Did You Know: Made in Edmonton

Innovation is intrinsic to Edmonton.

The University of Alberta is home to many medical and scientific breakthroughs—from Quantum Canola to synthesized sucrose to artificial intelligence.

We’re also a hotbed of creativity in technology, sports and the arts. Award-winning video games, Pride Tape, and North America’s first Fringe Festival were all created in Edmonton. 

Here are just a few examples:

Stantec Tower (2018)

At 250.8 metres (or 823 feet), it’s the tallest building west of Toronto. The 69-storey tower features condos and the headquarters to Stantec, one of the world’s top design and engineering firms.

Mobilize (2018)

A line of indigenous streetwear, created by Dusty LeGrande, available online and in Zumiez stores across North America.

Pride Tape (2015) 

Rainbow-coloured tape used by athletes of all stripes—in hockey, lacrosse, softball by pros, amateurs, recreational—to wrap their sticks and bats and show support for the LGBTQ community. Originally conceived by University of Alberta professor Dr. Kristopher Wells and Calder Bateman Communications (now ZGM), the first rolls of Pride Tape were manufactured with money raised by a crowdfunding campaign.

Mass Effect (2007)

An award-winning series of cosmic role-playing video games, books and comics created by BioWare. The Edmonton company, founded in 1995 and now owned by Electronic Arts, has also designed Baldur’s Gate and Dragon’s Age.

Nexopia (2003)

Edmonton teen Timo Ewalds developed and launched Canada’s first social media network—a year before Facebook was invented.

Kinnikinnick Foods (1991)

This Edmonton company was one of the first manufacturers of gluten-free baked goods in the world. It was also one of the first food companies to sell its products online.

Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival (1982)

Theatre director Brian Paisley launched the first (and largest) Fringe in North America, inspired by a similar festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. More than 848,000 people attended Edmonton’s Fringe in 2019—a record amount for the 11-day event.

Dr. Anne Anderson’s Metis Cree Dictionary (1975)

A Metis nurse, teacher and author, Anderson translated a 38,000-word English dictionary into the Cree language and eventually opened a cultural centre to teach Cree to students. In 2021, the Edmonton Public School Board opened a high school in her name.

Procol Harum Live: In Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (1972)

This groundbreaking live album, featuring British rockers Procol Harum and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, was the first with an orchestra to sell more than a million copies in the U.S.

Standard Rubber Hack (1939)

One of the most integral developments in the sport of curling, the rubber hack consists of rubber footholds embedded into the ice. Invented by Edmonton curling legend E.B. “Ole” Olson, curlers use the hack to push off to deliver their stones.

Greenfield Hawaiian Guitars (1926)

As Hawaiian music was sweeping the globe in the 1920s, a pair of Edmonton brothers and cabinet makers crafted their own line of Hawaiian guitars, which are now highly sought-after by musicians and collectors.

Community Leagues (1917)

These volunteer-run associations plan community activities and help neighbours connect with each other and the City of Edmonton. Crestwood was the first league, there are now 162. In 2021, the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues celebrated its 100th anniversary. Read more about how Community Leagues bring people together.