List of people from Edmonton

The City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, has been the birthplace or a significant home to numerous famous individuals. Additionally, many Edmontonians have become worthy of note through their various charitable activities, donations, and contributions.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Actors and actresses

• Lisa Gilroy (born 1989), comedian and actress
• Beverly Adams (born 1945), former actress
• Dana Alexander, comedian
• Melody Anderson (born 1955), former actress
• Tori Anderson (born 1988), actress
• Nathaniel Arcand (born 1971), actor
• Gary Basaraba (born 1959), actor
• Michelle Beaudoin (born 1975), actress
• Genevieve Buechner (born 1991), actress
• Terry Chen (born 1975), film and television actor
• Rae Dawn Chong (born 1961), Canadian-born American actress; daughter of Maxine Sneed and Tommy Chong
• Tommy Chong (born 1938), comedian, actor and musician
• Billy Chow (born 1958), Hong Kong actor and martial artist
• Ben Cotton (born 1975), film and television actor
• Trevor Devall (born 1972), voice actor, born in Edmonton
• Paula Devicq (born 1965), actress
• Rosemary Dunsmore (born 1953), TV, film, and theatre actress
• Nathan Fillion (born 1971), film and television actor
• Dianne Foster (1928–2019), film and television actress
• Michael J. Fox (born 1961), film and television actor
• Patrick Gilmore (born 1976), film and television actor
• Grace Glowicki, actress and filmmaker
• Robert Goulet (1933–2007), singer and film actor
• Meghan Heffern (born 1983), actress
• Jill Hennessy (born 1968), television actress and musician
• Jimmy Herman (1940–2013), First Nations actor
• Eric Johnson (born 1979), actor
• Keltie Knight (born 1982), professional dancer, television presenter and 1/3 of the LadyGang podcast
• Theresa Lee (born 1970), Hong Kong actress and Miss Hong Kong runner-up^[1]
• Niall Matter (born 1980), actor
• Bruce McCulloch (born 1961), actor, writer, comedian, and film director
• Kathleen McGee, stand-up comedian
• Wendel Meldrum (1959–2021), actress
• Leslie Nielsen (1926–2010), film and television actor
• Steven Ogg (born 1973), actor
• Ron Pederson (born 1978), stage and screen actor
• Chelsey Reist (born 1987), actress
• Callum Keith Rennie (born 1960), film and television actor
• Lisa Ryder (born 1970), actress
• Nancy Sivak
• Kavan Smith (born 1970), actor
• Catherine Mary Stewart (born 1959), film and television actor
• Ryan Stock, TV circus stuntman
• Kenneth Welsh (1942–2022), film and television actor

Business

• Greg Abel (born 1962), CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
• Jack Agrios (born 1938), lawyer
• Bernard Ebbers (1941–2020), WorldCom co-founder^[2]
• Paul Graham, vice-president and executive producer of The Sports Network^[3]
• Daryl Katz (born 1961), chairman and chief executive officer of the Katz Group; owner of the Edmonton Oilers
• Ray Muzyka (born 1969), co-founder, BioWare Corp^[4]
• Ricken Patel (born 1977), founding president and executive director of Avaaz
• Barb Tarbox (1961–2003), anti-smoking activist^[5]
• Allan Wachowich (born 1935), former Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta
• Max Ward (1921–2020), aviator and founder of Wardair airline^[6]
• Greg Zeschuk (born 1969), co-founder of BioWare Corp^[4]

Explorers and pioneers

• Punch Dickins (1899–1995), aviator and bush pilot; the Dickinsfield community was named in his honour^[7]

Musicians

See also: Category:Musical groups from Edmonton

• Violet Archer (1913–2000), composer^[8]
• Ruth B (born 1995), singer-songwriter
• H. Hugh Bancroft (1904–1988), church musician and composer
• Tommy Banks (1936–2018), musician^[9]
• Moe Berg (born 1959), singer-songwriter
• George Blondheim (1956–2020), pianist and composer
• Bill Bourne (1954–2022), folk and blues singer-songwriter, three-time Juno Award winner
• Harpdog Brown (1962–2022), blues musician
• Brox Sisters, singers (Brock sisters)^[10]
• Cadence Weapon (Rollie Pemberton; born 1986), rapper^[11]
• Beatrice Carmichael (1889–1964), grand dame of the opera^[12]
• Ken Chinn (a.k.a. Chi Pig; 1962–2020), lead singer-songwriter and band leader of SNFU
• Clinker, sound artist, composer, and visual artist
• Stu Davis (1921–2007), singer-songwriter, guitarist, internationally known as "Canada's Cowboy Troubadour"
• Mac DeMarco (born 1990), indie rock musician^[13]
• Jean Dubé (born 1981), pianist
• Trevor Dunn (born 1968), guitarist, member of 1970's group Fifth Avenue Allstars
• Tim Feehan (born 1957), artist, singer-songwriter, producer, co-owner of Los Angeles recording studio Backroom, mix master
• Malcolm Forsyth (1936–2011), composer^[14]
• Jay Fung, Hong Kong Cantopop singer-songwriter
• Allan Gilliland (born 1965), composer^[15]
• G.NA (Choi Ji-Na; born 1987), Korean singer
• Dwayne Goettel (1964–1995), keyboardist for Skinny Puppy^[16]
• Adam Gregory (born 1985), singer
• Brian Hughes (born 1955), smooth jazz guitarist
• JackEL (born 1996), DJ, record producer and songwriter
• Cassius Khan, Indian classical tabla player and ghazal singer, recipient of Salute to Excellence Award^[17]
• Morgan Lander, singer-songwriter
• k.d. lang (born 1961), singer-songwriter^[18]
• Ariane Mahrÿke Lemire, singer-songwriter
• Jens Lindemann, trumpet soloist
• Cameron Melnyk, lead singer of Canadian rock band State of Shock
• Big Miller (1922–1992), jazz and blues singer^[19]
• Maren Ord, singer-songwriter
• P.J. Perry, jazz saxophonist^[20]
• Quanteisha, singer
• Lester Quitzau, Folk and blues guitarist
• Jan Randall, composer
• Carmen Rasmusen (born 1985), country music artist
• Alyssa Reid, singer-songwriter
• Josh Sahunta, pop/R&B singer-songwriter
• Sean Nicholas Savage, indie singer-songwriter
• Shiloh, singer-songwriter
• Jay Sparrow, singer-songwriter
• Mark Spicoluk (born 1979), musician
• Kreesha Turner, singer-songwriter
• Ella May Walker, composer
• Tom MacDonald (born 1988), rapper, singer-songwriter ^[21]

National service

• Russ Bannock (1919–2020), Canada's second-highest scoring ace of World War II^[22]
• Roy Brown, Canadian flying ace in World War I, officially credited with shooting down the Red Baron, though this is now subject to debate^[23]
• Edmund De Wind, Irish-Canadian British Army officer in World War I, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Wop May, Canadian flying ace in World War I, the last pilot to be pursued by Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, prior to his death, also a celebrated bush pilot^[24]
• Nellie McClung (1873–1951), first woman appointed to the Board of Governors of the CBC (1936); one of The Famous Five^[25]
• Emily Murphy (1868–1933), first female magistrate in British Empire and petitioned Supreme Court of Canada to allow women the vote; one of the Famous Five;^[26] has received modern scrutiny for her support for eugenics
• Douglas Roche (born 1929), O.C., former M.P., Senator, U.N. Ambassador, nuclear disarmament figure, author, and journalist^[27]
• William Smith Ziegler (1911–1999), artillery commander of the 1st Canadian Division in the Second World War

Politicians

• Mark Carney (born 1965), 24th Prime Minister of Canada, former Governor of the Bank of England and Chairman of the G20's Financial Stability Board; former governor of the Bank of Canada
• William Humberstone (1836–1922), politician in Alberta, and a municipal councillor in Edmonton
• Don Iveson (born 1979), former mayor (predecessor to Amarjeet Sohi)
• Marcel Lambert (1919–2000), politician
• Stephen Mandel (born 1945), mayor
• Sherry McKibben (born 1944), politician
• Rachel Notley (born 1964), 17th Premier of Alberta
• Michael Phair (born 1950), politician

Religion

• Seraphim Storheim (born 1946), former senior hierarch for the Orthodox Church in America

Scientists

• John Acorn, naturalist, lecturer at the University of Alberta, research associate at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, and research associate at the E.H. Strickland Entomology Museum^[28]
• Karl Clark (1888–1966), University of Alberta professor and inventor of oil sands extraction technology^[29]
• Jillianne Code (born 1976), researcher and learning scientist
• Werner Israel (1931–2022), physicist
• Raymond Lemieux (1920–2000), organic chemist
• Diane Loranger, geologist, paleontologist
• Jordan Peterson (born 1962), clinical psychologist, cultural critic, and professor of psychology at the University of Toronto
• Gary Purdy (born 1936), materials scientist and engineer, professor
• Gordon Walter Semenoff (born 1953), theoretical physicist
• Dr. Lorne Warneke (1942–2020), clinical psychiatrist and gender identity specialist at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital; transgender rights activist^[30][31]

Sports personalities

Bobsledding

• David Bissett (born 1979), Olympic bobsledder
• Jennifer Ciochetti (born 1984), bobsledder
• Pierre Lueders (born 1970), bobsledder
• Jesse Lumsden (born 1982), bobsledder and football player
• Neville Wright (born 1980), bobsledder

Boxing

• Al Ford (born 1950), professional boxer and CBF Lightweight Champion
• Ryan Ford (born 1982), professional boxer and retired mixed martial arts fighter^[32]
• Kelly Perlette, light middle-weight boxing gold medal at the 1978 Commonwealth Games^[33]
• Adam Trupish (born 1979), boxer

Curling

• Jessica Amundson (born 1984), curler
• Joanne Courtney (born 1989), curler
• Randy Ferbey (born 1959), multiple Canadian and World Men's Curling Champion^[34]
• Heather Kalenchuk (born 1984), curler
• Cathy King (born 1959), curler, from St Albert^[35]
• Jamie King (born 1973), curler
• Renée Sonnenberg (born 1971), curler

Ice hockey

• Dave Babych (born 1961), ice hockey defenceman
• Wayne Babych (born 1958), ice hockey player
• Shawn Belle (born 1985), ice hockey defenceman^[36]
• Brian Benning (born 1966), ice hockey defenceman
• Jim Benning (born 1963), ice hockey defenceman and executive
• Matt Benning (born 1994), ice hockey defenceman
• Blair Betts (born 1980), ice hockey player^[37]
• Tom Bladon (born 1952), ice hockey defenceman
• Roger Bourbonnais (born 1942), ice hockey player
• Jay Bouwmeester (born 1983), ice hockey defenceman^[38]
• Johnny Boychuk (born 1984), ice hockey defenceman
• Gilbert Brulé (born 1987), ice hockey player^[39]
• Johnny Bucyk (born 1935), ice hockey player^[40]
• Jason Chimera (born 1979), ice hockey player^[41]
• Erik Christensen (born 1983), ice hockey player^[42]
• Mac Colville (1916–2003), early star in the NHL^[43]
• Neil Colville (1914–1987), early star in the NHL^[44]
• Marcel Comeau (born 1952), Canadian ice hockey coach and NHL executive^[45]
• Mike Commodore (born 1978), ice hockey player^[46]
• Eric Comrie (born 1995), ice hockey goaltender^[47]
• Mike Comrie (born 1980), ice hockey player^[48]
• Kirby Dach (born 2001), ice hockey player
• Jake DeBrusk (born 1996), ice hockey player
• Gerald Diduck (born 1965), ice hockey defenceman
• Tyler Ennis (born 1989), ice hockey player
• Andrew Ference (born 1979), ice hockey defenceman^[49]
• Vernon Fiddler (born 1980), ice hockey player
• Mark Fistric (born 1986), ice hockey defenceman^[50]
• Matt Frattin (born 1988), ice hockey right winger
• Brendan Gallagher (born 1992), ice hockey player^[51]
• Donald Gauf (1927–2014), ice hockey player
• Randy Gregg (born 1956), ice hockey defenceman^[52]
• Noah Gregor (born 1998), ice hockey player
• Dylan Guenther (born 2003), ice hockey player
• W. G. Hardy (1895–1979), President of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association^[53][54]
• Greg Hawgood (born 1968), ice hockey defenceman
• Ken Hitchcock (born 1951), ice hockey coach and scout^[55]
• Kelly Hrudey (born 1961), ice hockey player^[56]
• Jarome Iginla (born 1977), ice hockey player^[57]
• Brad Isbister (born 1977), ice hockey player^[58]
• Ken Johannson (1930–2018), Canadian-born American ice hockey player, coach and executive^[59][60]
• Eddie Joyal (born 1940), ice hockey player
• Dustin Kohn (born 1987), ice hockey player
• John Kordic (1965–1992), ice hockey player
• Daymond Langkow (born 1976), ice hockey player^[61]
• Bryan Little (born 1987), ice hockey player^[62]
• Jamie Lundmark (born 1981), ice hockey forward
• Joffrey Lupul (born 1983), ice hockey player^[63]
• Bruce MacGregor (born 1941), NHL player and management
• Richard Matvichuk (born 1973), ice hockey player^[64]
• Ken McAuley (1921–1992), goaltender for the NHL New York Rangers; husband of Mildred Warwick McAuley
• Mark Messier (born 1961), ice hockey player^[65]
• Derek Morris (born 1978), ice hockey player^[66]
• Scott Nichol (born 1974), ice hockey player^[67]
• Scott Niedermayer (born 1973), ice hockey defenceman^[68]
• Ben Ondrus (born 1982), ice hockey player^[69]
• Greg Parks (1967–2015), ice hockey player
• Eric Paterson (1929–2014), ice hockey player
• Alex Petrovic (born 1992), ice hockey defenceman^[70]
• Matt Pettinger (born 1980), ice hockey player^[71]
• Dion Phaneuf (born 1985), ice hockey defenceman^[72]
• Fernando Pisani (born 1976), ice hockey player^[73]
• Justin Pogge (born 1986), AHL hockey player^[74]
• Art Potter (1909–1998), president of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association and the Alberta Amateur Hockey Association^[75]
• Mark Pysyk (born 1992), ice hockey player^[76]
• Steve Regier (born 1984), ice hockey player^[77]
• Steven Reinprecht (born 1976), ice hockey player^[78]
• Phil Russell (born 1952), ice hockey defenceman
• David Schlemko (born 1987), ice hockey player
• John Scott (born 1982), ice hockey player
• Danielle Serdachny (born 2001) – ice hockey player
• Stuart Skinner (born 1998), ice hockey goaltender^[79]
• Colin Smith (born 1993), ice hockey player
• Harold Snepsts (born 1954), ice hockey defenceman
• Jared Spurgeon (born 1989), ice hockey player^[80]
• Jason Strudwick (born 1975), ice hockey defenceman^[81]
• Brian Sutherby (born 1982), ice hockey centre
• Darryl Sydor (born 1972), ice hockey player^[82]
• Shannon Szabados (born 1986), ice hockey goaltender and two-time Olympic Women's gold medal winner^[83]
• Garry Valk (born 1967), ice hockey player and broadcaster
• Cam Ward (born 1984), ice hockey goaltender^[84]
• Darcy Werenka (born 1973), Canadian-Austrian ice hockey defenceman
• Ray Whitney (born 1972), ice hockey player^[85]
• Zarley Zalapski (1968–2017), ice hockey defenceman

Skating

• Jamie Gregg (born 1985), long track speed skater
• Jessica Gregg (born 1988), short track speed skater^[86]
• Josie Morrison (born 1994), speed skater
• Natasha Purich (born 1995), pair skater

Skiing

• Stanley Hayer (born 1973), Canadian freestyle skier of Czech descent
• Jennifer Heil (born 1983), freestyle skier born in Spruce Grove, Alberta
• Dusty Korek (born 1995), Canadian ski jumper of Polish descent
• Ed Podivinsky (born 1970), Canadian Alpine skier of Czech descent
• Stefan Read (born 1987), ski jumper

Soccer

• Asmir Begović (born 1987), goalkeeper who represented the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team^[87]
• Alphonso Davies (born 2000), captain of the Canadian national soccer team
• Chuck Dubuque (1932–2020), HB soccer player
• Daniel Fernandes (born 1983), Portuguese Canadian professional soccer player
• Lars Hirschfeld (born 1978), soccer goalkeeper
• Stephanie Labbé (born 1986), soccer goalkeeper for the Canadian Women's National Team, Olympic gold medalist
• Erin McLeod (born 1983), soccer goalkeeper, Olympic bronze medalist
• Tosaint Ricketts (born 1987), soccer player

Wrestling

• Chris Benoit (1967–2007), professional wrestler^[88]
• Gene Kiniski (1928–2010), professional wrestler

Other sports

• Marco Arop (born 1998), track and field
• Ewan Beaton (born 1969), judoka
• Gary Beck (born 1941), two-time world champion drag racer and member of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame^[89]
• Art Boileau (born 1957), Olympic marathon runner
• Robin Clegg (born 1977), biathlete
• Michelle Conn (born 1963), field hockey player
• Robert Easton (born 1960/1961), Paralympian, wheelchair athlete, won three gold medals at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics
• David Ford (born 1967), kayaker
• Forrest Gainer (born 1979), rugby union player
• Blythe Hartley (born 1982), diver
• Chuba Hubbard (born 1999), NFL running back^[90]
• Mary Imrie (1918–1988), architect
• Ed Kucy (born 1971), CFL player^[91]
• Lawrence Lemieux, sailor, competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the Star class and at the 1988 Summer Olympics in the Finn class^[92]
• Jason MacDonald (born 1975), UFC fighter^[93]
• Rod Phillips (born 1941), radio broadcaster for 630 CHED
• Annamay Pierse (born 1983), swimmer born in Toronto and raised in Edmonton
• John "Red" Pollard (1909–1981), jockey of the famous horse Seabiscuit^[94]
• Doug Pruden, multiple world records in push ups^[95]
• Mike Robertson (born 1985), snowboarder
• Alison Sydor (born 1966), cross country mountain cyclist
• Lwal Uguak (born 2000), CFL defensive end
• Delwin Vriend (born 1966), teacher and activist
• Jean Wallbridge (1912–1979), architect
• Mildred Warwick (1922–2006), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player; wife of Ken McAuley

Writers and artists

• Robert T. Anderson, poet
• Makram Ayache, playwright
• Will Beauchamp, filmmaker
• Ted Bishop, author of Riding with Rilke
• Andrew Brook (born 1943), philosopher, author of Kant and the Mind^[96]
• Can Man Dan (Dan Lee Johnstone) (born in Edmonton in 1987), anti-poverty and social activist, philanthropist, and author^[97]
• Gil Cardinal (1950–2015), filmmaker
• Judith Clute (born in Edmonton in 1942), painter, graphic designer, print-maker, and illustrator^[98]
• Patrick Cox (born 1963), shoe designer^[99]
• James DeFelice, playwright and screenwriter
• Gordon R. Dickson (1923–2001), science fiction writer
• Brion Gysin (1916–1986), artist and writer^[100]
• W. G. Hardy (1895–1979), professor, writer, ice hockey administrator, Member of the Order of Canada^[53][54]
• Peter Hide (born 1944), British-born sculptor, living in Edmonton since 1977^[101]
• Arthur Hiller (1923–2016), Hollywood film director and former president of the Directors Guild of America
• Carl Honoré (born 1967), grew up in Edmonton; journalist and author of In Praise of Slowness^[102]
• Mel Hurtig (1932–2016), publisher, author, and politician^[103]
• Drew Karpyshyn (born 1971), video game scenario writer, scriptwriter, and novelist
• Conor Kerr (born 1988), author of Avenue of Champions
• W. P. Kinsella, author of Shoeless Joe which became the film Field of Dreams; tournament Scrabble player^[104]
• Samuel Edward Konkin III, founder of the libertarian social philosophy agorism
• Myrna Kostash, writer of eight books including All of Baba's Children^[105]
• Stewart Lemoine, playwright^[106]
• Austin Mardon (born 1962), author, community leader and advocate for the disabled
• Ryan McCourt, visual artist
• Marshall McLuhan, recipient of numerous awards and appointments, pioneer of media theory^[107]
• Conor McNally, documentary filmmaker
• Iman Mersal, poet
• Richard Newman, writer, broadcaster, and reality TV star, best known for participating in the seventh series of the British version of Big Brother
• Wendy Orr (born 1968), Canadian-born Australian writer
• Kelly Oxford, writer, New York Times bestselling author of Everything Is Perfect When You're a Liar
• T. W. Peacocke, television and film director
• Jean Paré (1927–2022), author and publisher of the Company's Coming cookbook series
• Robert Young Pelton, author^[108]
• Tom Radford, documentary filmmaker
• Phyllis Seckler (1917–2004), ninth degree (IX°) member of the "Sovereign Sanctuary of the Gnosis" of Ordo Templi Orientis
• Brent Shaw (born 1947), historian
• Robert W. Smith, historian
• Gail Sidonie Sobat, poet, novelist, educator, founder/director of “Youthwrite” and “Spoken Word Youth Choir”
• Ella May Walker, artist and writer

Others

• Kerry Pawluski, medical doctor and pilot
• Krew, group of YouTuber siblings consisting of ItsFunneh, GoldenGlare, DraconiteDragon, LunarEclipse, and PaintingRainbows
• Gene Principe, sports newscast, sports field reporter
• Steve Wallis, "Camping With Steve" YouTuber
• Henry Omaga Diaz, YouTuber

See also

• List of people from British Columbia
• List of people from Calgary
• List of people from Montreal
• List of people from Ontario
• List of people from Quebec
• List of people from Quebec City
• List of people from Toronto
• List of people from Vancouver