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We’ve switched to biennial data gathering for the city profiles — The data available here was collected in early 2022 and originally published in last year’s Canadian City Parks Report.
City Profile
Edmonton
2022
Alberta
Population: 1,010,899
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  • Edmonton is one of 20% of cities with a biodiversity strategy.
  • Edmonton is above average for percentage of park washrooms that are winterized, with 83% open year-round.
  • Edmonton is one of 53% of cities with a park system master plan updated within the last 10 years.
  • In 2021, the city announced the development of Canada's first urban Indigenous cultural site to be located at Whitemud Park. kihciy askiy, meaning “Sacred Land” in Cree, will provide a natural setting for Indigenous communities to host spiritual ceremonies, sweat lodges, cultural camps, talking circles, grow medicinal herbs, and facilitate intergenerational learning.
  • 120 park locations are being monitored to assess wildlife use through a joint project between the city and researchers at the University of Alberta. Two million photographs have been processed, and results are being analyzed by University of Alberta graduate students.
  • What began as a pilot project in 2020, in response to food insecurity resulting from the pandemic, is set to become an annual initiative known as City Farm. Staff transformed fallow land on the city's tree nursery, Old Man Creek Nursery, into a garden to grow food for Edmonton's Food Bank and partner agencies.
6.0
ha of parks & green space / 1000 people
Total parks and green space

Total hectares of parkland and green space that is publicly accessible and owned, leased, or under a management agreement by the municipality. This number should capture all parks and green spaces that are perceived/used by residents similarly to parkland.

Specifically, it should include:

  • Actively managed parkland
  • Natural parkland/areas
  • Other municipally owned, managed, or leased open spaces that are used as public green space

Excludes:

  • Golf courses
  • School yards, if owned/maintained by the municipality
  • Active (open) cemeteries
  • Sports stadia
  • Parking lots
  • Institutional and other publicly owned green space
  • Other parks/green spaces that are not owned, managed or leased by the municipality (e.g. privately owned public spaces)
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6,106 total

42%
of parkland is natural area
Natural parkland

A natural area is a green space which receives a relatively low level of maintenance and supports natural or naturalizing vegetation. Natural areas may be publicly accessible (e.g. via trail networks) or areas with limited/little public access.

Natural areas may include:

  • trails or walkways
  • washrooms
  • environmentally sensitive/protected areas
  • stormwater ponds/water bodies located within natural areas

Excludes:

  • parking lots
  • actively managed parkland
Click to view full definition →

2,594 total

58%
of parkland is actively managed
Actively managed parkland

Total hectares of parkland that is actively maintained by the municipality for community use. These parks often contain built and natural amenities such as: park furniture, planted trees/beds, sports fields, playgrounds, and mown grass.

Includes:

  • plazas and “grey” spaces used for public recreation, when maintained by the parks department
  • small ponds/water bodies located within actively managed park spaces

Excludes:

  • natural areas
  • hazard lands
  • school yards
  • active (open) cemeteries
  • golf courses
  • sports stadia
  • parking lots
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3,512 total

8%
of total city land is parkland

78,310 ha of total city area

56
Off-leash areas were renamed and boundaries were redefined in 2021 to align with neighbourhood boundaries, resulting in a larger number of off-leash areas in 2022.
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Dog parks
Off-leash dog areas

Includes both standalone dog parks and off-leash dog areas within parks.

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107
Includes 29 pop-up community gardens created in 2021 as part of the city's COVID-19 response.
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Community gardens/urban farms
Community gardens/urban farms

Community gardens/urban farms are food-growing gardens available for the public to use that may require membership. This includes community orchards.

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426
Playgrounds
Playgrounds

A playground refers to an area with purpose-built children’s playground equipment present, and may have just one single item of equipment or several items located together.

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41
14 additional portable washrooms are available in parks.
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Public washrooms
Public washrooms

Total number of permanent public washrooms in parks that are open year-round or seasonally. Excludes portable toilets.

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34 winterized public washrooms

Mixed
Parkland provision goal (distance to park / ha per 1000 people)

500 m / 10 minute walk

$53
Significant increases to operating and capital budgets compared to last year are the result of returning to pre-pandemic service levels in 2021, as well as increased cost of materials due to inflation.
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Parks operating expenditures / person
Operating expenditures (actuals)

Direct operating expenditures (not including revenues) for 2021 for maintaining parks and natural areas. This number will be used with your current year population to understand operating budget spent per person.

Includes:

  • planting and maintenance of trees in park/natural areas
  • graffiti & vandalism repair
  • management, administration & operational staff salaries
  • consultant/contractor costs
  • parks horticultural plantings
  • maintenance of closed cemeteries if carried out from the parks operating budget
  • parks litter pickup & waste disposal
  • inspection and maintenance of splash pads, playgrounds & outdoor fitness equipment
  • maintenance & replacement of park furniture
  • public toilets where maintained from parks budget
  • sports field maintenance
  • snow clearing and ice control for parks & natural areas
  • any other parks/green space maintenance costs except cemetery costs where the cemetery is "active"

Excludes: golf courses, swimming pools, indoor recreation facilities/halls, forestry, and zoos.

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$53,466,232 total

$61,974,046
Significant increases to operating and capital budgets compared to last year are the result of returning to pre-pandemic service levels in 2021, as well as increased cost of materials due to inflation.
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Parks capital expenditures
Capital expenditures (actuals)

Capital expenditure for all capital items related to land improvement works completed during the 2021 financial year.

It includes:

  • Both new and renewal work
  • Capital items carried forward from previous years
  • Salaries and wages for all staff involved in the design, planning and delivery of capital projects.
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$2,367,867
Total philanthropy/sponsorships
Total philanthropy/sponsorships

Total amount donated to the city through philanthropic sources or corporate sponsorship in 2021 to fund park-based projects.

Excludes:

  • general revenue generated by the city (e.g. through user fees, park bench dedication programs, etc.)
  • provincial/federal government grants
Click to view full definition →
1.7
Volunteers / 1000 people
Volunteers

Includes only volunteers who have worked directly with the municipality (not external organizations). Programming refers to publicly accessible activities and events (e.g., yoga classes, nature walks, park cleanups, farmer's markets, festivals, celebrations, etc.). Programming does not include any large commercial activities, such as a private party.

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1,740 total park volunteers

5
Volunteer hours / 1000 people

4,690 total park volunteer hours

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Thirty-five cities participated in this year's report and we hope more will join us next year.
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