Fort McMurray, Alberta, is best known today for its association with the oil sands industry. It is the top employer in the region with many available jobs in oil sands and supporting industries. Although not officially a city, “Fort Mac” is considered to be the heart of one of Canada’s major oil production hub.
Fort McMurray, formerly a city, became an urban service area when it amalgamated with Improvement District No. 143 in April 1995. With this amalgamation, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo was created.
Fort McMurray is located 435 kilometres northeast of Edmonton and about 60 kilometres west of the Saskatchewan border. Nestled in the boreal forest at the confluence of the Athabasca River and the Clearwater River, it is the largest community in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
Fort McMurray has a diverse and multicultural community and attracts people from all corners of Canada and the world.
Working
As you are in the process of choosing the best city in Canada for you, join us at the upcoming Settling in Canada Online Fair. You’ll learn all about the careers and government funded training that is available by province so that you can make an informed choice on where to live.
What you can do at the fair
- When you enter the fair you will be at the Plaza, from there you can check out the auditorium, exhibit halls and a lot more…
- In the auditorium, you can watch some very informative webinars where you can learn everything from interview techniques to how to choose a settlement agency that is right for you.
- The exhibit halls are where you find the booths, Each one of these is packed full of downloadable resources and other tools that will allow you to settle in Canada with great ease and comfort.
Remember to Register Now to avoid missing out on this great career opportunity.
Weather
With a humid continental climate and no dry season, Fort McMurray has long, very cold winters and warm, short summers.
The town lies at a lower elevation than most other parts of Alberta. The warm season lasts from May 16 to September 14 with an average daily high temperature above17°C. The cold season lasts from November 17 to March 5 with an average daily high temperature below-4°C.
The hottest day of the year is July 20, with an average high of 24°C and the coldest day of the year is February 7, with an average low of -21°C.
Fort McMurray has an average annual precipitation of 456 millimetres – falls mainly in the summer months – and an average annual snowfall of 156 centimetres – appears within a range of 5 to 7 months.
Public transit
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo operates a public transit service that includes Fort McMurray, seven days a week. Services consist of local scheduled bus routes, specialized transportation for people with disabilities and school buses.
16 regular bus routes operate daily with two additional weekday rush hour routes to the main industrial areas and a special Saturday service for people in Saprae Creek. The system has reduced weekend service and does not operate at all on most holidays.
Greyhound Canada and Red Arrow operate scheduled passenger bus services to Edmonton and other communities along Highway 63, as well as other destinations further south.
By air, Fort McMurray is serviced by many airlines, including Air Canada, WestJet, and United Airlines with scheduled flights to Calgary, Edmonton, Fort Chipewyan, Fort Smith, Lethbridge, Peace River, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, St. John’s and Denver.
As well, various oil companies operate their own corporate and charter flights.
Driving
Highway 63 is the only highway between Fort McMurray and Edmonton. Because of the demands of the oil sands industry, this highway boasts some of the highest tonnage per kilometer in Canada, and the largest and heaviest loads that trucks have ever carried.
Fort McMurray can also be accessed from Lac La Biche through Highway 881. The city is also served by Highway 69, which is a short spur off of Highway 63 that connects Fort McMurray with its airport and a few rural residential developments to the southeast.
For information on driving in Alberta and how to get a licence, see Driving.
Police services
The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo contracts Canada’s national police service – the RCMP – to provide law enforcement services for its citizens.
The Fort McMurray RCMP Detachment consists of both Provincial and Municipal civilian staff that provide administrative services to the RCMP.
In emergency call 9-1-1 immediately. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police, the fire department or an ambulance. If the situation doesn’t require immediate attention, call 780-788-4000 (Complaint); 780-788-4040 (Admin).
Places of worship
Fort McMurray is home to a wide variety of religious beliefs and worship groups. To find out about different places of worship in Fort McMurray, click here.
Pre-arrival settlement and employment services in Alberta (Video)
