Jun. 10, 2026: I noticed this restaurant closed down and I asked my little brother P about it because he likes that restaurant. He told me there was an article about it so I looked it up.
I have been to this location a couple of times. It was good.
Apr. 1, 2026 "While Jasper Avenue Boston Pizza closes, traffic shifts towards Ice District": Today I found this article by Liam Newbigging on the Edmonton Journal:
It was just blocks from
two major post-secondary institutions,
right by the main LRT line,
and on the corner of office buildings in the Downtown of a city with more than 1.2 million people.
But after years in operation, the Boston Pizza on Edmonton’s Jasper Avenue told employees they’d be closing up shop this week.
Inside the restaurant during the Tuesday lunch rush, a worker said it was a busy final day, despite that not being the case in the lead-up to closing. People hugged and said their goodbyes before leaving for the last time.
Postmedia reached out to the restaurant, but management declined to comment. Boston Pizza International also didn’t respond to a request for comment.
The closure comes on the tail of long-standing concerns about a Downtown that’s in recovery.
Some restaurants said they are seeing positive signs with the commercial market posting pre-pandemic vacancy rates,
the return of Government of Alberta office-workers
and boosts from events in Ice District.
But some on Jasper Avenue are saying it’s still tough sledding.
High taxes, pricey patios
Wayne Jones, co-owner of the Rocky Mountain Ice House, just down the avenue from the Boston Pizza,
said he’s seeing a turnaround in business in the daytime lunch crowd,
but it doesn’t yet extend into the evening.
“It’s been a very slow increase for our lunches and happy hours. Our evenings pretty much remain the same because the population hasn’t necessarily changed in the downtown core,” Jones said.
He said business at the Ice House is still down 30 per cent from the pre-COVID days,
and adds they’ve been working hard to get it back up.
But at the same time, he and many others are
facing tax hikes
and this month will bring increased patio fees.
This year Jones said his property taxes on the Ice House went up around 80 per cent
— to the tune of an extra two grand each month.
If he wants to keep his usual patio,
that’s also going to cost him another several thousand dollars.
According to the city,
businesses will need to pay $6,900 to operate a large year-round patio on a public space,
and $3,700 for large seasonal patios.
“It’s the increase in costs
and not seeing a drastic increase in business, if any,”
Jones said.
“Getting back around to Boston Pizza, that’s maybe what they looked at.”
Quinn Phillips with the Edmonton Downtown Business Association said seeing the fees for patios was disappointing,
and that patios are an important piece for vibrancy,
especially with restaurants already facing razor-thin margins.
Phillips said a chain like Boston Pizza is up against some stiff competition with some of the local businesses in the area. She was quick to say that a newer Boston Pizza location is also just a few blocks northeast in Ice District and is frequently busy.“
I’m not necessarily sure that this closure is a reflection of you know, another business closing — that rhetoric — because there are also always businesses opening,” she said.
More residents still needed, business leaders say
Carmelo Rago, president of Sorrentino’s Restaurant Group, said the popularity of Ice District has been a game changer with its Buco Pizzeria and Vino Bar across from Rogers Place becoming a go-to spot on event nights.
Rago also said he’s feeling pretty optimistic about Downtown. Sorrentino’s has been seeing it’s lunch traffic pick up with office workers
and evening traffic with guests from the Citadel Theatre and Winspear Centre coming by.
The 10's of millions of taxpayer money just for downtown yet isn't enough? Where is city admin union spending it? Dept salaries and raises?
Margaret Ross
The City may want more people to live downtown, but until they improve their bus and snow removal service in the area I would recommend against it. They don't seem interested in suggestions either.
I drove down 101 St and then all the way down Jasper Ave. I will tell you one thing, we are NO capital city. What an embarrassment Edmonton has become. I see why Boston Pizza has shut there doors. Sad to see them leave downtown, and I don't blame them. There is so much construction in the downtown area that has been going on for many, many years and NO let up at all. Open drug use all over while so many just ignore. When has society accepted this kind of behaviour. What a shame. Also, garbage all over, and so many boarded up buildings many areas of downtown. Of all the millions and millions of dollars that is being spent to try to make Jasper Ave look nice, is the biggest waste of taxpayers dollars. Maybe the entire city council should rent a bus so they all can tour the entire downtown area and then ask themselves, is this what a capital city is suppose to look like after many, many years of neglect. Why a sad place to look at. edited
Jun. 22, 2026 "World Cup concessions: $75 caviar-topped tots in Miami, a day's pay worth of beer in Mexico City": Today I found this article on BNN Bloomberg:
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — World Cup tickets are expensive.
Flights to North America are expensive.
Hotel rooms in many places are expensive.
Then there’s the price of beer.
There are some fun
— and yes, sometimes pricey
— food and drink offerings at the venues playing host to the World Cup.
A US$75 caviar-topped tray of tater tots
and a US$40 empanada weighing in at 5 pounds (2.2 kilograms) for the daring or for sharing in Miami.
Rib-eye tacos for US$8 in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Something called a Twinkie cheeseburger that has nothing to do with dessert for US$22 in Los Angeles.
Prices, in many cases, aren’t all that different from what U.S. fans would experience on NFL Sundays or college football Saturdays.
But some international fans aren’t used to such pricing and are calling foul,
especially over beer prices that can top US$20.
“It’s unfair. It’s not right. It’s wrong,” said Thomas Schüller, an engineer from Germany in Toronto to watch his national team play over the weekend, as he held a beer that cost him 24.25 Canadian dollars (about US$17 or 15 euros). “It’s three times the cost of what I pay in my country.”
But is that stopping him?
“Well, no,” Schüller acknowledged.
World Cup beer prices become a mild pint of discord
There is clearly some sticker shock among international visitors to this World Cup, especially when it comes to the concession prices.
In Europe, it’s not uncommon for beers to be perhaps around 4 or 5 euros (about US$5-6 USD).
There’s also no shortage of intrigue on the menu at the concession stands at stadiums across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
“Never seen anything like it,” said Janine Arbetter, a fan from Austria, as she waited for a hot dog, chips and soda combo in Miami last week.
The pre-tip price: US$19.35 (about 17 euros), which included a discount for using Visa.
“It’s a lot of food for a little snack.”
Some Argentina fans happily showed off their US$34 lobster rolls from a match in Kansas City on social media, but in Toronto,
the brisket sandwich with chips and a bottle of soda for nearly 40 Canadian dollars (US$28) had some online commenters lamenting it as “robbery.”
“It’s OK, more or less, for the World Cup,” German fan Daniel Feldmann said of the food prices while watching a match in Vancouver last week.
Concession offerings vary from stadium to stadium
FIFA, the sport’s governing body and the tournament organizer, has very specific rules on just about everything related to the World Cup — and there are guidelines that concessionaires have to follow as well.
But prices can vary by market, as do the food and drink offerings.
And that means the experience in one city might look, or taste, nothing like what’s offered in another.
The “Fancy AF Tots” for US$75 at Miami Stadium aren’t really tots at all
— it’s three deep-fried hash brown patties,
with caviar,
creme fraiche
and chives.
(For those who just want the caviar, it’ll be US$70.)
Southern California’s Twinkie cheeseburger is in fact
a burger topped with a Texas Twinkie
— a bacon-wrapped jalapeño stuffed with brisket
and cream cheese.
But there’s also a slew of choices specific to a local market; for example,
Vancouver offers short rib poutine
(an iconic Canadian dish of fries loaded with beef gravy, pulled short rib and cheese curds)
along with a maple bacon smokie (smoked sausage topped with bacon onion jam that features Canadian maple syrup).
And in Miami, the signature offerings include pan con lechon (a Cuban-style sandwich with pork, infused with citrus mojo sauce and served on a toasted full Cuban loaf)
and Empanada Mundial (the five-pound, handmade, chicken-and-cheese-stuffed dish named after the World Cup).
Both Vancouver and Miami have Sodexo Live as a food and beverage provider, and the typical game-day menus in both stadiums were revised a bit to accommodate a soccer crowd.
“We want it to feel like Miami when you’re here,” said Zach Williams, the stadium’s vice president of operations.
“Everything we do around the Miami Stadium, we want to make sure everybody understands that when they come here,
they’re getting a Miami experience.”
Atlanta Stadium keeps prices low
In Mexico City, a beer could cost a day’s pay — literally.
The daily minimum wage in Mexico City is just 315.04 pesos (roughly US$18).
Some beers at Mexico City Stadium were selling for between 299 and 310 pesos — about twice as much as fans would ordinarily pay in the same stadium when the World Cup isn’t in town.
But in Atlanta,
where Falcons owner and stadium operator Arthur Blank promised the low concession prices he’s championed for many years would hold for the World Cup,
pizza slices were US$3,
32-ounce sodas were US$4,
a cheeseburger was US$5,
chicken tenders with fries were US$6
and beers could be had for as little as US$8.
Jonathan Arango, a 33-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina, was at a match in Atlanta with his wife, daughter and father.
“In total for what we got —
three orders of tacos,
a slice of pizza,
two waters
and a Coke
— we spent like US$50,”
Arango said.
“Compared to what we’ve paid at other events ...
it’s nice after you paid a lot for a ticket.”
And Schüller pointed out that even though the tournament does come around every four years,
it still feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“The entire football world is having fun,” Schüller said, “so cheers to that.”
___
Associated Press journalists Tales Azzoni, Maura Carey, Andrew Dalton, Carlos Rodriguez, Alanis Thames, Stephen Whyno and Ben Kule contributed to this story from various World Cup venues. Kule is a student in the University of Georgia’s Carmical Sports Media Institute.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/FIFA-World-Cup
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
My week:
Sun. Jul. 12, 2026 K- Days: I did some research and planning on going to this festival:
Sunday, July 19
COMMUNITY DAY
Enjoy FREE entry to the KDays grounds with an Edmonton Public Library (EPL) card, TELUS World of Science (TWOS) membership, City of Edmonton Rec Centre membership, or Leisure Access Program membership! Just show your card at the gate.
Tuesday, July 21
TRANSIT TUESDAY
You can get into KDays for FREE just by having an ETS Arc card! Show it at the gates to receive FREE General Admission for the whole day.
Thursday, July 23
KLONDIKE DAY
Seniors get FREE General Admission by showing their ID at the gates!
https://www.k-days.com/general-info/value-days
Sun. Jul. 12, 2026 Leo polls:
Jennifer H, Renfrew, Ontario, would like to know:
Is today your birthday?
No
97.96% (4370)
Yes
2.04% (91)
My opinion: No.
Thus. Jul. 16, 2026:
Cailyn B, Concord, Ontario, would like to know:
Do you shop at Costco?
Yes
67.92% (4755)
No
32.08% (2246)
My opinion: Yes, occasionally.
Fri. Jul. 17, 2026:
Alanis B, Moncton, New Brunswick, would like to know:
Do you like thunderstorms?
Yes
58.87% (4586)
No
41.13% (3204)
My opinion: Yes. I was talking to this woman about it prior to this poll and she likes this.
