While the EMR is not a strictly defined entity, its commonly known boundaries are coincident with those of the Edmonton census metropolitan area (CMA) as delineated by Statistics Canada.

The EMR is considered a major gateway to northern Alberta and the Canadian North, particularly for many companies, including airlines and oil/natural gas exploration.

As of the 2021 Canadian census, the Edmonton CMA includes the following 34 census subdivisions (municipalities or municipality equivalents):[3] The Edmonton CMA is the largest of the 41 CMAs[a] in Canada by area, at 9,416.19 km2 (3,635.61 sq mi).

A fragmentation in regional cooperation and partnership has long played a divisive role within the EMR.

As a result, Premier Ed Stelmach announced in December 2007 that a governing board would be established for Edmonton's Capital Region.

[17] The original Capital Region Board (CRB) was established with 25 participating or member municipalities,[18] differing slightly from the municipalities that Statistics Canada included in the Edmonton CMA as the CRB excluded entities which did not take active involvement in the greater regional planning activity (four Indian reserves, eight summer villages and one village) while including the non-CMA Lamont County and the Town of Lamont.