Fort McMurray Minute: Naming Decisions, PACT Program, and the Integrity Commissioner Stays

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

This Week In Fort McMurray:

• On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a meeting of the Wood Buffalo Development Advisory Committee. The agenda includes the transition plan from the old Land Use Bylaw to the new Land Use Bylaw and the Planning and Development Services Process Review Update. The Committee will also head into a closed session to discuss the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Action Plan.
  
  
• Also on Wednesday, at 5:30 pm, the Wood Buffalo Downtown Revitalization Advisory Committee will meet. The Committee will discuss Regional Emergency Services River Break-Up Preparedness and a Snye Point Park Project Update. This Committee will also discuss the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan Action Plan during a closed session.
  
  
• The federal election is underway. You-Ju Choi is running as the NDP candidate for Fort McMurray - Cold Lake, while incumbent Conservative MP Laila Goodridge has filed for re-election. The People’s Party is running Alan Clarke from Morinville. The Liberals have yet to announce a candidate for the riding. Voting is set for April 28th.

Last Week In Fort McMurray:

• Council approved naming the Fort McKay Fire Hall after Zachary Powder, the community’s first fire chief, and a rugby field in Timberlea after Hilda Peters, a dedicated volunteer and athlete. Powder, who fought wildfires until his retirement at 83, was widely respected for his leadership and expertise, with wildfire training courses named in his honour. Peters, a founding member of the Fort McMurray Knights Rugby Club’s first women’s team, was celebrated for her contributions as a player, coach, and mentor before passing away from breast cancer in 2021. Additionally, Pine Lake Road was officially recognized as the name for a long-used local route, but a proposal to rename the Anzac Recreation Centre after the late Councillor Jane Stroud was postponed to allow for more community input.
  
  
• Councillor Shafiq Dogar was briefly ejected from a Council meeting after failing to follow multiple points of order while attempting to have the Integrity Commissioner fired. Mayor Sandy Bowman warned that publicly discussing an employee’s performance could have legal consequences, but Dogar criticized the Commissioner as incompetent. After being removed, Dogar was allowed to return upon apologizing, though some Councillors questioned the sincerity of his apology. The motion to dismiss the Integrity Commissioner was overwhelmingly rejected, with only Dogar voting in favour. Dogar has been reprimanded multiple times by the Integrity Commissioner for violating the code of conduct.
  
  
• The Police and Crisis Team (PACT) program in Fort McMurray has been credited with successfully improving mental health responses since its launch in 2022. Partnering Wood Buffalo RCMP with Alberta Health Services mental health nurses, the program has handled thousands of calls, focusing on de-escalation and support rather than enforcement. Over the past year, PACT responded to more than 300 calls, addressing crises related to trauma, addiction, and mental illness. Officers and nurses work together to connect individuals with resources, reducing the burden on emergency services.