Edmonton Research Park

[Daveography]

The City of Edmonton will be assuming ownership of the Edmonton Research Park from EEDC, now that EEDC's mandate has been refocused on conferences and tourism:

Edmonton Research Park Surrender Agreement - City Council - October 19, 2020

pub-edmonton.escribemeetings.com

Sounds like this is temporary until the City has established the new Innovation Ecosystem Entity.

 

[IanO]

Expected and likely an interim solution.

Still a bit of a white elephant.

 

[Avenuer]

Expected and likely an interim solution.

Still a bit of a white elephant.

Do you know why it was originally developed? Was it by the Province back in the day?

 

[IanO]

I know bits and pieces, but never have been able to get a full picture of its origin. I believe that it was part of a diversification and innovation strategy from the Lougheed days to stimulate investment in the region and try to capitalize on some of the stuff happening at the UofA.

Ken?

 

[kcantor]

edmonton owned the north quarter and the province owned/owns the south one. at a high level the province was going to incubate research coming from the u of a and edmonton was going to incubate private sector research and development activity. diversification and innovation were indeed the underlying themes. this was to be a 320 acre campus that was going to compete with the best across north america and it had that kind of potential.

as with most ventures like this however, the devil is in the details and after more than 4 decades, the management and implementation of the strategy has simply never lived up to its potential. after more than four decades, according to their website:

• We operate two buildings in the park designed to nurture research initiatives: the Advanced Technology Centre, and the Biotechnology Business Development Centre.
• We make land available for qualified companies planning to build research facilities within four areas of focus: biotechnology, nanotechnology, clean energy and oil and gas support.

other than the alberta innovates building, the largest entity in our research and development park is now a credit union occupying space originally built for a call centre. our research and development park is also home to one of our larger general contractors. in the meantime, acamp has decamped to eia and calgary...

don't get me wrong, there are some very cool entities doing some very cool things here but research and development real estate is like venture capital. it's high risk and high reward and the only thing that doesn't get rewarded is caution and micromanagement and risk mitigation strategies. which is how we got from where we started to where we are.

 

[Lucas797]

The website now is closed, but it used to say that there was the Advanced Technology Centre, in Edmonton Research Park. It claimed that "Edmonton Research Park (ERP) is home to more than 1,500 members at 55+ start up companies". Does anyone know if any of this exists? Websites are down and on one answers phones.

 

[Avenuer]

The website now is closed, but it used to say that there was the Advanced Technology Centre, in Edmonton Research Park. It claimed that "Edmonton Research Park (ERP) is home to more than 1,500 members at 55+ start up companies". Does anyone know if any of this exists? Websites are down and on one answers phones.

I am sure it will be included on the Innovate Edmonton webpage once that page itself is 'beefed up' more and expands from the single landing page.

 

[Airboy]

The advanced research building was right on 96 and 20 ave. The semi buried building. Don't know if it still used for that.
Did a lot of facility testing out there since it first started. ChemBiomed, CFER and a few other. Plus a lot of small pharma firms. Doing clean room and chem hood certification.

 

[IanO]

6.3 Future Use of Research Park Buildings
The following public speaker made a presentation and answered questions:
 A. MacIsaac, Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation
The following members of Administration’s delegation answered
questions:

•  C. Hodgson, Financial and Corporate Services
•  M. Persson, Chief Financial Officer and Deputy City Manager, Financial and Corporate Services
  Moved by: T. Cartmell
  That Executive Committee recommend to City Council:

1. That Administration proceed with Option 2, as outlined in the June 28, 2021, Financial and Corporate Services report FCS00541, and return to Committee with the results of the public offering and recommendations prior to entering into a formal sales agreement.
Page 8 of 36
6
2. That Attachment 4 of the June 28, 2021, Financial and Corporate Services report FCS00541, remain private pursuant to sections 16 (disclosure harmful to business interests of a third party), 24 (advice from officials) and 25 (disclosure harmful to economic and other interests of a public body) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
In Favour (5): D. Iveson, S. McKeen, T. Cartmell, S. Hamilton, and M. Walters
Carried (5 to 0)

 

[CplKlinger]

Decision to sell Edmonton Research Park assets upsets some tenants

 

[IanO]

Probably makes sense at this point.

 

[kcantor]

^

no it doesn't make sense.

or at least no more sense than how this has been mis-managed almost since day one. this is simply avoiding responsibility for that mis-management and deferred maintenance by dumping the asset rather than being accountable for it.

it was a shiny penny when it was started and we're too busy chasing the next shine penny instead of polishing the ones we already have.

 

[Avenuer]

^

no it doesn't make sense.

or at least no more sense than how this has been mis-managed almost since day one. this is simply avoiding responsibility for that mis-management and deferred maintenance by dumping the asset rather than being accountable for it.

it was a shiny penny when it was started and we're too busy chasing the next shine penny instead of polishing the ones we already have.

Was it originally a Provincial endeavor or was it always the City?

 

[kcantor]

they are and were separate/twin endeavors but the city's lands have always been a city project. the province owns the quarter south of the city's project (where the alberta innovates and agrifood etc. are located). the city's holdings total something less than a full quarter as the north end was "lost" to construct 23rd avenue. the province's holdings are a full quarter which remains unsubdivided and you can see the transition on site and on google earth at the end of karl clark road and 94th street which provide access to the the province's quarter as it goes from "city standard road construction" to private (although provincially owned) land.

 

[IanO]

^

no it doesn't make sense.

or at least no more sense than how this has been mis-managed almost since day one. this is simply avoiding responsibility for that mis-management and deferred maintenance by dumping the asset rather than being accountable for it.

it was a shiny penny when it was started and we're too busy chasing the next shine penny instead of polishing the ones we already have.

My point.

This 'park' was half-baked and half redirected to other pursuits and so it is time to move on.