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
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.