Fort McMurray Minute: Issue 98

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

📅 This Week In Fort McMurray: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 3:00 pm, there will be a Council meeting. The meeting begins with a closed session, wherein Council will discuss a Litigation Matter and a Municipal Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses.
  
  
• When the meeting opens up to the public, around 5:00 pm, Councillor Don Scott will bring forward a Notice of Motion requesting that the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo conduct a review of its snow removal policies and operations within 30 days. The review will assess ways to improve efficiency and responsiveness, especially during extreme or rapidly changing weather. Administration is also asked to report back with recommended changes and associated budget implications to enhance overall snow removal service levels. Additionally, the review will explore the feasibility of implementing GPS tracking on snow clearing equipment, including a public-facing platform similar to Edmonton’s, allowing residents to see real-time snow clearing activity and equipment locations.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 2:30 pm, the Wood Buffalo Pro-Business Advisory Committee will meet. The Committee will discuss proposed updates to the 24-year-old Business License Bylaw to modernize regulations, reduce red tape, and ensure consistency for all businesses. The review process began in 2024 with research and drafting, followed by targeted engagement in early 2026, and aims to present the updated bylaw to Council in fall 2026. Key changes include a standardized licensing term from January 1st to December 31st, clarified definitions for resident and non-resident businesses, expanded exemptions, and updated procedures for revoking or appealing a license. The fee structure has also been updated: resident businesses will pay $90 for an initial license and $60 for annual renewal, while non-resident businesses will pay $600 initially and $450 for renewal, removing outdated categories such as handicraft, trade show, and cannabis-specific licenses. The proposed fees remain competitive compared with other Alberta municipalities.
  
  
• The Committee will also review the 2025 Census. It shows Wood Buffalo’s population is growing, reversing previous declines. The Urban Service Area now has 83,467 residents, while rural communities have 3,010 residents, and a further 3,217 people live in project accommodations. The community is largely young and working-age, with most residents living in the region for 6-10 years (33.07%) or 11-20 years (29.51%). The survey also shows that family ties are the main reason people move to the area, that housing is primarily single-detached homes (41.6%) and apartments/condos (27.2%), and that most households have pets, including 60.6% with dogs and 32.4% with cats, totalling 18,395 pets.
  
  
• The Wood Buffalo Waterfront Advisory Committee will meet on Thursday at 5:30 pm. The agenda includes the appointments of a Chair and Vice-Chair, and finalizing the 2026 meeting schedule. The Committee will also review administrative protocols, including communication tools and a central resource site. Presentations scheduled include updates on the Snye Point Park Project, Reach 6 design, and Borealis Boardwalk rehabilitation.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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