Fort McMurray Minute: Bear Encounters, Byelection Date, and a Municipal Development Plan

Fort McMurray Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Fort McMurray politics

This Week In Fort McMurray:

• The Vehicle for Hire Committee will meet this evening at 6:00 pm. The agenda includes online booking services and a discussion about Uride. On Tuesday, at 4:00 pm, there will be a City Council meeting, which begins with a closed session. Once the meeting opens up to the public around 6:00 pm, Council will review the schedule for 2025 budget debate meetings and consider a $425,000 capital request for ambulance replacement due to an August 23rd accident, with insurance expected to cover the cost. They will also address 2024 Capital Budget Amendments, including a $6,138,906 increase for various projects following one cancellation and several adjustments. Additionally, discussions will cover downtown safety, security, and flood mitigation.
  
  
• The Homelessness Initiatives Strategic Committee will meet on Wednesday at 2:00 pm. The Committee will engage in a strategic planning discussion and hear a presentation about homelessness data. Later in the day, at 5:30 pm, the Regional Advisory Committee on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity will meet. The agenda includes a discussion about advancing the rights of trans people in the local community as well as an update on the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. Finally, at 6:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the Community Investment Program Approval Committee. The Committee will receive a presentation on Pecuniary Interest and Conflict of Interest.
  
  
• Bear encounters in Fort McMurray are higher than normal this year. There have been nearly 300 bear encounters, and conservation officers have captured 63 animals, 55 of which were euthanized and 8 which were relocated. Meanwhile, the Municipality announced that more than 1,400 bear-resistant garbage bins will be given to residents, with some areas taking priority. Rollout will continue throughout the fall.

Last Week In Fort McMurray:

• Council approved a new Municipal Development Plan aimed at managing the region's growth with a focus on sustainable and diversified economic development. The updated plan emphasizes economic innovation, Indigenous reconciliation, community culture, and environmental protection, reflecting changes since the 2011 Plan, which was based on projections from the oilsands boom. While the Plan received broad support for promoting business and managing growth, some concerns were raised about areas like Draper being ignored, as well as the Plan’s perceived similarities with federal and UN policies.
  
  
• The Municipality has scheduled a byelection for November 4th to fill the Ward 4 seat left vacant by the recent death of Councillor Jane Stroud. Provincial rules only require a byelection if there is more than 18 months until the next general election, but Council decided it was important to continue having local representation to help address local issues such as infrastructure and community services. Ward 4 includes Anzac, Conklin, Gregoire Lake Estates, and Janvier, who have been left unrepresented since Stroud’s death in August.
  
  
• Over 1,000 educational assistants and school support staff in Fort McMurray’s public and Catholic schools have voted to strike on September 17th, citing wages that haven’t kept pace with rising living costs. Workers are demanding a $2 hourly wage increase over the next several years, while their employers have countered with smaller raises and wage cuts for new hires. Schools plan to remain open during the strike, but some programming may be affected.