05/15/2026
When work and passion collide.
For Chris Rickett, one of the first stops in any community is always the downtown.
Over the past two decades, Chris has worked with main streets and downtowns across Canada, helping communities understand what makes their cores successful and what practical changes can strengthen local economies.
When Chris joined BMI Group in 2025 as a strategic advisor, he brought that same perspective to BMI’s growing portfolio of transformative projects.
During his first visit to BMI’s Prince Albert industrial revitalization project, Tellentia, Chris did what he always does: he went downtown.
What he found was a city centre with tremendous potential.
Prince Albert has all the ingredients of a strong downtown: two post-secondary institutions, City Hall and other government offices, and long-standing businesses such as Ted Matheson Menswear and Fresh Air Experience. During BMI’s due diligence, Chris also found that downtown Prince Albert recorded 9.4 million visits in 2025, including more than 700,000 unique visitors.
Like many downtowns, Prince Albert also faces vacancies and challenges. But the urban form was strong. The bones were there.
One thing stood out immediately: Central Avenue was still operating as a one-way street.
As the City began planning to replace aging downtown infrastructure, Chris shared a simple recommendation with staff, businesses, and community leaders: restore two-way traffic on Central Avenue.
That recommendation has now become reality. Prince Albert City Council has approved the conversion of Central Avenue to two-way traffic between River Street and 15th Street.
A simple idea, backed by experience and data.
Proud to have Chris on the BMI team.
