Lisa Baroldi

Bob Brown

Edmonton’s Downtown Enrichers

Edmonton City Centre is proud to be a collaborator within Edmonton’s downtown. As the largest group of retailers (80+ stores) and businesses tenants (TD Tower, 102A Tower, Centre Point Place) we are passionate about all of downtown, the people, residents, businesses, workers, commuters, shoppers, tourists. This series is our way of reflecting on some of the people that are making a difference in your downtown and enriching the community with the work they do. We hope you enjoy the series.

Lisa Baroldi – President & CEO, Building Owners & Managers Association

Lisa Baroldi is currently President and CEO of Building Owners and Managers Association Edmonton (BOMA Edmonton). Prior to joining BOMA Edmonton, Lisa was a senior advisor to the Canada-UAE Business Council in Toronto and Dubai, and executive director of an economic development authority in Northern Alberta. Other previous roles include associate editor of Diplomat & International Magazine in Ottawa and CEO of Progress Unlimited, a global consulting firm that has been involved in many ground-breaking initiatives such as Canada’s first New in Town Indigenous Welcome Service and Kahkiyaw, the first Indigenous-designed and led collaborative service delivery for urban Indigenous children, youth and families in Alberta. Lisa holds a master’s degree from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, and degrees from L’institute d’études politques de Lyon and the University of Alberta, where she was awarded the Dr John MacDonald Medal in Arts for overall superior academic achievement in the BA Honours Program. In 2015, Lisa was selected for the Governor General’s Canadian Leadership Conference, and, in 2012/13, she was named one of Edmonton’s Top 40 under 40, Top 100 Women in Business, and Alberta Venture Magazine’s Ten Rising Stars.

Interview

  1. Tell us a little about BOMA Edmonton and its impact since the Association formed in Edmonton in the early 60’s.

The BOMA brand has been in existence for over 100 years, and the Edmonton chapter is one of 120 associations worldwide and 11 within Canada. We provide commercial real estate thought leadership, expertise, counsel, and training for in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, north of Red Deer, and to the territories. Few people realize that Real Estate is the 2nd largest contributor to our GDP. It plays a huge role in shaping our future. Our members join us to achieve their performance goals. Our stakeholders and government work with us to achieve their economic, environmental, and social goals. We approach everything through the lens of partnership.

  1. The challenges since 2020 have been hard for businesses and developers across Canada especially in our cities downtowns. How do you think Edmonton and its leadership are adapting. What’s working?

We see a lot more information sharing, listening and collaboration between all the stakeholders; levels of government, city services, front line community support organizations, businesses and residents. It takes a lot of input to energize a downtown which in turn creates those investment opportunities. No one person or organization or business can do it alone. And there is no silver bullet solution.

  1. What do you think is the impact of developments like Ice District and the upcoming Station Lands on the downtown community?

I have lived in different major cities and enjoyed the vibrancy a downtown and an area like the Ice District can generate. I am seeing that world-class activity developing now in Edmonton’s downtown. Sure, COVID slowed everything down and changed peoples’ habits, but our economy and connections are coming back, slowly but surely. We are not we need to be, but we’re working at it. Increased residential like Station Lands demonstrates a growing community. There is demand for more housing in our city and the industry is responding.

  1. As an organization how do see the value of Edmonton City Centre as downtown anchor property?

Physically, Edmonton City Centre is a hub for the core, with its proximity to Arts District, Ice District, the LRT. Everything leads to Edmonton City Centre. Its exciting to see how the Centre is reshaping itself into a new modern dynamic place to be. It’s an important asset for the downtown and the city at large.