The HBC traded a variety of goods with the Indigenous peoples of the area, including guns, ammunition, tools, cloth, and food. In return, the HBC received furs, which were then shipped to Europe and sold for a profit. The most important furs traded at Fort Edmonton were beaver, muskrat, and fox.
In addition to the fur trade, Fort Edmonton also played an important role in the provisioning of the HBC's other posts in the region. The fort produced its own food, including wheat, oats, barley, and potatoes. The fort also raised livestock, including cattle, pigs, and horses.
Fort Edmonton was a vital centre of economic activity in the region for over 50 years. The fort closed in 1846, but its legacy lives on in the city of Edmonton, which is named after the fort.