In Development Episode 32 - Restoring Multicultural Vibrancy to Edmonton’s Chinatown with Hon Leong

In Development Podcast

In this episode, Ryan and Olivia sit down with Hon Leong to chat about all things Chinatown. Hon dives into the changes and challenges Edmonton’s Chinatown has seen over the recent years: from dwindling foot traffic and small business engagement, to advocating for a vibrant and multicultural hub for the future. Hon also discusses the sensitive topic of social disorder in this area and how he hopes “housing first” and City resources such as the Community Revitalization Levy can create positive outcomes. Listen to the full episode as Hon tells the audience about Chinatown’s development plans, how this cultural centre in Edmonton compares to other cities in Canada, and how Edmontonians can become involved with this integral component of downtown revival.

Hon Leong is the Chair of the Edmonton Chinatown Transformation Collaborative (CTC), a collective formed in 2018 by a group of passionate advocates and organizations who continue to share the goal of preserving Chinatown as a culturally significant and celebrated location in Edmonton. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant by training and is now a real estate developer running his company at LPY Holdings Ltd., with a focus on local community development. Hon was motivated to join the CTC through his childhood experience growing up in Chinatown. He sees Chinatown as part of his Chinese-Canadian identity and considers it to be a cultural asset that should be well preserved.