Fort McMurray Minute: Issue 83

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

📅 This Week In Fort McMurray: 📅

• The newly elected Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo Council will be officially sworn in on October 29th at 6:00 pm at SMS Equipment Place. Following the ceremony, the council will hold its first organizational meeting. Residents can watch the event live on the RMWB website or via the municipality’s YouTube channel.
  
  
• Sandy Bowman has been re-elected as Mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo with a landslide victory, earning 94.75% of the vote (9,844 votes) over challenger Zulkifl Mujahid, who received 5.25% (545 votes). Bowman credited his win to his work over the past term and emphasized priorities for the next four years, including a municipal apprenticeship program, energy rate advocacy, downtown and waterfront development, and completing key infrastructure projects like flood mitigation. Mujahid’s campaign focused on subsidies for seniors and businesses.
  
  
• The 2025 Fort McMurray municipal election faced delays that many attributed to a provincial ban on automatic vote tabulators, requiring ballots to be counted by hand. Final results for all wards and trustees took nearly 26 hours to be released. Long lines on election day were partly due to new voter re-registration requirements, and the election cost the Municipality $600,000, double the 2021 expense. While officials noted the Kangaroo Board method worked, the region’s size and multiple races made counting complex. The Municipality plans a review to improve future elections.
  
  
• The Wood Buffalo Wellness Society in Fort McMurray is among 18 Alberta organizations receiving provincial grants to support survivors of gender-based violence. The funding comes through Alberta’s Community Pathways to Justice Grant, part of the province’s 10-year strategy to end gender-based violence, with a total of $1.36 million allocated to community programs. Grants, ranging from $37,000 to $145,000, will support operational activities that improve access to justice, victim support, legal navigation, and restorative justice. The initiative is part of Alberta’s broader $188-million commitment in Budget 2025 to programs addressing gender-based violence and assisting survivors.
  
  
• Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is bringing back the Santa Claus Parade and Council’s Starry Night on Saturday, December 6th, 2025. Residents, local businesses, and community groups can join the parade by registering a float or walking group by November 19th on the Municipality's website. Volunteers are also needed to help with fundraising and parade support, including roles like Barricade Monitors, Sidewalk Safety Elves, and the Toyshop Team, with applications due the same day. The evening begins at 5:00 pm at kiyām Community Park with the community tree and tipi lighting, followed by the parade at 6:00 pm along Franklin Ave., featuring a sensory-friendly zone from Main St. to Franklin Ave. for attendees who may need a quieter experience.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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