Not long ago few wanted to venture up in the wilds of the north far reaches of the Canadian province or Alberta . Few even remember when the whole sector was a backwater part of the North West Territories . It took American money from Standard Oil to change that . This is now the Texas of the nation. On top of that its no longer Calgary which is the center-point of this base industry but rather that once forbidding remote area. Fort McMurray Alberta is the main district in the Municipality of Wood Buffalo in Canada. A city till 1995, Fort McMurray Alberta was merged with smaller Hamlets like Fort Chipewyan, Fort Mackay to form municipality of Wood Buffalo, Improvement District No. 18.

Its no secret in Alberta , or in the commercial corridors of Edmonton and Alberta that Fort McMurray has had its economy set on fire. Vibrant yet solid and honest it is no wonder that the „Fort“ has become the regional center for the Northern Alberta Oil Sands projects and economy. All of Canada has benefited from the prosperity of this „black gold“. Yet its not only consumers who benefit throughout North America with a reliable source of North American source of oil. Business throughout Canada and especially the Canadian province of Alberta has reaped the windfall. Just try to get real estate or even meagre rental properties in Fort McMurray or even in Edmonton and you will get a taste of the spread of cash money from this resource. The expression is that in the Fort McMurray area you „can still get a home for $ 600,000 Canadian dollars“. Median income is the highest in all of Canada with average gross family income in 2013 at $ 187,000 .

What makes Fort McMurray so interesting are two points. One in spite of its small apparent size and population ( only 65,000 out of a provincial total population of 3.600,000). Second is its people. Half are locals born and raised in the area , or at least in the Canadian province of Alberta. The other half are from „somewhere else“. The friction between the „locals“ and the others is whether the newcomers have come to stay , contribute and grow within the new prosperity or are they self serving individuals only in Fort Mc Murray „for the money“. The apparent conflict continues on and serves as bone of contention within the local communities. Its not a small nor imagined conflict. Up here in this little speck of nothingness is black gold and opportunity itself to be had. Yet it is said that if the Keystone Pipeline to the south ever gets laid out – that there is additional product to be had in the adjoining province of Saskatchewan. The climatologist Tim Ball from the University of Winnipeg fame was incredulous that American bankers did not even know of this energy option to replace Saudi oil dependency. When told that to solve America’s post 911 security debacle that all that needed to be done was to call in the Saudi Royals and inform them 5 years – clean up your house or we move on to our option. That option was to develop the „Tar Sands“ with Alberta and later on Northern Saskatchewan heavy tar crude petroleum resources. The „Keystone Pipeline“ would be part of the interconnected North American energy supply network.

Yet its not inexpensive to live in this neck of the world. True the median income is the highest in Canada. Yet so are run of the mill labor costs , and as well the costs to truck up everything up the Northern roads and highways. Even to hire staff for McDonalds or the local Tim Hortons doughnut shops is on a scale out of the wage scales of these national chains. Housing is at more than a premium and if these employers don’t pay the demanded wages – then staff just gets employment elsewhere and that business – be it a big box store or a restaurant has no staff to serve customers what so ever. What can be best said about Fort Mc Murray . Its cold in the winter , winter is long and frigid and the area is isolated as well. Its only a short 400 ( 250 miles) from the most major metropolis of Edmonton – the 250 miles drive south.The downside of all of this prosperity that the Athabasca regional area is experiencing and enjoying is that the basis of the whole local economy is not diversified.

In the end it can be said that Fort McMurray region is experiencing a great boom time with the advent of the processing of the Athabasca tar sands. Alberta and Albertans as a whole will benefit. The locals of Fort McMurray and the regions are benefiting. The American consumer and auto drivers – be they car , truck , SUV , transport trailer or bus will benefit from sustained and reliable gasoline , fuel oil and heating supplies. But will the whole Fort McMurray region continue to prosper and sustain its growth and charm over the long run ?

The official Government of Canada records state & reported a population of 72,944 in Fort McMurray, which includes permanent and non-permanent populations of 70,964 and 1,980 residents. Also indicated was that Fort McMurray had 22,386 dwelling units , 27.7% were apartments .