Edmonton is one very small step closer to hosting the World's Fair in 2017.

Mayor Stephen Mandel has charged two city councillors with finding out what it would take to bring the event to the Alberta capital.

"It's a very preliminary stage," Mandel said yesterday, adding he doesn't even know if Edmonton would qualify to host the event. "We'll need to look into it."

Councillors Karen Leibovici and Jane Batty are in charge of the file.

It was one of a number of "special initiatives" that Mandel assigned to councillors. Others include revitalizing Chinatown, establishing a winter festival and improving Stony Plain Road, among several other things.

Countries from around the world come together every few years at the World's Fair to display their culture and technological advances.

Ottawa is also reportedly gunning to get the event in 10 years.

"It's important for the world to see Edmonton," Mandel said. "This is an incredible city with marvellous opportunities.

"The World's Fair creates a theme and maybe that theme could be around the environment."

Mandel said this was something former councillor Mike Nickel was working on. Nickel was defeated in the recent election.

Vancouver was the last Canadian city to host the World's Fair in 1986.