Few in the media seem to portray the whole giant "Athabasca Tar Sands" as little more than an irritant to Obama. After all why send good money to the middle east with all its political troubles when we can send it to our "neighbors to the north" and obtain a reliable source of energy. The former Liberal Party Prime Minister of Canada once explained to George Bush jr. If we can give you a reliable source of oil , without political strife at less cost than you could - why wouldn't you buy it ? Fort McMurray with the historic "Athabasca Tar Sands" has emerged as Alberta's and Canada's pot of gold in the energy dependency field that we all live in 2013/2014. Things can only get better and more prosperous both for Alberta , Fort Mc Murray and the Edmonton based economic hinterlands.
Famous for the reaches of the Athabsasca Tar Sandsas well as large pipeline sectors of natural gas, Fort McMurray also boasts of forestry, tourism, and retail business. At one time a Ford auto dealer from Gimli chanced upon the place after reading about it on the plane This was early on its early oil industry discovery. There was just something about a boom town in the air he noted years later. At that point in time the area was virtually just a dot on the map of what wast to come . The population of Fort Mc Murray Alberta is less than 65, 000 and is a multicultural community. Half of its population is made up by native Albertans while about 20% are settlers from Newfoundland and Labrador. The city is one of the major hubs in oil production and houses two of the largest oil sand mining organizations Suncor Energy and Syncrude.
Although now locals or even those bragging about the great potential of the place will tell you that "You can still get a house in McMurray for $ 600,000 real estate prices are staggering . You have to live somewhere so speak and that large outlay gets you little more than a matchbox. Some tradespeople knowing the boom and bust nature of oil towns - and without kids and a family to be had - drive up with a motor home in tow and purchase or rent a pad at a mobile home park. That being said even a trailer home park rental pad is not inexpensive either by any means. Fort McMurray Alberta has pleasant summers when the temperature ranges between 10 to 16 degrees centigrade but the winters can be quite cold with the temperatures reaching -18. 8 degrees centigrade and an average snowfall of up to 61. 3 inches. Situated in the boreal forest where the Clearwater River and the Athabasca River meet, it is at a distance of 37 miles (60 kms) on the Westside of Saskatchewan and about 270 miles (435 kms) northeast of Edmonton's highway 63.
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.
Fort McMurray Alberta offers a variety of fun and entertainment like 3-18 holes golf courses, billiard halls, bowling alleys, theatres, casinos, nightclubs and restaurants that cater to lower, medium and upper level incomes groups. Snowmobile tours, cross country skiing and ice fishing provide for excellent outdoor activities. Summer is the right time for hunting and fishing activities. Other events held at Fort McMurray Alberta include Blueberry festival, Famous Fish Fry, rubber duck race and many more.
Famous for the reaches of the Athabsasca Tar Sandsas well as large pipeline sectors of natural gas, Fort McMurray also boasts of forestry, tourism, and retail business. At one time a Ford auto dealer from Gimli chanced upon the place after reading about it on the plane This was early on its early oil industry discovery. There was just something about a boom town in the air he noted years later. At that point in time the area was virtually just a dot on the map of what wast to come . The population of Fort Mc Murray Alberta is less than 65, 000 and is a multicultural community. Half of its population is made up by native Albertans while about 20% are settlers from Newfoundland and Labrador. The city is one of the major hubs in oil production and houses two of the largest oil sand mining organizations Suncor Energy and Syncrude.
Although now locals or even those bragging about the great potential of the place will tell you that "You can still get a house in McMurray for $ 600,000 real estate prices are staggering . You have to live somewhere so speak and that large outlay gets you little more than a matchbox. Some tradespeople knowing the boom and bust nature of oil towns - and without kids and a family to be had - drive up with a motor home in tow and purchase or rent a pad at a mobile home park. That being said even a trailer home park rental pad is not inexpensive either by any means. Fort McMurray Alberta has pleasant summers when the temperature ranges between 10 to 16 degrees centigrade but the winters can be quite cold with the temperatures reaching -18. 8 degrees centigrade and an average snowfall of up to 61. 3 inches. Situated in the boreal forest where the Clearwater River and the Athabasca River meet, it is at a distance of 37 miles (60 kms) on the Westside of Saskatchewan and about 270 miles (435 kms) northeast of Edmonton's highway 63.
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.
Fort McMurray Alberta offers a variety of fun and entertainment like 3-18 holes golf courses, billiard halls, bowling alleys, theatres, casinos, nightclubs and restaurants that cater to lower, medium and upper level incomes groups. Snowmobile tours, cross country skiing and ice fishing provide for excellent outdoor activities. Summer is the right time for hunting and fishing activities. Other events held at Fort McMurray Alberta include Blueberry festival, Famous Fish Fry, rubber duck race and many more.
About the Author:
Fort McMurray is considered the heart of one of Alberta's (and Canada's) hubs of oil production, located near the Athabasca Oil Sands. Besides the oil sands, the economy also relies on natural gas and oil pipelines, forestry and tourism. Don't be a clown & start doing theatrica limpersonations on interviews ?
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