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Fort McMurray

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Fort McMurray is a hamlet in the northeastern part of Canada's western province of Alberta, in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta. Although it is commonly referred to and thought of as being a city, Fort McMurray is no longer incorporated. Thus, Fort McMurray has the status of being the largest unincorporated "city" in Alberta, and possibly Canada.

Red Provincial buildings in Fort McMurray

Location

Fort McMurray is located at 56°44′N 111°23′W / 56.733°N 111.383°W / 56.733; -111.383, 370 m above sea level. It is 435 km northeast of Edmonton on Highway 63, about 60 km west of the Saskatchewan border, nestled in the boreal forest at the confluence of the Athabasca River and the Clearwater River. Fort McMurray is the largest community in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Population

The population of Wood Buffalo (2005 census) is 73,176, with the majority of that located within the immediate area of Fort McMurray, which used to have city status until it was incorporated into Wood Buffalo a few years ago. Because Fort McMurray no longer has a municipal government of its own, it is technically a hamlet, even though its population is now estimated to be 60,983, according to the 2005 municipal census. Fort McMurray is a multicultural community, attracting people from all corners of Canada and the world. Albertans make up almost half the number of migrants to Fort McMurray followed by 17% of people originating from Newfoundland, Canada [[1]].

Climate

The average temperature at Fort McMurray is -19.8°C in January and +16.6°C in July. Its annual rainfall amounts to 334.5 mm, its snowfall is 172.0 cm.

Economics

Fort McMurray is considered the heart of one of Alberta's (and Canada's) major hubs of oil production, located near the Athabasca Oil Sands. Besides the oil sands, which dominate, its industries rely on natural gas and pipeline sectors, forestry and tourism. The two largest oil sand mining companies are Syncrude and Suncor. For further information on the petroleum industry in Alberta, see oilpatch.

Housing prices and rents are far higher in Fort McMurray than one would expect in such a remote area with land prices considerably higher than Edmonton, the nearest big city. The municipal government is pressuring the Albertan government to release more Crown land for residential construction.

Transportation to and from Fort McMurray is also problematic. Highway 63, the main highway between Fort McMurray and Edmonton, is regularly congested, resulting in lengthened and costly travel times, not to mention issues of safety, accelerated road deterioration and reduction in quality of life to residents. One recent survey revealed that 96 per cent of Fort McMurray residents see traffic on Highway 63 as a significant problem. The aging railway between Fort McMurray and the capital is also in need of improvement, which would allow for the movement of more heavy loads to take place away from the highway, and possibly allow for passenger service as well.

History

Fort Chipewyan is Alberta's oldest settled community. Over 200 years ago, Peter Pond and the voyageurs of the Northwest Trading Company traveled this area in search of furs.

Municipality

In addition to Fort McMurray, The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo consists of ten smaller communities: Anzac, Draper, Fort Chipewyan, Fort Fitzgerald, Fort MacKay, Gregoire Lake Estates, Janvier, Mariana Lakes and Saprae Creek Estates.

 
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