Edmonton's Downtown Business Closures Explained

During the summer, the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce called for immediate action to protect the city’s downtown momentum, saying Edmonton is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, but that story is at risk of being drowned out by a wave of downtown business closures that are entirely preventable.

Edmonton did receive some positive economic news recently with the announcement that Edmonton-based Westrich Pacific has received court approval to acquire Edmonton City Centre, setting the stage for a major redevelopment of the downtown property that is expected to begin with approximately 1,500 residential units on the former Hudson’s Bay portion of the site.

But it’s been overshadowed by a shocking number of business closures in the downtown as For Sale and For Lease signs dominate the core.

Downtown Edmonton. Mario Toneguzzi photo

In a LinkedIn post, Murtaza Haider, Radhe Krishna Executive Chair in Cities and Communities, Alberta School of Business, University of Alberta, and Executive Director, Cities Institute, U of A, said: “As another downtown Edmonton business (The Gardens sports bar) closes its doors, the rot continues to spread through the heart of the city. Despite efforts by City Hall and local businesses, the depopulation of restaurants, bars, and social spaces remains an unresolved issue. The once vibrant pulse of Edmonton’s downtown is fading further, leaving behind a landscape that feels increasingly desolate.”

He said it is time for the city and its leadership to take decisive actions and implement innovative solutions that will breathe new life into streets and businesses.

“The future of Edmonton’s downtown depends on our ability to learn from others and adapt to the changing urban landscape,” he noted.

In a public safety survey conducted by the Chamber amongst its members over the past few months, 58% of businesses said they did not feel safe operating their business in Edmonton. In the last year, 44% have spent at least $500 to fix damages caused by vandalism, break ins, or shoplifting, while 24% said they spent more than $2,500.

“Edmonton’s growth story is real, and it’s one of the best in Canada right now,” said Doug Griffiths, President and CEO of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce. “But that story is being overshadowed by Downtown, and it doesn’t have to be. When we see nearly 20 businesses close their doors in the core this year, that’s not just a Downtown problem, that’s a city problem, and it’s one the City has the tools to fix. We’d like to see the City take steps to fix this problem, with a particular focus on safety.”

Public safety is one issue impacting downtown Edmonton businesses. The other is construction.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Chris DeCock, President/Co-Founder of GRETA Arcade Bar Streetfood and President/Co-Founder of Hudsons Canada’s Pub, announced the closure of GRETA in the downtown.

“For the last 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of owning restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues in Edmonton. At one point our company operated eight locations here. When GRETA YEG closes after ten years, we’ll have three remaining in Edmonton,” he said. “Writing those words is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write.

“After ten years, we’ve made the difficult decision to close GRETA Arcade Bar and Street Food. Every business closure has its own story. Ours happens to reflect a much bigger conversation about the future of downtown Edmonton.”

He said the company continues to grow and invest in other Canadian cities. GRETA is thriving elsewhere, and it continues to see opportunities across the country.

“I believe Edmonton deserves an honest conversation about where downtown is heading. The truth is this: we haven’t been investing in downtown Edmonton for the last decade. We’ve been divesting. That should concern every Edmontonian.

“The real story isn’t that GRETA is closing. The real story is what happens when experienced local entrepreneurs—people born here, raised here and committed to this city—begin choosing to invest somewhere else.

“No single decision brought us here. It wasn’t one tax increase. It wasn’t patio fees. It wasn’t paid parking. It wasn’t hybrid work. It wasn’t safety. It wasn’t one construction project. It was death by a thousand cuts. Year after year, decision after decision, operating downtown became a little harder and investing there became a little riskier.”

He said the biggest challenge has been access.

“Years of simultaneous construction tied to the Valley Line West LRT, Jasper Avenue, Stony Plain Road and surrounding corridors have fundamentally changed how people reach downtown. The Valley Line West alone spans roughly 14 kilometres, with construction and commissioning extending over many years. Infrastructure matters, but restaurants, retailers and small businesses cannot survive nearly a decade of disruption while waiting for promised long-term benefits,” added DeCock.

The Chamber said it recognizes that business openings and closures are a normal part of any healthy economy, and Edmonton continues to see new businesses choosing to open downtown.

But if multiple businesses close for every one that opens, the city’s business community never gets ahead, it added.

“Our members have consistently raised construction disruption, public safety concerns, and the state of public space Downtown as factors actively driving foot traffic and customers out of Downtown. These are issues the City cannot afford to leave unaddressed any longer, and they are issues the Chamber has always advocated for solutions on “

“Seeing so many of these restaurants shut their doors is tough for us at the Chamber to see,” said Edmonton Chamber Vice President of Economy and Engagement, Heather Thomson. “The Chamber’s advocacy for small businesses Downtown has always been consistent. We want to see more people back Downtown on a regular basis. We want to see more people working Downtown and living Downtown, and we need to see these priorities reflected in City’s policies and approach to the business community.”

The Chamber said it endorses the Downtown Revitalization Coalition’s call for Edmonton City Council to declare downtown economic stabilization an immediate priority and give Administration a clear mandate to act now.

Public safety: Continued and expanded investment in a safe, welcoming Downtown core, treated as a foundational economic pillar rather than a separate issue from economic development.
Construction coordination: Downtown businesses considered primary stakeholders when planning construction, ensuring better coordination and sequencing of Downtown construction, with business access and customer disruption treated as core project requirements.
Construction site standards: Higher standards for construction sites, including cleanliness, pedestrian access, fencing, signage, and daily maintenance.
Business relief measures: Free on-street parking in the downtown core for the remainder of the 2026 construction season, waived patio permit fees for Downtown businesses for the rest of the year, and investment in the public realm, streetscapes and shared spaces that make downtown a destination.

In July, the Edmonton Downtown Business Association sent a letter to the City of Edmonton’s Downtown Integration Manager, Infrastructure Services: “While the large number of construction projects represent significant investments in downtown infrastructure, the cumulative impact to downtown accessibility is contributing to the permanent closure of ground-floor businesses. This represents a loss of employment for residents, loss of tax revenue to all levels of government, and loss of vibrancy in Edmonton. As you appreciate, there is already an overwhelming impact of construction on the downtown road, sidewalk, and bike lane network, impacting access to, from, and within downtown.

“Most of the major downtown streets and avenues are currently undergoing public works and our business community cannot endure any further disruptions. Through this letter, the Edmonton Downtown Business Association requests: (1) priority reopening of intersections affected by Valley Line LRT construction; (2) a review of timelines for upcoming projects; and (3) a formal framework to assess business impacts when sequencing future capital projects.”