With so many festivals, attractions and recreational offerings, it is a good thing Edmonton summer days are among the longest in Canada. In fact, Canada's "Festival City" enjoys over 17 hours of sunlight in early summer (more than any other major Canadian city). These long summer days (and long winter nights) are due to its northern location.
LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
Edmonton is positioned near the geographic centre of the province of Alberta along the banks of the Saskatchewan River. Some of Canada's richest oil fields and fertile farmland lay just outside Edmonton city limits. The city sprawls over 670 square kilometres making it one of the largest cities, by land area, in North America - larger than Chicago, Philadelphia or Detroit. Consequently, Edmonton has one of the lowest population densities of major North American cities (about 70 times less density than New York city). Edmonton is Alberta's capital city and is Canada's fifth most populous metropolis.
CLIMATE
Edmonton's climate varies dramatically between summer and winter. In July and August, expect temperatures in the low to mid twenties (Celsius) and daylight until nearly midnight. Winter days are notably short and frigid, with only eight hours of sunlight and temperatures that often plunge below -30° C. A network of covered walkways make travelling the city bearable on cold days. Edmonton receives an average 137 centimetres of snow every winter.
On some winter nights the colourful northern lights (aurora borealis) shimmer above the city.
ECONOMY
As the northernmost major city in North America, Edmonton is known as "The Gateway to the North". It is the major distributing centre for goods bound for Alaska and Canada's northwest.
It is oil, though, that fuels the Edmonton economy. The city's close proximity to Alberta's abundant oil deposits have made it a major refining and distribution point for Alberta's oil and gas industry. Many of the people who work in the oil fields call Edmonton home. The city is also the provincial capital and home of the University of Alberta.
PEOPLE
Edmonton's population is diverse and well-educated. Although the bulk of the people are of British descent, there are large populations of Germans, Ukrainians and Asians. About 14 per cent of Edmontonians are visible minorities. Actor Michael J. Fox, author W.P. Kinsella and hockey star Mark Messier were born in Edmonton.
Edmontonians enjoy one of Canada's highest standards of living due in part to its low tax rate (Oil-rich Alberta has no provincial sales tax and the lowest personal income tax rate in Canada).
CULTURE AND RECREATION
Edmonton summers are packed with fun and activities. Fifteen major festivals are held every year, including Klondike Days and Heritage Festival (a celebration of Edmonton's role in the 1890s gold rush), the Northern Alberta International Children's Festival and festivals that celebrate the city's many ethnic groups (such as the Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival).
The winter days may be short and cold, but Edmonton makes up for it with some of the biggest and best indoor entertainment in North America. Claimed to be the world's largest shopping mall, the West Edmonton Mall covers over 48 hectares. Inside are over 25 carnival-type rides (including a triple-loop roller coaster), an NHL-sized ice rink and the world's largest indoor wave pool.
The success of Edmonton's professional sports teams has lent the city another nickname - "The City of Champions". The NHL's Stanley Cup winning Edmonton Oilers play in the Northlands Coliseum and the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos score touchdowns in Commonwealth stadium. In sports, as well as business, there has always been a spirited rivalry between Edmonton and Calgary.
A variety of live theatre, world-class symphony concerts, museums and historical sites fill out Edmonton's cultural landscape.
Two daily newspapers, four local television stations and 19 radio stations keep Edmontonians informed and entertained.