Welcome home
A friendly community for your family
Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is a smart move. Excellent schools, outdoor adventures, career opportunities, and affordable housing are just a few of the benefits of joining our community.
Average Household Income
$212,433
Regional Population
106,059
Average Residential Home Price
$351,107
Find your dreamhome
A city of great neighbourhoods
Fort McMurray is a closely-knit community with diverse neighbourhoods. Whether you love a walkable downtown area or close proximity to year-round trails, there's a space for you. Here are just a few of our stand-out neighbourhoods:
Parson's Creek
Fort McMurray’s northern most neighborhood with upcoming developments. Houses 2 schools (one public, one catholic), access to wooded trail systems and asphalt biking/running trails. Home to a beautiful man-made lake, community playgrounds, a water park and skate park.
Eagle Ridge
Lots of access to commercial options – coffee shops, pubs, fast food, hair salons, and more.
Home to a movie theatre and the Uptown Alley. A mix of family homes, row housing, and condo buildings. Close to gyms and recreation centres. Walking-friendly with access to trail systems.
Timberlea
The largest subdivision in Fort McMurray. A mix of all housing structures; includes older more established neighborhoods and newer builds. Many schools in the area, great access to public transit, many different amenities and commercial options.
Thickwood
One of the most beautiful features of Thickwood is its close proximity to nature. Surrounded by lush forests, the Birchwood Trails, and numerous parks, Thickwood puts nature on your doorstep. On the eastern edge of Thickwood you’ll find amenities like grocery stores, local shops, restaurants, and other servies. The neighbourhood has a mix of detached homes, condos, and rowhouses – there’s a home for everyone!
Abasand
Small, tight-knit community, just minutes from downtown. Access to schools, including Fort McMurray’s francophone school, parks and amenities. Surrounded by beautiful landscape. Smaller family homes: detached, row housing, condo buildings.
Gregoire
Minutes from the Fort McMurray International Airport and a beautiful 15-minute drive out to Gregoire Lake Provincial Park. Home to many commercial amenities, alongside the Gregoire Industrial Park. Lots of small family options for housing – or a quick jump across the highway to Beaconhill for larger, more established homes and yards.
Longboat Landing
Anchored on the southern edge of downtown, beautiful scenery with access to all downtown has to offer. Close to the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre, Keyano College and Keyano Theatre.
Mostly row homes and condo buildings – when leaving the subdivision, one turn will take you to the heart of downtown with access to recreation, food, and amenities – one turn will take you along the beautiful Clearwater River and access our historical Heritage Shipyard and local gem, Snye Point Park.
Saprae Creek
Located South of Fort McMurray, a “country” feel outside of the city. Large family homes with incredible green space and a small community feel. Minutes away from Vista Ridge, home to skiing in the winter, and the zipline park and golfing in the summer.
Quick access to the Fort McMurray International Airport. The boreal forest and incredible access to the outdoors is right in your backyard.
Anzac
Rural hamlet located approximately 45 minutes Southeast of Fort McMurray. Beautiful, tight knit community surrounded by boreal forest.
Access to waterfront areas at Anzac beach or a 5 minute drive to Gregoire Lake Provincial Park.
Large family homes with huge green spaces – access to a school, grocery store, local pubs, and a world class recreation facility.
Questions about renting?
Making the move to a new city is a big step. Wood Buffalo Housing offers rental accommodations across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo for all sizes of families. Explore their site to learn more or call 780-799-4050 and ask to speak to the Leasing Agent to inquire about availability.
Email: info@wbhousing.ca
Phone: (780) 799-4050
RMWB area
+15 million acres
Oldest settlement in Alberta
Fort Chipewyan
Welcome to your new backyard
All within 20-minutes of the downtown core
Diverse events all year round
Events help to bring our community together. From tournaments to food festivals, cultural celebrations to seasonal galas, here's an overview of some of our signature events:
ATC Cultural Festival
The mission of the Athabasca Tribal Council Cultural Festival is to develop and deliver a festival that showcases, celebrates, and fosters the development of Northern Alberta’s diverse and distinctive Indigenous arts and culture.
WinterPLAY
Snye Point Park is the home of our community's annual WinterPLAY festival, presented by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. It's a celebration of all things winter -- with a range of events sure to heat things up!
Patio Party
Summertime is patio time! And what better space than the Fort McMurray Heritage Shipyards? Waterfront breezes, great food, live music, and cool vibes make this event a community favorite.
Ribfest
What's better than a weekend of BBQ and live music? When the event is raising thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food for local groups as well. Ribfest is a relatively new event for the city, but the 2023 event attracted over 10,000 visitors. Expect this event to become a community staple.
Inter Pipeline Fort McMurray Marathon
Each September hundreds of runners take part in this event, with full and half marathons, 10k, 5k, 3k, and a kids fun run as well. The well-organized event includes music, food, prizes, and family fun.
Your community calendar
The Mac Calendar highlights events across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
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Education in FMWB
BRIGHT MINDS DESERVE THE BEST EDUCATION
Fort McMurray is home to some of Alberta's best schools. School choice means that parents can enroll their children in the school that's right for them.
Fort McMurray Public Schools
Ten elementary schools, three high schools, plus alternative and specialized programs.
Fort McMurray Catholic Schools
A total of thirteen schools operate under this division, featuring a science and technology centre and a performing arts theatre.
Excellence Awards
Excellence Awards provide up to the maximum tuition amount at Keyano College for a full year of studies. Graduates from high schools within the Regional Municipality with an 80% average are eligible.
PEAK Athletic Academy
The PEAK program is a sports academy with a commitment to developing academics, athletics, and character. Programming is offered for hockey, dance, basketball, volleyball, soccer, and multi-sport.
Français? Mais oui!
Several schools offer robust French immersion programs. Students also have the opportunity to receive French proficiency diplomas. Fort McMurray Catholic Schools is the only Division in North-Eastern Alberta to offer these types of exams and diplomas.
Registered Apprentice Program (RAP)
RAP is a high school program that allows students to begin earning hours toward their apprenticeship while earning high school credits toward their diploma. Students are registered in the trade and placements are in an approved worksite with teacher supervision. Students begin RAP in grade 10 or 11 by attending weekly meetings. Once they have been accepted into the program in the late spring the following school year the student will spend one semester in the workplace and one in school completing their core subjects toward a high school diploma.
Lifelong Learning
Keyano College
Keyano College meets both the training and skills acquisition needs of industry and the personal enrichment and cultural needs of the Wood Buffalo community. Keyano provides opportunities for lifelong, relevant, and practical learning and is committed to increasing access to post-secondary programs. Degrees, diplomas, and certificates in dozens of programs are available.
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Remarkable Indigenous Strength
Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo is Treaty 8 Territory, the traditional lands of the Cree and Dene, and the unceded territory of the Métis people.
First Nations and Métis communities from Fort Fitzgerald to Conklin are continuing centuries-old traditions while innovating new paths on the journey forward.
NISTAWOYOU ASSOCIATION FRIENDSHIP CENTRE
To promote and encourage better relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in our community, as well as act as a liaison between the people of Indigenous background and government, voluntary agencies, industry and other groups.
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Priority Needs
Premium health care
Fort McMurray is a regional health services centre, providing access to a broad range of healthcare services including a 24/7 emergency department.
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre
NLRHC delivers high-quality health care for our community. Dialysis, maternity care, laboratory services, intensive care, and surgeries are just a few of their services.
Fort McMurray Community Cancer Centre
Local, specialized care for people with cancer is an important part of a treatment plan. The Fort McMurray Community Cancer Centre is located within the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre.
Family Doctors
Several family clinics are currently accepting new patients. Alberta Primary Care Networks provides a useful resource for finding a doctor for your family.
Local Government
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
The RMWB provides robust, valuable services for all residents. It funds exceptional recreational and cultural facilities, and organizes engaging events all year long.
Community Services + Social Support
Fire, Police and Emergency Services
Parks and Recreation
Transit
Everyone is welcome
Building an inclusive community
We want everyone to feel comfortable in Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo. That's why upgrades like an accessible ramp into our aquatic centre and other community features are so important. A community for everyone starts with facilities we can all enjoy.
Friendly Shops, Quality Services, and Districts to Explore
Fort McMurray is an entrepreneurial hotspot. It's part of our culture, and hundreds of businesses have grown to provide the good and services you're seeking. Here are five commercial areas to explore:
Downtown
OK - so this is a big one. The original townsite is Fort McMurray's largest commercial area with a variety of businesses from unique shops to big-box stores. Entertainment options like the Rivers Casino keep things hopping, and the restaurant scene reflects the city's rich cultural diversity.
Peter Pond Mall
Located centrally in the city's Downtown, Peter Pond Mall is a two-level shopping centre with dozens of shops, restaurants, and services. The property's managers work hard to bring in-demand retailers to the city, such as the new Sephora store that opened in November 2023.
Eagle Ridge
Fort McMurray's most recent commercial development is a thriving hub. The area is easily accessible from Confederation Way. Landmark Cinemas is a popular destination, along with the local hotspot East Village Pub.
Gregoire
Access to Fort McMurray International Airport, Downtown, and Highway 63 make Gregoire an ideal site for major local hotels. A variety of family-friendly restaurants are located nearby to support travelers (and locals!).
Mackenzie Industrial Park
From veterinary services to self-storage sites, and from auto repair to equipment rentals, Mackenzie Industrial Park is home to over one hundred businesses. It's also the location for Keyano College's Suncor Energy Industrial Campus.
Fort McMurray Chamber of Commerce
Business Directory
Find local businesses quickly and easily in this searchable directory.
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