Fort McMurray Minute: Housing Program, June Snowfall, and Heavy Item Collection

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

This Week In Fort McMurray:

• There will be a meeting of Council on Tuesday, at 6:00 pm. Council will proclaim World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. There will be a presentation regarding the Communities In Bloom Committee’s 2023 Annual Report. Council will also discuss the Off-Highway Vehicle Bylaw and the Fees, Rates, and Charges Bylaw.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 2:00 pm, there will be a meeting of the Wood Buffalo Pro-Business Advisory Committee. No agenda is available for this meeting yet. Then, on Thursday, there will be two meetings. The Advisory Committee on Aging meets at 1:00 pm to discuss an Accessibility Audit Update, among other items, and the Wood Buffalo Waterfront Advisory Committee will meet at 5:30 pm to review the site plan at Snye Point Park.
  
  
• The Municipality is developing a new Land Use Bylaw and seeking public feedback. This bylaw will regulate zoning, building types, parking, and urban design. The current bylaw is nearly 25 years old. In-person engagement sessions have already started - the next one is at Peter Pond Mall on Friday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, and another will be held at the Jubilee Centre Lobby on Thursday, June 20th, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The draft bylaw will incorporate feedback from residents, developers, and community organizations. You can also take a survey regarding the bylaw online.

Last Week In Fort McMurray:

• It was revealed that the Tawâw housing program for chronically homeless Indigenous people in Fort McMurray is at risk of shutting down within six months due to a lack of funding. Councillor Chris Beausoleil warns that without Tawâw, clients could end up in jail, on the streets, or worse. The Wood Buffalo Wellness Society (WBWS) blames changes to the Community Investment Program for the funding issues. The Municipality has provided significant financial support but says it can't legally fulfill WBWS's funding requests. Tawâw, which costs about $30,000 a month to operate, has seen a significant drop in its residents' use of emergency services and encounters with the police since opening.
  
  
• The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo announced a curbside collection schedule for large heavy items from June 25th to July 11th. Residents must register online by June 18th to participate. Accepted items include sofas, loveseats, mattresses, exercise equipment, appliances, and large TVs. Additionally, drop-off locations for household items, such as furniture and renovation materials, will be available on specified dates in June. The service is free, but fees apply for certain items like refrigerators and mattresses, with charges added to the monthly utility bill.
  
  
• Fort McMurray experienced a rare June snowfall just weeks after wildfire evacuations, with temperatures around freezing and snow falling. Although there was some accumulation, it quickly turned to rain by the afternoon. The snowfall was close to breaking the record of 0.3 cm set on June 9th, 1957.