Downtown Edmonton is the beating heart of our city. It’s our main economic and cultural engine, our main celebration space, offering unique public spaces with events and festivals that attract the most residents and visitors in Edmonton. It drives Edmonton’s economic prosperity. That’s why investing in it matters.
Investing in the heart of Edmonton and making downtown a vibrant place is a priority.
Downtown Action Plan Fund
The Downtown Action Plan Fund will invest up to $3 million into community-led projects that increase interest in and demand for downtown, helping make the heart of our city an excellent place to live, work and play.
Focused on long-term and impactful shared investments, the Downtown Action Plan Fund supports projects that accelerate progress towards a stronger and more vibrant downtown economy alongside community partners. The three funding streams are:
- Programs and Activations such as block parties, sports programs, fitness classes, musical and artistic performances
- Recreational Amenities to provide sport, leisure, or recreational opportunities, such as a new basketball or pickleball court
- Placemaking and Beautification, including decorative lighting, street furniture and interactive art installations
Application Intake
| Intake Period: | Decision Date: |
|---|---|
| August 1 to August 31, 2026 | September 14, 2026 |
| September 1 to September 30, 2026 | October 15, 2026 |
| October 1 to October 31, 2026 | November 16, 2026 |
*Please note Stream 1 has reopened for applications.
**Projects can now extend into 2027 at the discretion of the City of Edmonton Downtown Economy team
Online applications are encouraged. If a paper copy is required or if you have questions about your application, please email downtown@edmonton.ca. Applications will only remain open while funds are available.
Funded Projects
- 3x3 Basketball Association - $24,600
- Basketball festival for the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues (EFCL) at Fan Park in the Ice District
- 7 Rave Inc. - $93,000
- A free SMS notification service that connects Edmontonians with downtown events through text messages
- Alberta Craft Council - $64,496
- Monthly craft programming at Alberta Craft Gallery and Shop and O-day’min Park
- Art Gallery of Alberta - $97,800
- Canadian artist, Kevin Schmidt will transform the outside walls of the Art Gallery of Alberta into an interactive light show where visitors are able to control both lights and sound.
- BioMD Ltd. - $25,000
- The Cypher: Skateboarding, Indigenous Art & Street Culture Activation activates Churchill Square with skateboarding, breaking and street dance, Indigenous art, graffiti, hip hop and live music.
- Bird Creatives - $87,000
- Live music activations taking place across downtown in alignment with major national and international events hosted in Edmonton
- Citadel Theatre - $60,500
- The Citadel Theatre, Winspear Centre for Music, and Art Gallery of Alberta (AGA) come together to host Arts District Day 2027 which includes programming across multiple venues for free and low-cost experiences. Funding will also be applied to public-engagement resources.
- Citadel Theatre - $50,000
- Heart & Hub: Citadel Theatre’s 50th Anniversary Community Activation Series (2026/27) will deliver a series of free, accessible community events, activations, and artistic encounters.
- CIVIQ Lab's Society - $60,000
- Multiple pop-up activations in downtown parks, featuring games, art and music
- CIVIQ Labs Society - $18,000
- An indoor pop-up series over 6 nights at the McLeod Building
- Chimo Animal Assisted Wellness and Learning Society - $3,120
- Therapy dogs will be walked throughout the pedways connecting to Churchill LRT Station during peak transit times and after work hours to increase vibrancy, help people feel welcome and safe and to build connections.
- Cloud Nine Group - $52,358
- Galactic Atmosphere is a 10-day, immersive, celestial art installation featuring inflatable 3D planets.
- ConcertWorks International Inc. - $100,000
- INFEST 2026 is targeted to be the largest heavy metal music festival in Canada; held across several downtown venues.
- Don Berner Big Band Foundation - $50,000
- Activating downtown LRT Spaces with big band style and live music performances
- Downtown Business Association of Edmonton - $100,000
- Downtown Winterval is a one-day festival spanning historic 104 Street, Michael Phair Park, and Beaver Hills House Park. Features include local business activities, roaming artists, and music.
- Downtown Edmonton Community League - $4,600
- CornFest is a popular annual event held in Beaver Hills House Park where families, residents, and newcomers gather to enjoy food, local talent, and take part in activities that reflect the vibrancy of downtown.
- Downtown Edmonton Community League - $2,300
- Breakfast in the Park at O-day’min Park
- EverHoops Foundation - $460
- Free basketball coaching sessions for Edmonton youth at O-day’min Park basketball courts
- Firefly Theatre and Circus Society - $2,550
- Free, family-friendly, inclusive circus arts workshops at O-day'min Park include classes for hula-hooping, juggling, spinning plates, flower sticks, and more.
- Free Play for Kids Inc. - $100,000
- Free activities including sport tournaments, full-day sport-specific youth camps, and community connection events for children, youth and families; specifically those who are racialized, newcomers, or face systemic barriers to accessing downtown spaces.
- Grindstone Theatre Society - $50,000
- Free, live musical-theatre performances taking place throughout the downtown LRT network. Designed to animate public spaces, surprise and delight commuters, and increase access to the performing arts, the project transforms transit stations into vibrant cultural destinations by presenting professional-quality musical theatre.
- Kakio Productions Inc. - $100,000
- An Indigenous-led cultural activation and concert series taking place at O-day’min Park and including live performances, youth engagement, land-based learning, artisan markets, food vendors and public art installations.
- MacEwan University - $28,984
- MacEwan University, NorQuest College, and the Edmonton Downtown Business Association (EDBA) partner to host a Campus Block Party across three city blocks within the Education District.
- Malt and Meadow Inc. - $55,000
- Downtown Dragon Sounds is a monthly concert series at Double Dragon targeted to post-secondary students. Features include live performances, curations with the Yardbird Suite, and musical representation across jazz, indie-rock, electronic, folk, world music, and experimental genres.
- NUOVA Vocal Arts - $25,120
- Multi-site vocal arts festival including opera, musical-theatre, cabaret, concerts, and immersive pop-up performances
- Oilers Entertainment Group Canada Corp - $100,000
- Edmonton's Summer of Soccer includes watch parties for 97 of 104 games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup as well as a FIFA Canada roadshow event at Fan Park.
- RAIN SHADOW PRODUCTIONS LTD. - $100,000
- Purple City Music Festival includes 3 days of live music at multiple downtown venues, Indigenous-led mentorship sessions, and free youth programming.
- Shala Ashtanga Yoga Centre Inc. - $16,620
- Free outdoor yoga programming at Beaver Hills House Park, Michael Phair, Park, O-day’min Park, Rice Howard Way Entertainment District and 104 Street
- Sinkunia Community Development Organization - $85,000
- Youth-led cultural performances, community fitness / wellness activities, and interactive art / storytelling stations at O-day’min Park
- Sport Edmonton - $10,000
- Metro Mini Movers is a free, children’s dance program led by Image School of Dance and Sport Edmonton at O-day’min Park.
- Stanley Milner Library - $6,000
- Weekly Sunday programming at Centennial Plaza including games, engaging art displays, and performances
- The Common Inc. - $78,000
- Patrons are hosted aboard the High Level Bridge Streetcar and served a selection of local craft beer, cocktails or mocktails. Free live music at The Common wraps up each ride.
- Ukraine's Kitchen Inc. - $29,000
- Programming and community events such as Zumba classes, chess meetups, markets featuring artists and vendors from diverse backgrounds and a variety of live musical performances prioritizing marginalized and underrepresented groups
- Wîhkwêntôwin Community League - $9,470
- A recreational 3-on-3 basketball tournament hosted by the Wîhkwêntôwin Community League (WCL) and the Downtown Edmonton Community League (DECL) at O-day’min Park
- Winterruption YEG Ltd. - $50,000
- Winter art and music festival with live music, comedy, DJs, drag performances, arts programming, and educational workshops. Also included is Edmonton’s first Winterruption Northern Arts Conference.
- YMCA of Northern Alberta - $1,787
- Free outdoor group fitness classes at O-day'min Park
- 3x3 Basketball Association - $17,000
- The acquisition of Olympic-calibre, 3x3 basketball equipment for use over the summer
- Edmonton Downtown Business Association - $5,000
- The creation and placement of creative street signs at either end of the alley known as “Lulu Lane”. The signs will tell the story of Lulu Anderson and complete the artwork.
- Edmonton Mural Festival Society - $54,600
- Mural Festival will host a public mural workshop, mural tours, an art battle event, and will facilitate the creation of high-quality murals at the Citadel Theatre and Jobber Carbon Graphics building on 103 Street and 101 Avenue.
- Melcor Developments Ltd. - $67,595
- Exterior facade upgrades including new architectural lights to highlight the 100 Street Place Building
- Sherlock Holmes Pub - $3,145
- Programmable LED Lighting to enhance the exterior of Sherlock Holmes Pub
- The Works International Visual Arts Society - $100,000
- Placemaking and Beautification for Rice Howard Parkade including stairwell art, 2 large murals, additional wall art and decorative enhancements to the neighbouring alley, known as the "Alley of Light"
- Westrich Management Ltd. - $5,295
- Westrich Management along with iHuman and their youth artists will paint storytelling art on the windows along 104 Street and 103 Avenue.
Downtown Newsletter
Get the scoop on what's happening Downtown including events, new businesses and City news.
City Investments in Downtown
Our downtown has transformed over the last 10 years with more than $4.7 billion in development in the residential, office, educational, cultural and entertainment sectors.
Now we have an amazing opportunity for more transformation, growth and innovation in our downtown as Edmonton’s population continues to grow. A thriving downtown means a thriving Edmonton for everyone.
Downtown By The Numbers
- 1,950 businesses*
- 89,016 employees*
- 3 major post-secondary institutions are located downtown, attracting more than 30,000 students
- Nearly 13,000 residents live downtown
- 10.5 kilometres of bike routes
- 3 LRT lines converge in downtown with a fourth line under construction
- 4,860 kilometres travelled daily downtown by all ETS buses and LRT trains
- 22 parks and open spaces downtown with easy access to the largest urban parkland in North America
- 195 events downtown with over 910,000 attendees in 2024, representing nearly 25% of all events and attendees
$383 million
On current and future projects up to 2026 under the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy
$14 million
On 126 projects under the Downtown Vibrancy Fund between 2022 and 2024
$22.9 million
On 9 residential housing projects worth about $522 million in private investment
Turn Up Downtown
We’ve partnered with businesses and organizations to offer a bounty of programming downtown this summer. This year’s calendar adds a diverse mix of events and activities in Michael Phair Park, Beaver Hills House Park, Alex Decoteau Park, O-day’min Park, and Sir Winston Churchill Square and Centennial Plaza and LRT stations.
Find out how to Turn Up Downtown now!
Downtown News
Downtown Action Plan
The Downtown Action Plan guides eight priority actions that we will take immediately and over the next five years to support growth and investment in Edmonton’s downtown, making it a thriving place for Edmontonians, businesses and visitors.
Entertainment Districts Downtown
Entertainment Districts are public spaces where food and drink, including alcoholic beverages, can be consumed on the street.
104 Street: The 104 Street district is open every Saturday throughout the summer during the Downtown Farmers’ Market.
Rice Howard Way: The Rice Howard Way district is open on select days throughout the summer. The district was awarded first place by Economic Developers Alberta under its economic development renewal project category in 2025.
Multi-day Transit Passes
ETS offers 3-day and 5-day ARC transit passes, making it convenient for visitors coming downtown to take in its attractions like Rogers Place, the Winspear Centre or Royal Alberta Museum.
Current City Projects
The City funds projects under the Downtown Community Revitalization Levy with the goal of stimulating development and increasing vibrancy with strategic public investments.
“I like being near the pulse of the city. I like knowing that if I want to pop out at 10pm, I can go for a drink or go for a walk. It’s nice to have those adventures so close at hand.”
– Levi Binnema, manager of Audrey Books and resident living downtown. Find out what Levi and others are saying about living downtown.
"People living there, going to restaurants, coffee shops, bars – like just activities. It’s a massive investment and people are going to use the LRT and other stuff the City has built."
– Langham Developments President Reza Mostashari, owner of Falcon One, a 30-storey, 234-unit residential building and recipient of City’s Economic Incentive Grant.
Downtown Vibrancy Projects
The City invested $14 million in 126 projects under the Downtown Vibrancy Fund between 2022 and 2024. Projects led by businesses and organizations were funded to enhance our downtown.
Entertainment Districts
People can buy alcoholic beverages and food from participating businesses in the Rice Howard Way and 104 Street entertainment districts and consume them on the street within the designated space.
The Azure Dragon of the East
9643 101A Avenue
The second of a 4-mural series called the Four Guardians of Chinatown painted by local artist Branden Cha (Busyrawk). Each mural depicts mythical beasts from Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese ancestral lore.
Edmonton Sign
A 32-foot interactive art piece with a programmable LED light display located in Sir Winston Churchill Square showcases the work of local artists, offering a great photo backdrop.