Free rent! Edmonton company doesn't need its office, so it could be yours
Some prime office space is available on Jasper Avenue and the rent will be free for the next two years.
A local business owner will even throw in free internet, furniture and a printer, also each for two years, to a small business that wins his contest.
"There is no strings attached. Don’t be afraid, there’s no hidden agenda, this is just turn the key. You get the key, kick butt and take on the world," Tim Carwell told CTV News Edmonton.
Carwell doesn't need his office anymore.
When the pandemic hit, he sent his CommAlert employees home to work, and he has no plans to bring them back.
"I challenged the team to ask, "What do you want to do with this office? And we thought, why not create a new opportunity for a small business and give them a leg up," he explained.
The lease isn't up until January 2024. The contest winner will be responsible for other costs, and renewing a rental agreement with the property owner if they want to.
The application process opened Tuesday, and the official rules are posted online.
The top five entries will be invited to "live pitch" their business plan, and the winner will be chosen by a panel of local leaders.
Carwell said he wants to award a dynamic company that values diversity.
"We’re looking to understand how they’re going to change the world. There are 61,000 First Nations people in Edmonton, of which I’m one, who probably aren’t getting the same amount of access as other businesses," he said.
One of the judges is a former mayoral candidate, who believes the space is a great spot for collaboration.
"It really contributes to being able to build relationships. To build trust and know your team members in very deep ways," Cheryll Watson said.
The winner gets to move in Jan. 1, the application deadline is Dec. 10.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Touria Izri
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Kinew, Poilievre meet at Manitoba legislature, discuss each other's priorities
Premier Wab Kinew and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre met at the Manitoba legislature Thursday afternoon.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.