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I moved to Edmonton with a five year plan--I expected to move away in five years. Twenty-six years later, I'm still here and happy to be an Edmontonian.

Before moving here, I had just started working at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. A colleague from Toronto who had recently moved to Edmonton called and suggested I move to Edmonton, too. I said, "Why?"

Then I learned what Edmonton had to offer a starting scientist. The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research was providing great opportunities. I realized this was a chance to do the work I wanted to do, so my wife and I decided to spend five years in Edmonton and then move on.

Schools, Festivals and the Commute
Five years later, we'd started a family and found that Edmonton was a great place to raise kids. You feel safe here and there are good schools. There's a lot of community spirit. It shows itself in the festivals and street fairs. There's always something to do and people in this city really support those activities. Also, because Edmonton has a long winter, the city doesn't wait for summer to have events. There are things happening all year.

My wife and I also liked that working in Edmonton didn't come with a long commute. In some cities, you can have a commute of three hours a day. Being home earlier each day added up to a lot more time each year our family could spend together.

The Plan Went Out the Window
We did give great thought to following our plan and moving to a larger city, to the point where we were looking at homes in Vancouver. My wife even found a place where she could practice as a family doctor. We were close to making the move but, when we looked at quality of life, we realized that Edmonton offered a better life for us. At that point, the five year plan went out the window.

Today, our kids are grown, but my wife and I have no plans to leave Edmonton. I'm still going to festivals throughout the year. I enjoy golf and visiting the mountains, Jasper in particular.

Exceeding Career Expectations
In terms of Edmonton as a place to work, I've exceeded the expectations I had for my career. There have been exciting advances I couldn't have anticipated. I'm now the Scientific Director of the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute.
Throughout my time in Edmonton, I've been amazed by the people here, right outside my door, who could facilitate my research. Edmonton has the kind of technology and facilities that bring in the best people.

I've been part of innovations in treatment that have spread from here to be practiced across North America. I truly believe I couldn't have done the work I've done anywhere else. I still receive offers to move to other facilities in other cities, but I'm excited and challenged by what I do at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and there's nowhere I'd rather be.

We in Edmonton don't promote ourselves enough as the world-class center we are.