Fort McMurray Minute: Issue 99

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

📅 This Week In Fort McMurray: 📅

• On Tuesday, at 12:00 pm, there will be a Special Council Meeting. The meeting will be held in-camera as Council discusses a Draper update, a community investment program, and Council Committee appointments.
  
  
• On Wednesday, at 12:00 pm, the Homelessness Initiatives Strategic Committee will meet. The agenda includes a homelessness update. From September 2025 to January 2026, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo saw a steady increase in individuals identified as homeless, with active cases on the By-Name List (BNL) rising from 108 in September to 239 in January. Newly identified individuals also increased, reaching 42 in January. Most of those on the list were connected to housing programs, with approximately 213 people working with supports in January,16 expected to move into housing, and 22 actively searching for housing. Each month, 12-13 people moved into housing.
  
  
• Council unanimously approved naming several local landmarks to honour prominent residents. The Anzac recreation centre will be renamed the Jane Stroud Recreation Centre in memory of the late Councillor who served from 2010 to 2024. The Anzac baseball diamond will become the William and Betty Woodward Ballpark, and the winter road connecting Fort McMurray and Fort Chipewyan will be named the Michael Cardinal Winter Road, recognizing Cardinal’s leadership in constructing the route in 1986. Community consultation and committee recommendations guided the naming decisions, which were praised as fitting tributes to the individuals’ contributions. 
  
  
• The Municipality has appointed Andrew Boutilier as its new Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), effective March 9th, 2026. A 48-year resident of the region, Boutilier brings over 20 years of senior executive experience in the energy and industrial sectors, including leadership roles with Syncrude, Suncor, and Bouchier. Boutilier’s mandate includes leading the municipal organization through the development of its next strategic plan following the approval of the 2026 budget. He succeeds Jody Butz, who served as Interim CAO for the past year while maintaining his duties as Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management. Mayor Sandy Bowman noted that Boutilier’s deep community ties and industrial background position him well to create stability and advance regional priorities.
  
  
• The Wood Buffalo Community Foundation is hosting its second annual Building Legacy, Building Community event on March 21st at SMS Equipment Place in Fort McMurray to honour Métis leaders Michael Cardinal and Hector “Mickey” Demers. The event will also launch a $1 million corporate fundraising challenge to support Indigenous initiatives through a permanent endowment fund established in their names. Local companies Bouchier and A.P.E. Maintenance Ltd. have already pledged $250,000 and $100,000, respectively. Tickets for the March event are available through the foundation’s website.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!