HeritagePulse.
What 800 Edmontonians told us about heritage in their city — how they value it, how they engage with it, what gets in the way, and where they see the Edmonton Heritage Council fitting in.
The numbers that set the stage.
Six findings frame the rest of the report. Edmontonians overwhelmingly value heritage and recognize its impact on their city — but feeling personally connected, and feeling informed about what's happening, are different stories.
Heritage matters, and Edmontonians want it passed on.
Before introducing the word "heritage," we asked Edmontonians about history, traditions, and cultural connection in the abstract. Agreement is high — and so is the recognition that something is slipping.
What Edmontonians believe
Across eight statements about history, tradition, and cultural connection, agreement was overwhelming. Nine in ten believe history teaches important lessons. More than eight in ten say traditions should be passed on, and that understanding other cultures creates mutual respect.
At the same time, most respondents see real gaps: 73% feel people are becoming less connected to their family history, and nearly six in ten say there isn't enough support for initiatives that recognize local or Canadian identities.
Younger residents and newcomers feel the cultural disconnect most sharply — 56% of 18–34 year-olds and 58% of those who've lived in Edmonton fewer than 10 years agree it's becoming harder to connect culturally.
Percent who somewhat or strongly agree, on a 5-point scale. n=800. Steel blue indicates affirming statements; olive indicates statements about gaps and concerns.
First word that comes to mind? History.
Asked unprompted, then with progressively focused lists, Edmontonians describe heritage in remarkably consistent terms — rooted in history, tradition, and lineage, with food and festivals close behind.
Top unprompted associations
Top concepts associated with heritage
Top words used to describe heritage
Top three responses recorded per question. Total mentions across n=800.
Three out of four engaged with heritage somewhere in the city.
76% of respondents took part in at least one heritage activity in Edmonton in the past two years. Festivals and museums lead, followed by historical plaques and sites. The story changes, though, the closer you get to home.
Heritage activities — Edmonton vs local neighbourhood
Only 33% agree there are opportunities to engage with heritage in their own neighbourhood — the gap is widest in wards furthest from the city core.
Why Edmontonians showed up
Among those who participated, the motivations were warm and curious — not obligatory. Learning, fun, and the appeal of a unique experience drove most engagement. Connection to family or culture mattered more for younger and racialized respondents.
Most-visited museums
Among the 285 respondents who visited a museum in Edmonton in the past two years.
Most-visited heritage & historical sites
Among the 256 respondents who visited a heritage site in Edmonton in the past two years.
A note on the River Valley: it tops the list, but the report suggests its high recall as a "heritage site" may understate true visitation — many Edmontonians may not associate the valley with heritage when answering directly.
Most hear about heritage on social media. Most still don't feel informed.
Edmontonians are reaching for a wide mix of channels — social, friends, family, broadcast — but only 28% feel informed about what's happening. Cost, timing, and discoverability are the biggest barriers.
How Edmontonians hear about heritage
Social media is the dominant channel for 18–54 year-olds (57–63%); broadcast television and radio remain stronger among those 55+.
The information gap
Despite tapping multiple sources, most Edmontonians don't feel they have a clear picture of what's available. Only 28% rate themselves as informed (4 or 5 out of 5) about heritage activities in the city. A full 29% rate themselves at the bottom of the scale.
Familiarity with the EHC closes that gap dramatically: 65% of those familiar with EHC say they feel informed, compared to just 15% of those who aren't.
Only 28% of Edmontonians feel informed about heritage and cultural activities in their city.
What stops Edmontonians from taking part
Cost, timing, and not knowing what's happening lead the list. Close to a quarter (23%) report no barriers at all.
Multiple responses recorded. Respondents who identify as something other than white were 4× as likely to cite language barriers (12% vs. 3%) and 2.5× as likely to cite difficulty understanding information (10% vs. 4%).
Edmonton's heritage is valued. Connection is harder.
Edmontonians read the sector as essential infrastructure — valuable, identity-shaping, economically meaningful. The personal connection, however, is less universal: 43% feel a sense of connection to Edmonton's heritage, and only 33% see opportunities in their neighbourhood.
How Edmontonians see the sector
Most important historical events & aspects of Edmonton's history
Asked unprompted — "Don't know" was the leading response (32%), suggesting room to deepen public understanding of Edmonton's specific story.
Top heritage spaces in Edmontonians' minds
Familiarity is the lever — and the opportunity.
Only one in five Edmontonians is somewhat or very familiar with the Edmonton Heritage Council. But across nearly every measure in this survey — participation, satisfaction, sense of connection, feeling informed — familiarity changes the answer.
Among those familiar with the EHC, 67% say it has been effective at connecting people to the stories of their city, and 63% say it's effective at helping Edmontonians research, preserve, interpret, and advocate for their heritage.
What familiarity changes
Familiar = somewhat or very familiar with the EHC. Unfamiliar = not at all familiar.
What Edmontonians want EHC to do
Asked unprompted what the EHC could do to better connect Edmontonians to heritage, the leading suggestion was the simplest:
Five threads worth pulling.
A reading of the data — what it suggests for programming, communications, and advocacy in the year ahead.
About the survey.
The General Population Heritage Perceptions Survey was conducted in collaboration with Y Station Communications & Research between August 8 and September 3, 2025. Data was weighted to reflect the general adult population of Edmonton based on age, gender, and ward, using a combination of federal census and municipal open-source data.
The survey informs the Measurement, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework for Connections & Exchanges, EHC's 10-year strategic plan, and provides comparative data against 2021 results where survey questions remained consistent.
The complete 46-page report includes full subgroup analysis by age, gender, ward, education, household income, length of residency, and ethnicity, plus the full survey instrument and 2021 comparison data.
Download the full report (PDF) →