In honour of Canada’s 150th birthday, The CJN presents 40 profiles of some of the most prominent Jewish Canadians throughout our history.
Edmontonian Daryl Allan Katz, 56, is the founder and chairman of the Katz Group of Companies, one of Canada’s largest privately owned enterprises, with operations in real estate development, pharmacy, sports and the entertainment sectors. Katz, a passionate fan of the Edmonton Oilers, owns the team, and one of his companies, the Oilers Entertainment Group, owns and operates the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Bakersfield Condors, as well as Aquila Productions, a film and production company.
In 2003, Katz was appointed to the Premier’s Council of Alberta’s Promise, an organization devoted to improving the lives of Alberta’s children and youth. He’s a member of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and co-chaired the University of Alberta’s Campaign 2008, which was the largest fundraising campaign at that time in the university’s history.
READ: THE CJN’S SPECIAL COVERAGE OF CANADA’S SESQUICENTENNIAL
Katz has donated generously to organizations and institutions across Canada. His $7-million donation to the University of Alberta faculty of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences and faculty of law in 2006 was the largest donation ever to a Canadian pharmacy school. In 2009, he donated $20 million to Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital, where he founded the Daryl A Katz Centre for Urgent and Critical Care. He is also a supporter of Edmonton’s Stollery Children’s Hospital.
Katz has been a major player in the revitalization of Edmonton’s downtown core. In a public-private partnership with the City of Edmonton, he led the development of Rogers Place Arena. That was the catalyst for the ICE District, of which The Katz Group is also an integral part. The multi-billion dollar mixed-use sports and entertainment development will cover 25 acres and encompass retail, a hotel, office towers, a casino, a movie theatre complex and condominiums. The Katz Group joined forces with ONE Properties to create the ICE District Properties, aimed at bringing Edmonton residents together and attracting visitors to the city. Upon its completion, the ICE District will be Canada’s largest mixed-use sports and entertainment district.
