September 14, 2026
2027 Federal Budget Submission: Putting Edmonton Business Priorities on Ottawa’s Desk
Canada’s Economy Is Changing. Here’s What Edmonton Business Needs Next.
From U.S. trade uncertainty to productivity and workforce pressures, we’re calling on Ottawa to make it easier for Edmonton businesses to invest, hire, trade and grow.
The economic assumptions Canadian businesses have relied on for decades are shifting. Our relationship with our largest trading partner has become less predictable, tariffs and counter-tariffs are reshaping supply chains and investment decisions, and businesses are facing growing competition for customers, capital and talent.
For Edmonton businesses, responding to this moment cannot simply mean waiting for the next tariff announcement or hoping previous trading conditions return. Canada needs to strengthen the economy we control here at home, while giving businesses the infrastructure, talent and competitive conditions they need to reach new markets around the world.
That is the message the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce is taking directly to Ottawa. On September 8, 2026, ahead of our sold-out luncheon with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, we submitted our 2027 Federal Budget Submission, putting the priorities of Edmonton’s business community directly on the Minister’s desk. Our recommendations reflect what we are hearing from our members and the broader business community about what they need to invest, compete and grow.
Our message is straightforward: make it easier to do business in Canada.
For generations, our city has been known as the Gateway to the North. As Canada focuses increasingly on Arctic sovereignty, defence, northern development, critical minerals, energy security and new transportation corridors, Edmonton is positioned to become Canada’s North Star City, connecting the country’s major population centres with the North and Arctic through road, rail and air.
Our federal budget recommendations are organized around three priorities:
- Strengthen the business conditions in our One Canadian Economy.
- Improve Canada’s workforce and productivity.
- Enhance Canada’s competitiveness.
Below is a summary of the recommendations we are taking to Ottawa on behalf of Edmonton’s business community.
1. Strengthen the Business Conditions in our One Canadian Economy
Remove barriers between provinces. We are asking Ottawa to continue removing internal trade barriers, advance mutual credential recognition, improve labour mobility and reduce regulatory duplication.
We are also calling for a “tell us once” approach to federal business reporting. Businesses should not have to provide the same information repeatedly to different federal departments and agencies. A single business-number reporting framework would reduce duplication, cut red tape and make it easier to do business in Canada.
Accelerate Highway 28 as strategic defence-enabling infrastructure. As Canada invests billions in defence modernization at 4 Wing Cold Lake, the infrastructure connecting Edmonton and Cold Lake needs to keep pace. We are asking Ottawa to create a dual-use defence and transportation funding stream, or make provincial highways serving federal defence installations eligible for federal investment. Highway 28 should be a pilot, with Canada and Alberta partnering on priority safety, capacity and reliability improvements along the corridor.
Invest in nationally significant trade and transportation corridors. We are asking Ottawa to continue accelerating investment through the $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund, with greater recognition of inland and northern logistics assets such as Port Alberta and the Port of Churchill. These investments can strengthen supply chains, improve east-west trade and give Edmonton businesses more ways to reach international markets.
2. Improve Canada’s Workforce and Productivity
Modernize Canada’s entrepreneur immigration pathway. Canada should be competing to attract entrepreneurs, founders and investment, not losing them because of uncertainty and decade-long processing times. We are asking Ottawa to replace or substantially reform the Start-up Visa Program with a modern entrepreneur immigration pathway that provides clear admission targets and predictable timelines. The federal government should also establish a clear transition plan for entrepreneurs already caught in the existing backlog.
Accelerate foreign credential recognition. Businesses are struggling to find skilled workers while internationally trained professionals already living in Canada can spend months or years waiting to use their qualifications. We are asking Ottawa to expand the Foreign Credential Recognition Program to more high-demand occupations, including skilled trades, engineering, advanced manufacturing and technology. We are also calling for expedited credential recognition for individuals looking to settle and work in northern and rural communities.
Develop a National AI Adoption Strategy for SMEs. Canada is a global leader in artificial intelligence research, but too many Canadian businesses are still struggling to put that technology to work. We are asking Ottawa to create a National AI Adoption Strategy for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, backed by dedicated funding and practical supports that help companies adopt AI. Priority should be placed on sectors where adoption can generate significant productivity gains, including construction, manufacturing, logistics, engineering and professional services.
Support Edmonton’s public safety priorities. A competitive city must also be a city where people feel safe working, visiting, investing and doing business. We are supporting the City of Edmonton’s request for additional federal investment in the successful reintegration of individuals leaving correctional facilities, including stronger transition plans and culturally appropriate supports for Indigenous peoples. We are also asking Ottawa to fund Edmonton City Council’s proposed $13.5 million Community Safety Strategy, supporting downtown safety infrastructure, intervention and reintegration programs, and Edmonton’s stabilization centre.
3. Enhance Canada’s Competitiveness
Improve the reliability of Canada’s transportation system. For Edmonton businesses, reliable access to railways, ports and transportation infrastructure thousands of kilometres away can determine whether a product reaches its customer on time. We are asking Ottawa to implement outstanding recommendations from the 2024/25 Industrial Inquiry Commission on West Coast Ports, including geographic certification and a specialized mediation mechanism, while examining international approaches that have successfully reduced transportation disruptions.
Extend or make permanent the Productivity Super Deduction. Businesses need certainty to make long-term investments in equipment, machinery, automation, digital infrastructure and technology. We are asking Ottawa to extend the Productivity Super Deduction beyond 2026 or make it permanent, giving businesses greater confidence to invest in productivity-enhancing assets and helping Canada remain competitive with investment incentives available in the United States.
Invest in national supply-chain infrastructure and trade-enabling assets. Canada needs stronger ports, airports, rail corridors, inland logistics hubs and multimodal freight networks. It also needs better information about how goods actually move through them. We are asking Ottawa to close Canada’s post-port supply-chain data gap by improving visibility into how goods move by rail and truck after leaving Canadian ports. That includes extending proposed data requirements beyond terminal operators, working with existing private freight-visibility providers and advancing cross-border digital trade solutions through the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region.
Improve the competitiveness of Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage projects. Alberta has the expertise, industrial base and geology to attract significant investment in carbon management and removal technologies. We are asking Ottawa to increase the eligible investment rate for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) under the federal Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Investment Tax Credit from 50 per cent to 60 per cent, putting it on par with Direct Air Capture equipment.
While these recommendations span trade, infrastructure, immigration, AI, public safety, taxation and investment, they are all focused on the same goal: making it easier for businesses to succeed in Canada.
We need fewer barriers between provinces. We need skilled people working in the jobs where they are needed. We need businesses investing in technology and productivity. We need reliable infrastructure connecting Canadian products to customers. And we need to ensure Canada remains an attractive place to invest as competition for capital intensifies.
Canada’s economy is changing. Edmonton is ready to help build what comes next.
Click here to explore membership and help shape the future of business in Edmonton.
