“You could literally network all day, every day, in our innovation ecosystem,” says Janice Baskin, Manager of the Edmonton Regional Innovation Network (ERIN).
In Alberta’s fast-evolving innovation landscape, Edmonton is emerging as a city where connections, collaborations, and new ventures are accelerating. At the centre of that activity is ERIN, a coalition of organizations working to support the development and growth of businesses across key sectors.
As Baskin says, “Edmonton is really coming into its own in terms of the things that are happening in the ecosystem.”
With discussions around funding, sector strengths, and national competitiveness intensifying, the approach ERIN is taking offers a close-up view of how local ecosystems adapt to changing conditions. Digital Journal’s conversation with Baskin, recorded at Inventures 2025, reveals how Edmonton’s growing network is positioning itself within Canada’s broader innovation agenda.
AI and post-secondary partnerships take centre stage
At the heart of Edmonton’s current momentum is its growing strength in artificial intelligence. Baskin points to AI as a defining feature of the region’s identity: “The artificial intelligence sector in Edmonton is very unique,” she says.
This AI capacity is being bolstered by a deliberate strategy to connect research institutions with commercial activity. Baskin highlights the Post-Secondary Institutions Sub-Committee within ERIN that brings together seven post-secondary institutions on a monthly basis. The goal is to ensure that ideas emerging from students, faculty, and staff do not remain confined to academic settings.
“[They] get together once a month to talk about how they can collaborate with one another, ensuring that things are coming off campus, whether it be from students or faculty or staff, commercializing their ideas into businesses,” says Baskin.
This kind of structured, cross-institutional collaboration reflects a growing recognition that Canada’s innovation competitiveness will rely heavily on its ability to translate research into market-ready solutions. As it stands, many see Canada not necessarily having a problem with innovation, but with the follow-through.
Edmonton’s model demonstrates one way to break down silos between education and enterprise.
Building resilience with strong provincial coordination
While Edmonton continues to deepen its sector strengths, broader coordination across Alberta’s innovation ecosystem has also gained momentum. Baskin describes a growing sense of cooperation among the province’s regional innovation networks.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been really able to elevate that collaboration and start to do some things pan-provincially,” she says. One example is the relaunch by Alberta’s regional innovation networks of Founder Friday, an event series previously run by Craig Elias that combines a book club, author interviews, and strategy sessions for local entrepreneurs.
This type of coordinated programming reflects an emerging trend across Canada, where innovation leaders are increasingly working together to strengthen shared capacity rather than compete for limited resources.
As policy debates continue around national innovation strategy and funding mechanisms, these provincial collaborations offer a practical template for resilience.
Balancing growth with uncertainty
Despite the momentum, ERIN and its partners are also operating under conditions of uncertainty, particularly around provincial funding. Baskin references recent announcements related to cuts in support from Alberta Innovates, noting that while details are still unfolding, the network’s strong community ties remain a stabilizing force.
“The great news is that we are a really strong community, and whatever comes our way, we’re going to figure that out.”
As the national conversation around innovation increasingly centres on commercialization, talent retention, and the global competitiveness of Canadian sectors, Edmonton’s experience offers useful insights. The integration of AI leadership, post-secondary collaboration, and province-wide coordination positions the region as a living example of how ecosystems can evolve under pressure.
For Baskin and her colleagues, the focus remains on maintaining that momentum.
Watch the interview:
This series is produced in partnership with the Alberta Regional Innovation Networks
