Section E
Location Profiles
University of Alberta
114 St. – 89 Ave., Edmonton AB T6G 2E1
Tel: (780) 492-3111
The University
The University of Alberta, one of Canada’s premier research universities, is situated in the heart of Edmonton on the picturesque south bank of the North Saskatchewan River. It also boasts one of North America’s top libraries, with more than 9 million books and resources. Areas of established and emerging research excellence on a national or international scale include medicine, chemistry, engineering, social policy, and English literature. The University of Alberta has more than 3,300 faculty members and more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Fifty-eight members of the Royal Society of Canada are among a faculty that leads the country in 3M Awards for Teaching Excellence — Canada’s highest undergraduate teaching honour. The University of Alberta’s Industry Liaison Office has spurred development of 38 active spinoff companies and has put the University of Alberta in the number one position in Canada for licensing revenues. The main campus has more than 90 buildings on 89 hectares of land in the heart of Edmonton, Alberta’s capital city, which has a population in the metro area of roughly 930,000.
About Edmonton: Facts and Figures
Edmonton, the capital city of the province of Alberta, is known for its extensive park system that runs throughout the city. Just a short drive from the Rocky Mountains, Edmonton’s cold but sunny winters and pleasant summers make it an ideal place for those looking for a city atmosphere with an abundance of nature within easy reach. The Banff and Jasper National Parks are just a few hours drive away, offering great skiing in winter and beautiful hiking and sightseeing opportunities year-round.
Edmonton was rated as one of the top three places to live in Canada based on a study of North America’s cities that surveyed living cost, transportation, job outlook, education, climate, crime, the arts, health care, and recreation. Edmonton is experiencing very strong economic growth stemming from the oil sands projects in northern Alberta, which has fuelled all sectors of the economy including health. According to the 2005 census Edmonton had a population of over 700 000, although the recent growth has certainly catapulted that number much higher.
The provincial government, in partnership with the University and Capital Health Region (among other partners), has recently invested heavily in a number of exciting initiatives for Edmonton and the regions it serves, including:
the Alberta Diabetes Institute, a premier research facility aimed at bringing together world leaders in the prevention, treatment, and cure of diabetes through excellence in research and collaboration, and
the Edmonton Clinic, the largest healthcare building project in Western Canada, a $500 million project planned to house inter-professional teaching and out-patient services covering many specialties currently available through the University of Alberta and Stollery Children’s Hospitals.
Edmonton also boasts the popular title of Canada’s Festival City, and was deemed in 2007 to be the ‘Cultural Capital of Canada’. With over 30 annual festivals celebrating music, food, culture, sports, theatre and more, there’s never a dearth of cultural activities to enjoy. This is in addition to a variety of world-class galleries and museums, performances at the outstanding concert and performance venues, or dining at any of the many restaurants representing every major culinary niche in the world. There’s something for everyone in Edmonton!
Employment
Edmonton unemployment rate (October 2007) 4.2%
Main language spoken in homes:
English: 88.9%, French: 2.2%, Other: 8.9%
Largest minority language groups
Chinese, Ukrainian, German, Polish, Spanish, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Italian, Tagalog, Arabic
Aboriginal population
38,246 (4% of the urban population)
Family and housing
Avg monthly rent for a two-bedroom (2003) $722
Avg residential house price (November 2007) $355,622
Climate
Avg January temperature (ºC) –13
Avg July temperature (ºC) 16
Avg annual “snow” (cm) 124
Avg annual “rain” (mm) 366
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