilot program which began service in 2019, and included 8,000 households in 12 neighbourhoods.
The Edmonton Composting Facility was the largest of its type in the world, and the largest stainless steel building in North America. Among the innovative uses for the city's waste included a Christmas tree recycling program. The trees were collected each January and put through a woodchipper; this material was used as an addition to the composting process. In addition, the wood chips absorbed much of the odour produced by the compost by providing a biofilter element to trap odour causing gaseous results of the process. The composting facility was permanently shut down in 2019 after an inspection found that the structural integrity of its roof was compromised.
Together, the Waste Management Centre and Wastewater Treatment plant are known as the Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence. Research partners include the University of Alberta, the Alberta Research Council, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, and Olds College.
Health care
There are four main hospitals serving Edmonton: University of Alberta Hospital, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Misericordia Community Hospital, and Grey Nuns Community Hospital. Other area hospitals include Sturgeon Community Hospital in St. Albert, Leduc Community Hospital in Leduc, WestView Health Centre in Stony Plain, and Fort Saskatchewan Community Hospital in Fort Saskatchewan. Dedicated psychiatric care is provided at the Alberta Hospital. The Northeast Community Health Centre offers a 24-hour emergency room with no inpatient ward services. The University of Alberta Hospital is the centre of a larger complex of hospitals and clinics located adjacent to the university campus which comprises the Stollery Children's Hospital, Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute, Cross Cancer Institute, Zeidler Gastrointestinal Health Centre, Ledcor Clinical Training Centre, and Edmonton Clinic. Several health research institutes, including the Heritage Medical Research Centre, Medical Sciences Building, Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research, and Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation, are also located at this site. A similar set-up is also evident at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, which is connected to the Lois Hole Hospital for Women and Orthopaedic Surgery Centre. All hospitals are under the administration of Alberta Health Services, the single provincial health authority that plans and delivers health services to Albertans, on behalf of the Ministry of Health. The Misericordia and Grey Nuns are run separately by Covenant Health.
Education
thumb|Headquarters of [[Edmonton Public Schools, one of three publicly funded school districts in the city]]
Primary and secondary
Edmonton has three publicly funded school boards (districts) that provide kindergarten and grades 1–12. The vast majority of students attend schools in the two large English-language boards: Edmonton Public Schools, with 213 operating schools, and the separate Edmonton Catholic School District, with 95 operating schools, as of 2024. Since 1994, the Francophone minority community has had their own school board based in Edmonton, the Greater North Central Francophone Education Region No. 2, which includes surrounding communities. The city also has a number of public charter schools that are independent of any board. All three school boards and public charter schools are funded through provincial grants and property taxes.
Some private schools exist as well, including Edmonton Academy, Progressive Academy and Tempo School.
Edmonton Public Schools is known for pioneering the concept of site-based decision making (decentralization) in Canada, which gives principals the authority, the financial resources and the flexibility to make decisions based on the individual needs of their schools. This initiative has led to Edmonton Public offering a school of choice model in which students have more options as to what school they want to attend to suit their interests, and has led to the creation of alternative programs such as Vimy Ridge Academy, Old Scona Academic and Victoria School of the Arts. The Edmonton Society for Christian Education and Millwoods Christian School (not part of the former) used to be private schools; both have become part of Edmonton Public Schools' alternative programs.
Both the Edmonton Public Schools and the Edmonton Catholic School District provide support and resources for those wishing to homeschool their children.
Post-secondary
Those post-secondary institutions based in Edmonton that are publicly funded include Concordia University of Edmonton, MacEwan University, NorQuest College, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and the University of Alberta (U of A). The publicly funded Athabasca University also has a campus in Edmonton.
The U of A is a board-governed institution that has an annual revenue of over one billion dollars. In 2021/22, the university had over 40,000 students enrolled within over 700 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs, as well as over 7,000 students enrolled in its faculty of extension. The U of A is also home to the second-largest research library system in Canada.
In 2019/20, MacEwan University had a total student population of over 18,000 full-time and part-time students enrolled in programs offering bachelor's degrees, university transfers, diplomas and certificates. NAIT has an approximate total of 41,000 students enrolled in more than 200 programs, while NorQuest College has approximately 21,000 students enrolled in various full-time, part-time and continuing education programs.
Other post-secondary institutions within Edmonton include King's University (private), Newman Theological College, Taylor College and Seminary, and Yellowhead Tribal College (an Indigenous college).
Media
Edmonton has seven local broadcast television stations shown on basic cable TV or over-the-air, with the oldest broadcasters in the city being CTV Edmonton (1954) and CBC TV Edmonton (1961). Most of Edmonton's conventional television stations have made the switch to over-the-air digital broadcasting. The cable television providers in Edmonton are Telus (for IPTV) and Shaw Communications. Twenty-one FM and eight AM radio stations are based in Edmonton.
Edmonton has two large-circulation newspapers, the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun. The Journal, established in 1903, currently produces a print edition five days a week and an e-version six days a week. It has a circulation of 112,000. The Sun, established in 1978, has a circulation of 55,000. Both newspapers are owned by the Postmedia Network. The Journal no longer publishes a Sunday edition as of July 2012.
Metro was Edmonton's only free daily newspaper until it ceased printing on December 20, 2019. The magazine Vue Weekly, a weekly publication which focused on alternative news, was published in Edmonton from 1995 to 2018. The Edmonton Examiner is a citywide community-based paper also published weekly. There are also a number of smaller weekly and community newspapers.
Sister cities
Edmonton is twinned with:
- Gatineau, Quebec, Canada (1967)
- Harbin, China (1985)
- Wonju, South Korea (1998)
- Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands (2013)
- Huế, Vietnam
In the United States, American cities and their sisters are listed with that country's Sister Cities International. In 1990, Edmonton became the first sister city of Nashville. In 2015, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean visited Edmonton, addressing the crowd at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, celebrating the 25th anniversary of becoming sister cities. That year, more than 150 Canadians visited Nashville to attend Alberta-born Brett Kissel's Grand Ole Opry debut and to meet with Sister Cities representatives. In November 2015, Doug Hoyer and Jeremy Witten represented Edmonton at World of Friendship, Nashville's annual sister cities celebration.
See also
- Edmontosaurus annectens – A dinosaur, meaning "connected lizard from Edmonton"
- List of cities in Alberta
- List of communities in Alberta
- List of mayors of Edmonton
- List of municipalities in Alberta
- List of people from Edmonton
- List of tallest buildings in Edmonton
- Make Something Edmonton – Community building initiative