As the province of Alberta came into being and Edmonton was named its capital city, the University of Alberta began accepting its first students. More than a century later, the relationship between the university and its municipal, provincial, and federal partners has flourished. The U of A’s original North Campus sits atop Edmonton’s North Saskatchewan River valley, North America’s largest stretch of urban parkland and the capital region’s biggest draw. Edmontonians also enjoy dozens of fitness and sport-training facilities, and the city is well known for its professional sports, which include hockey, football, baseball, soccer, and lacrosse franchises. Along with the U of A, a few of the city’s notable employers include PCL, BioWare, Stantec, Canadian Western Bank, and Telus.
Historic Whyte Avenue, with its boutiques and coffee shops, is a short walk from campus; downtown’s Jasper Avenue, home to high-quality restaurants and nightlife, is only a few train stops away. Also downtown, the Arts District boasts the Winspear Centre for Music, the Citadel Theatre, and the Art Gallery of Alberta. The world-famous West Edmonton Mall is also easily accessible from the university.
Known as “Canada’s Festival City,” Edmonton teems with cultural events year-round. Residents celebrate the sunny, warm summer with the second-largest Fringe Theatre Festival in the world, the world-renowned Folk Fest music festival, and Heritage Days, an outdoor showcase of the city’s multicultural communities. The U of A’s contribution to this roster is the biennial Festival of Ideas.
Add a top-notch health system, public schools the envy of educators the world over, and the Rocky Mountains close by, and it all adds up to Edmonton offering an outstanding quality of life.