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The Municipal Historic Resource designation program identifies and celebrates landmarks and historic resources associated with generations of Edmontonians. The City works with property owners to make historical resource projects feasible.
Historic Resources are buildings, structures, fragments, landscapes or features that represent an important development in Edmonton. It may have a unique architectural style or have been associated with a prominent person or event in Edmonton’s history.
The Heritage Places Strategy will build on the City's existing heritage program to include new histories, voices, peoples and climate resilience objectives.
The new strategy will replace Edmonton’s 2009 Historic Resource Management Plan. The new plan will reflect our society’s changing views on our history and values by understanding the need to reflect all cultures and voices.
The strategy will take a broader look at Edmonton’s history to recognize the contributions of currently underrepresented and marginalized people, places, and cultures, including Indigenous Peoples. This work will result in an update to the 2008 Policy C450B – Policy to Encourage the Designation and Rehabilitation of Municipal Historic Resources in Edmonton.
The Heritage Places Strategy will be an update to the 2009 plan and an earlier 1995 version.
The Heritage Places Strategy will include 3 phases and a variety of ways for people to learn more and provide feedback. Overall completion of the project is anticipated by mid 2026.
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, asked a question, shared their thoughts on Engaged Edmonton, met with us or emailed their feedback as part of Phase 3 engagement in March and April 2026.
We are reviewing all the input we received. A Phase 3 What We Heard Report will be available in Spring 2026.
Your input will be used to help inform refinements to thedraft Heritage Places Strategy. The final draft of the strategy will be available in Summer 2026 and presented to Council.
Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, asked a question, shared their thoughts on Engaged Edmonton, met with us or emailed their feedback as part of Phase 2 engagement in November 2025.
The Phase 2 What We Heard Report Full Version provides a full recap of the recurring themes, insights heard, and next steps.
The Phase 2 What We Heard Report Executive Summary provides a quick snapshot of the themes and insights heard.
Your input will be used to help inform refinements to the draft Guiding Principles and Pillars and the preparation of the overall strategy as part of Phase 3.
Phase 1 Engagement took place in the spring and summer of 2025.
The Phase 1 What We Heard Report Full Version provides a full recap of the recurring themes, insights heard and next steps.
The Phase 1 What We Heard Report Executive Summary provides a quick snapshot of the themes and insights heard.
Receive project updates as information becomes available and learn about engagement opportunities.
The Historic Resources Management program was developed to identify and save Edmonton’s historic resources with the goal that today’s developments are tomorrows heritage. The City is committed to preserving historical resources that represent our past and enhance our urban environment.
The Historic Resources Management Program was put in place to identify, facilitate and manage the protection and reuse of Edmonton’s Historic Resources.
The City works with property owners to make historical resource projects feasible. The program offers opportunities for buildings to expand and change while maintaining the character defining elements and key features of the historic resource’s period. There are also financial incentives available to assist with some costs of restoring the building.
The Historical Resources Management Program focuses on the following:
Learn how the Register and Inventory Program started and expanded over the years.
A city-wide study assessed buildings built up to 1959 in recognition of a significant collection of modern resources. The modern structures selected were added to the Inventory. The Register and Inventory continues to expand as significant resources are identified.
The format of the Register and Inventory changed between 2005 and 2008. The Historic Resource Management Plan was updated because:
The process featured a series of visioning exercises that were held in 2006 and 2007 to ask those with interest in heritage matters where they would like to see Edmonton in 20 years.
The process aligned itself with national terminology, standards and processes. “A” and “B” designation of resources was removed, and all resources were given equal value.
Summary of Vision, November 2006
Summary of Vision, February 2007
The Register and Inventory of Historic Resources in Edmonton and the Historic Resource Management Program was presented to City Council.
While the Register and Inventory lists, identifies and locates each of the Historic Resources, the Historic Resource Management Program describes how these resources will be monitored and managed by the City.
A project team identified significant buildings, bridges, landscapes, cemeteries, trees, architectural fragments, street furnishings and monuments to add to the Inventory. Natural resources, monuments, cemeteries and fragments were listed separately as Appendices. Historic resources of all types were evaluated using nationally recognised criteria.
City Council directed Administration to "conduct a comprehensive inventory of all historical and architecturally significant buildings in Edmonton."
A system was developed to evaluate buildings consistently. At that time, the Register and Inventory had two groupings of Resources; the “A” and “B” Lists. “A” listed buildings were considered to be the more historically significant than the “B” listed buildings.
In response to City Council's request to be notified when demolition threatened any heritage buildings. Initially, only downtown buildings were inventoried. This list gradually expanded to include the inner city residential communities surrounding downtown Edmonton and Strathcona.
The inventorying was done without a consistent standard with limited staff to manage the list.
8th Floor, Edmonton Tower
10111 104 Avenue NW
Edmonton AB T5J 0J4
| heritageplanners@edmonton.ca |
