Information
City: EdmontonCountry: Canada
Continent: North America
Edmonton, Canada, North America
Overview
Here’s a closer look at Edmonton, Alberta’s bustling capital-a wide, lively city where art spills onto street corners, ideas spark in cafés, and the river winds through green parkland.🏙️ Edmonton 🗺️ Location & Geography Province : Alberta Position : Central-north Alberta, straddling the North Saskatchewan River Elevation : ~645 meters (2,116 ft) above sea level Known for its vast river valley system , which is the largest urban parkland in North America .Edmonton sits in central-north Alberta, stretched along the North Saskatchewan River at about 645 meters above sea level, and is famed for its sweeping river valley-the largest urban parkland in all of North America.🌦️ Climate Climate Type : Humid continental (Köppen Dfb) Winters : Cold, with temperatures frequently below −20°C (−4°F); snowy but often sunny Summers : Warm and mild - highs around 21–25°C (70–77°F) Daylight extremes : ~17 hours of sunlight in June, ~7 in December Northern lights are visible from time to time, especially in fall and winter 🧑🤝🧑 Demographics Metro population : ~1.5 million A youthful city with a median age of 36–37 - one of Canada’s youngest Ethnically diverse, with major communities from: South Asia (India, Pakistan) China Philippines Africa (Somalia, Nigeria) Middle East (Syria, Lebanon) Languages : English primary; also Punjabi, Tagalog, Mandarin, Arabic, French Religions : Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, and growing secularism 🏛️ Capital of Alberta Edmonton is the political heart of Alberta: Home to the Alberta Legislature Building Seat of the provincial government A center for public policy, law, civil service, and social services 💼 Economy While Calgary leads Alberta’s corporate energy sector , Edmonton is known for: Government & public administration (major employer) Education & research (home to U of A) Healthcare (large hospital network + research) Manufacturing & industrial services Technology and AI (growing sector, especially in applied research) Major employers include: Alberta Health Services University of Alberta EPCOR Utilities Canadian Western Bank PCL Construction It’s also a key distribution hub , with strong links by rail and highway to northern Alberta and the oil sands.🎓 Education & Innovation University of Alberta (U of A) : One of Canada’s top 5 research universities Globally respected in AI , health sciences , engineering , and energy Home to the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) Also in Edmonton: MacEwan University NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute of Technology) Concordia University of Edmonton King’s University 🎭 Arts, Culture & Events Edmonton has a huge arts presence, with a nickname: “Festival City” .🎉 Major Festivals: Edmonton International Fringe Festival – second-largest in the world Folk Music Festival (in beautiful Gallagher Park) K-Days – summer fair and midway Ice on Whyte – winter ice carving festival Taste of Edmonton , Animethon , Heritage Festival , and more 🖼️ Museums & Institutions: Royal Alberta Museum – Indigenous and natural history Art Gallery of Alberta TELUS World of Science Neon Sign Museum – outdoor exhibit of restored vintage signage 🎶 Performance & Music: Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at Winspear Centre Citadel Theatre, Ballet Edmonton, local indie music and comedy scenes 🏞️ Nature & Green Spaces Edmonton River Valley : 22x larger than NYC’s Central Park; features over 160 km of trails , 20+ parks, and multiple golf courses Elk Island National Park : Just 30 minutes east - bison, moose, and stargazing Muttart Conservatory : Iconic glass pyramids with global plant exhibits Hawrelak Park : Lake, festivals, paddleboats in summer, skating in winter William Hawrelak Park Pavilion : Currently being renovated into a modern cultural hub 🛍️ Shopping & Entertainment West Edmonton Mall : One of the largest malls in North America Includes an indoor amusement park, skating rink, waterpark, mini-golf, aquarium, and hotel Downtown : Dining, nightlife, entertainment district Whyte Avenue (Old Strathcona) : Bohemian shops, restaurants, vintage stores, and live venues 🚊 Transportation Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) : Bus + expanding LRT (Light Rail Transit) Bike lanes and river valley trails make active transport popular Edmonton International Airport (YEG) : Full-service airport ~30 min from city center Yellowhead Highway (Trans-Canada 16) and Anthony Henday Drive circle the city for convenient road access 🏘️ Neighborhoods Downtown : Business district, condos, night scene, riverfront Old Strathcona : Artsy, lively, historic Westmount & Glenora : Leafy, upscale, family-friendly Mill Woods : Diverse, suburban, large South Asian and Filipino communities Terwillegar & Windermere : Newer, suburban, high-income Beverly & Highlands : Historic and revitalizing areas near the river 🧊 Winter Life Ice skating trails through the river valley Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing City-maintained ice rinks in parks and local neighborhoods Winter patios, light shows, and cozy cafés Events like Deep Freeze and Silver Skate Festival 🧠 Unique Characteristics Edmonton is Canada’s northernmost major city , but extremely livable One of the first cities to invest in open data and smart city planning Known for its community-mindedness , with grassroots arts, co-ops, and local businesses thriving
Landmarks in edmonton
