Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- River Valley Trail System (over 150 km of paved/unpaved trails)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Saskatchewan Drive (Overlooking Downtown); Strathearn Drive
- Birdwatching Locations
- Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary; Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Hawrelak Park; Victoria Park (with designated city permits/stoves)
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Elk Island National Park (35 mins east); River Valley (North America's largest urban park)
- National Parks Nearby
- Jasper National Park (3.5 hours west); Elk Island (45 km)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Canada Post, Purolator, FedEx, UPS
- Tech Repair Services
- West Edmonton Mall Apple Store; Memory Express
- Table Tennis Spots
- Edmonton Table Tennis Club (Saville Community Sports Centre)
- Language Classes
- Metro Continuing Education; ECLA (French classes)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Stanley A. Milner Library (Downtown - highly high-tech); Rutherford Library
- Community Centers
- Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre; Terwillegar Community Centre
- Gaming Lounges
- The Rec Room (South Common/WEM); OverActive Media sites
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Grand Villa Casino (Ice District); River Cree Resort and Casino
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 5,100 CAD per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 204,000 CAD)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 3,800 CAD per m² (e.g., 40 m² = 152,000 CAD)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 4,800 CAD per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 288,000 CAD)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 3,500 CAD per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 210,000 CAD)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 4,500 CAD per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 360,000 CAD)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 3,200 CAD per m² (e.g., 80 m² = 256,000 CAD)
- Corporate Tax
- 23% (Combining 15% Federal and 8% Alberta Provincial)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 25% (Often reduced to 5-15% via tax treaties)
- Tax System
- Worldwide income basis for residents
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 48% (Federal + Provincial combined)
- VAT
- 5% GST (Alberta has NO Provincial Sales Tax/PST)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, FAPI (Foreign Accrual Property Income) rules apply
- Property Tax
- Annual; approx. 0.9% of assessed market value
- Property Transaction Tax
- No land transfer tax in Alberta (only small registration fees)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- Lowest personal tax rates and no PST in Canada
Essentials
- City
- Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Population
- Approximately 1,010,000 (City), 1.5 million (Metro)
- Internet Speed
- High-speed fiber widely available; average 150-500 Mbps via Telus or Shaw (Rogers)
- Currency & Banking
- Canadian Dollar (CAD); 1 USD ≈ 1.36 CAD, 1 EUR ≈ 1.47 CAD
- Tap Water
- Drinkable and high quality (EPCOR regulated)
- Power
- 120V, 60Hz, 🔌 Type A/B sockets
- SIM Card
- Telus, Rogers, Bell (Premium); Public Mobile, Lucky, or Fido (Budget). 20GB for ~50 CAD
- Banking for Expats
- TD Canada Trust, RBC, Scotiabank, or digital banks like EQ Bank and Neo Financial
- Accommodation
- Modern condos in Downtown/Oliver, historic homes in Strathcona. Airbnb and RentFaster.ca
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, Interac Debit and credit cards accepted everywhere; Apple/Google Pay ubiquitous
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb, VRBO, and executive suites like Mainstreet Equity or Boardwalk
- Budget Accommodation
- HI Edmonton Hostel (approx. 45 CAD/night), Days Inn Downtown
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Old Strathcona (Whyte Ave) for nightlife and culture; Downtown for Ice District
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Oliver (walkable, dense cafes) or Griesbach (modern, green spaces, quiet)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Homestead (Downtown, 35 CAD Day Pass); Unit B (Old Strathcona)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Credo Coffee (104 St); District Coffee Co.; The Columbian (Parkallen)
- Networking Events
- Startup Edmonton events; Edmonton Chamber of Commerce mixers
- Social Events for Expats
- Edmonton Newcomers Meetup; Internationals in Edmonton Facebook Group
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber (Main), Reapp (Local Taxi), Co-op Taxi
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Lime and Bird electric scooters (seasonal, approx. 1.15 CAD + 0.35/min)
- Best Beach Nearby
- Alberta Beach (Lac Ste. Anne), approx. 45 mins west of the city
- Top Regional Airline
- WestJet (Hub at YEG)
- Top International Airline
- Air Canada, KLM (direct to Amsterdam), Condor (Frankfurt)
- Highway Access
- Anthony Henday Drive (Ring Road), Highway 2 (QEII to Calgary)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Churchill Station (LRT Hub); Edmonton VIA Rail Station
- Public Transport Passes
- ETS (Edmonton Transit Service) Arc Card; Day pass 10.25 CAD, Monthly 100 CAD
- Regional Travel
- Red Arrow Luxury Motorcoach or Ebus to Calgary and Red Deer
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- University of Alberta Hospital (8440 112 St NW); Royal Alexandra Hospital
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Sattva Yoga (Whyte Ave); Bliss YogaSpa (South Side)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- GoodLife Fitness (Multiple locations); MacEwan University Sport and Wellness
- Laundry Services
- The Mat Laundromat (106 Ave); various dry cleaners like Page the Cleaner
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- SkipTheDishes (Local favorite), UberEats, DoorDash
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Green Onion Cakes (Cultural staple); Perogies (Ukrainian influence)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- The Moth Cafe; Padmanadi (Indonesian Vegan); Die Pie
- Best Dessert Spots
- Duchess Bake Shop (124 St - World renowned); Kind Ice Cream
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Old Strathcona Farmers' Market; T&T Supermarket (Asian groceries)
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon.ca, Indigo.ca, BestBuy.ca
- Grocery Delivery
- Instacart, Voila (Sobeys/Safeway), PC Express (Loblaws/Superstore)
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Whyte Avenue (82nd Ave) for pubs; Ice District for upscale lounges
- Local Brewery
- Bent Stick Brewing; Sea Change Brewing Co.; Alley Kat Brewing
- Wine Bars
- Clementine (French style); Tzin Wine & Tapas (104 St)
- Street Food Stalls
- What the Truck? (Seasonal events); 104 St Night Market
- Popular International Cuisine
- Syphay (Thai); Corso 32 (Italian); Otto Food & Drink (German-inspired)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Alberta Legislature Building; Muttart Conservatory (Pyramids)
- Museums & Art Venues
- Royal Alberta Museum (RAM); Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA)
- Historical Sites
- Fort Edmonton Park; High Level Bridge (LRT/Streetcar)
- Religious Sites
- St. Joseph’s Basilica; Al-Rashid Mosque (First mosque in Canada)
- Annual Events
- Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (August); K-Days
- Cultural Districts
- Quarters District; French Quarter (Bonnie Doon)
- Theater Venues
- Citadel Theatre; Winspear Centre (Symphony)
- Local Markets
- Downtown Farmers' Market; 124 Grand Market (Seasonal)
- Music Scene
- The Starlite Room; Union Hall; Rogers Place (Major tours)
- Street Art
- Rust Magic International Mural Festival locations (Downtown/Whyte)
- Cooking Classes
- Get Cooking (MacEwan University area); PC Cooking School
- Art Galleries
- Bearclaw Gallery; Lando Gallery
- Historic Buildings
- McKay Avenue School; Hotel Macdonald (Fairmont)
- Local Heritage
- Indigenous history (Treaty 6 territory) and Ukrainian pioneering heritage