Astral Out-of-Home, a division of Bell Media, in partnership with Leading Outdoor, has launched two large-format digital out-of-home (DOOH) billboards along Calgary’s Ring Road on land assigned to the Starlight family within the Tsuut’ina Nation. Partners describe the installation as the largest freestanding DOOH installation in Canada.

The billboards sit on the west side of Tsuut’ina Trail (Stoney Trail), part of Calgary’s Ring Road, and are visible to high-traffic commuter routes in southwest Calgary. Located near the entrance to the Shops of Buffalo Run, a 22,018-m2 (237,000-sf) retail development in southwest Calgary, the site targets commuters and shoppers in a growing commercial hub. The area includes the first Costco built on First Nations land, as well as the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex and The Tsuut’ina Gas Stop, with additional retail developments planned.

Astral Out-of-Home, Leading Outdoor, the Starlight family, and LED solutions provider Certified LED collaborated to develop the project. According to the partners, the intent is to support a mix of commercial advertising, local and national charitable messaging and initiatives, and community communications, including emergency alerts such as AMBER Alerts.

DOOH for the long term

“This launch brings another world-class development to the Tsuut’ina Nation and Calgary,” said newly elected Chief Ellery Starlight. “It stands among the high-quality developments our Nation is proud of.”

Astral Out-of-Home vice-president Michele Erskine said the installation reflects continued investment in DOOH infrastructure in Calgary, adding, “Calgary is one of the fastest-growing major cities in the country, and investments like this allow us to deliver high-impact platforms for advertisers while also supporting meaningful community and public-interest messaging.”

Leading Outdoor’s Vance Macdonald Jr. said the site was developed with long-term use in mind and emphasized the collaboration with the Starlight family and Astral, saying, “These significant additions to Canada’s out-of-home landscape would not have been possible without the Starlight family’s partnership and the visionary leadership of Michele Erskine and her team at Astral Out-of-Home.”

The Starlight family, the Tsuut’ina Nation, and charitable organizations will reserve a portion of billboard inventory for community and public-interest messaging.