Downtown Edmonton is home to two esteemed educational institutions: NorQuest College and MacEwan University. NorQuest focuses on careeroriented education for a diverse student body, including newcomers to Canada and Indigenous peoples. MacEwan offers various undergraduate programs in a supportive environment. Both institutions anticipate 30 to 50 percent student population growth by 2030. NorQuest, leasing over 60,000 sf on Jasper Ave, says this is less than 15% of the new space needed. MacEwan recently began constructing a business school at 109th St and 105th Ave, set to open in 2027 for 7,500 new students. Leaders advocate for a new “education district” to support growth. Currently, they bring 30,000 people downtown every weekday.