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Gronk! said:
globalnews.ca

Edmonton businesses say city permit delays costing them thousands: ‘I’m running out of money’ - Edmonton | Globalnews.ca

Business owners are expressing frustration over permit delays with the City of Edmonton and some say they feel set up for failure.
globalnews.ca globalnews.ca
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This is troubling, but I would be curious to hear others' perspectives. It seems possible that a lot of first-time business owners lack know-how and might be relying too much on their contractors to know how to get things right for building permits. On the other hand, the city should meet people halfway and try to increase transparency and reduce delays if we want small businesses to thrive.
 
Look how long it took for these businesses to open:
  • ACE Coffee Roasters in Manulife Place
  • Square 1 near the U of A
  • Japanese Village near ICE District
  • O'Byrnes near ICE District
  • MSSM in the COE Tower
  • Transit Smokehouse & BBQ
Who do you blame for these delays: the City? the landlords? the owners? the subcontractors?
 
constance_chlore said:
This is troubling, but I would be curious to hear others' perspectives. It seems possible that a lot of first-time business owners lack know-how and might be relying too much on their contractors to know how to get things right for building permits. On the other hand, the city should meet people halfway and try to increase transparency and reduce delays if we want small businesses to thrive.
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I'm not sure how troubling it is though. When the complaint is "They made us get drawings stamped, how unreasonable" it comes across as pretty amateur hour.
 
I had mentioned my experience from back a number of years ago in L.A. with a restaurant project that took over a year to get through all of the concerned agencies (Planning, Building and Safety, Zoning, Health, Disabled Access, Records, Environment, Electrical, Plumbing, Mechanical, and Historical Resources -- 11 in all) and this after all drawings were ready to submit. The client hung in there and it was eventually approved. At the prompting of the client I wrote a rather stiffly worded letter to the Mayor and City Council but, rather than just beefing, I suggested a solution. I suggested forming a different department -- originally called the Restaurant and Hospitality Expediting Group that has now transmogrified into the Restaurant & Small Business Express Program (RSBEP), expanded to include more than hospitality venues. The Department would be pared down to six Engineers that would have over-signing authority for all of the different agencies (in other words the agencies would be dealing with not only the applicant but also with an assigned engineer who would know the process from the inside). The six engineers were aligned with the applicant in terms of achieving outcomes but were also attuned to the internal systems. The next several restaurants that I worked on after the new department was set up in L.A.'s jurisdiction breezed through in mere weeks. Edmonton should institute something similar for retail and hospitality projects. The daunting aspect of programs that are not streamlined cost clients thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses and the delays frustrate landlords and potential tenants alike.
 
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MacLac said:
“Silent Aire, a Johnson Controls company.” Uh oh! An American company owning a Canadian company!!!!!!😫

Silent-Aire Opens Carina Facility: Strengthening Alberta's Data Center Industry

/CNW/ - Silent-Aire, a Johnson Controls company, proudly announces the grand opening of Carina—Silent-Aire's 5th and largest manufacturing facility in Canada...
www.newswire.ca www.newswire.ca
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Yah but the started here and have 3/4 of their manufacturing here as well. They've come a long way since I first did work with them. I just kick myself for not investing.
 
Airboy said:
Yah but the started here and have 3/4 of their manufacturing here as well. They've come a long way since I first did work with them. I just kick myself for not investing.
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I knew Silent Aire was big when the new arena on Nisku Spine was built and named after them, prior - never heard of them. Johnson Controls spent “$870 M on them in 2019.”
mailchi.mp

Taproot Edmonton Business Roundup: April 11, 2025

With news from Silent-Aire, TransPod, Nolinor Aviation, DiveThru, Northernmost, TrustBIX, Dr. Phone Fix, Women Building Futures, Katz Group, and more.
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