Ahmed is an entrepreneur co-founding, advising, and engaging with start-ups and enterprises changing the future of work.

With 10 years of human capital consulting and business advisory experience via international firms like Ernst & Young and launching his own firm, Ahmed has gained deep knowledge and expertise in helping start-ups, small-to-medium businesses, and enterprises identify the skills they need to realize their goals, find the right talent model for them, and advising them on a path forward.

He is currently the Co-Founder & COO of solace, a fractional talent marketplace that connects growing businesses with fractional executives and professionals.

Prior to co-founding solace, Ahmed’s consulting experience immersed him in 100+ enterprise-level projects across North America and Europe and also across various public and private sectors. These projects were primarily focused on organizational design and governance (including workforce planning), post-merger integration, strategic planning and business planning, and change management.

He finds most fulfillment and happiness in professional capacities by supporting clients in realizing their greatest potential and aspirations.

Jacquelyn Cardinal's expertise in community-driven investment and Indigenous entrepreneurship brings vital perspective to HIC.

As co-founder of Naheyawin and former Impact Analyst at Raven Indigenous Capital Partners, she has a proven track record of integrating diverse worldviews into successful business models.

Jacquelyn's governance experience, including her roles with the Edmonton Community Foundation and Edmonton Unlimited, informs her approach to ethical, community-focused investment strategies. Her insights have been sought by the Standing Senate of Canada Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, underscoring her ability to bridge Indigenous and non-Indigenous economic interests.

Recognized as one of Avenue Magazine's Top 40 Under 40 and with the UN Women SHEInnovator Award, Jacquelyn brings innovative leadership to HIC's mission of fostering high-impact local investments with strong social and financial returns.

Kyla Kazeil is an Edmonton-based Entrepreneur with 19 years experience. Currently Kyla is the co-owner and director of 4 corporations (The Bamboo Ballroom, The Common, Fu’s Repair Shop, Dolly’s Cocktails) with yearly gross combined revenue of $5.85 million and more than 150 employees.

Her passion is developing world-class, award-winning establishments which are equitable and inclusive for all.

She excels in communications, events, team development particularly with female empowerment, problem solving, efficiency, time management, and interpersonal skills. Currently she sits on two additional boards; as the Communications chair at Strathcona Nursery School and on the board for the CCMA Legacy Committee.

Heather has been a life-long entrepreneur, having started two businesses in the Fairview area while operating and expanding a third-generation family farm and raising a family of four children. 

The first was a retail store which was sold to the current owner after operating it for ten years.  Along with her husband, she was also an integral part of building an international forage seed processing and marketing business, which has been constantly growing during the past four decades. 

Heather is currently the CEO and lead Forage Seed Marketer for Golden Acre Seeds, their well-respected international wholesale and retail business. 

On the farming side, their now fourth-generation family farm has grown to encompass over 30,000 acres, growing high-quality grains and oilseeds, along with many types of forage seeds.

Heather has also served more than 30 years on multiple boards, including positions as Chair of the national Forage Seed Canada board, as well as Treasurer of Peace Region Forage Seed Association and Organic Alberta.  She was an inaugural board member of the PRFSA, and also served on numerous local boards.  She has recently been reappointed to the board of Northwestern Polytechnic for an additional three-year term. 

She has been involved in community sports, coaching senior high school volleyball for many years.  A personal achievement was earning the honour of Valedictorian for her high school, and always achieving excellence in all her endeavours. 

Heather brings much knowledge, energy, and enthusiasm as well as an abundance of entrepreneurial experience to HIC.

We wanted to create a low barrier investment model for Albertans who want to keep their money local, invest in commercial and mixed use real estate, and support the growth of local businesses and entrepreneurs in Alberta. We are building a community at the same time that we are building a solid real estate portfolio across Alberta. In 10 or 20 years, we are excited to see what we will have accomplished with this community of investors, entrepreneurs, builders, doers and innovators.

There is an opportunity to invest in downtown Edmonton right now with high numbers of new residents, commercial vacancies trending downwards, and interest rates dropping. The opportunity to purchase the Alberta Block arose, and we realized it was the perfect first project to launch our investment model. It is situated in the centre of our province, in our capital city, in the heart of the downtown core on Jasper Avenue. Plus the historic original name of the building being "Alberta Block" tells us so much about what the building represents for our province. It has stood for over 115 years as a mainstay in the centre of our province, as the home to many businesses, entrepreneurs, innovators, doers, creatives and musicians. Our plan is to continue its story and continue making it a hub for Albertans who build things from the ground up.  

The building has a 96% occupancy and long term tenancies. The Offering Memorandum provides the listing of the leases in place and terms.

The building is a historic building (built in 1909) but is not a “heritage” site with restrictions from government based on financial support. The building has not received any designation that restricts its use or development and has recently undergone a major update and retrofit.

If you need to sell your shares, there are pathways to doing so after 4 months from the purchase date. The projected 6% dividends do not include any increase in property value over that 10 year period, so it is difficult to compare to a GIC. Also when you invest in a GIC, how is that money being invested? In what companies and industries? You don’t have control over exactly where the bank invests those funds, and in what locations. Your money is no longer in your local economy or community and you don’t get to vote or have any influence on where it is invested. With this opportunity you know exactly where your funds are invested and you get a say.

Alberta wide entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, doers, builders, and innovators. People that get things done and solve problems instead of waiting for others to solve them.

With a REIT you don’t get to vote annually and have a say or an opportunity to be on the Board of Directors. With a REIT you don’t usually know the exact details of where your money is invested and in which properties. You also don’t get an opportunity to get added perks such as access to the building spaces and events, or benefits for being an early investor.

Yes both land and building.

Currently Tegan Martin-Drysdale, who has been involved in the building since 2013 during the major energy and interior retrofit, manages the building and its operations. As a result of the energy retrofit, we have been able to keep our operational and maintenance costs low for our tenants compared to other office buildings in Edmonton, which helps keep our leases competitive.

We have leases that range from 5 yrs to 10 yr leases, with renewal dates between 2026 and 2029. 

We are looking for longer term investors that are interested in an investment timeframe of at least 5 years. When an investor chooses to exit, they have the option of selling their shares to other existing shareholders, new investors, or back to the co-operative investment group as a whole. The seller will receive the value of their shares plus any dividends owed.