Fort McKay

History

The community was named in 1912, after Dr. Williams Morrison MacKay, the first president of the Northern Alberta Medical Association. The change was recognized by the RM on January 22, 2018.

;2016 wildfire Fort McKay hosted 5000 evacuees from the 2016 Fort McMurray Wildfire but the hamlet itself was put under an evacuation notice due to the northward advance of the flames toward the community.

Geography

;Climate Fort McKay has a subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dfc). and falls into the NRC Plant Hardiness Zone 3a. Summers are mild and short, and winters can be long and cold.

Demographics

of Fort MacKay Indian settlement |1991|256 |1996|347 |2001|437 |2006|521 |2011|562 |2016|742

;Settlement In the 2016 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, the Fort McKay settlement recorded a population of 742 living in 250 of its 303 total private dwellings, a change from its 2011 population of 562. With a land area of 9.53 km2, it had a population density of in 2016.

In the 2011 Census, the Fort McKay settlement had a population of 562 living in 201 of its 235 total dwellings, a 7.9% change from its 2006 population of 521. With a land area of 8.17 km2, it had a population density of in 2011.

;Hamlet The population of the hamlet portion of Fort McKay according to the 2018 municipal census conducted by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo is 59, an increase from its 2015 municipal census population count of 51.

Economy

The economy is centred on the development of the Athabasca oil sands to the immediate south and north. Motorists travelling north on Highway 63 pass through oil sands developments en route to the community.

Government

The community is located in the federal riding of Fort McMurray—Cold Lake. text="Fort McKay, Alberta" width=250 height=250 zoom=8 latitude=57.1811111 longitude=-111.5997222/

Infrastructure

The community is located 6 km north of Highway 63 via Fort McKay Road, and is served by air at the Fort MacKay/Horizon Airport.

References

References

1. "1820 to Present Discovery and Growth". Fort McKay First Nation.
3. Condon, Olivia. (January 23, 2018). "F'Spirit of reconciliation' at council's Fort McKay meeting". Postmedia Network.
4. {{AltaML
5. "Fort MacKay". Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
6. "About Fort McKay". Fort McKay First Nation.
7. (August 28, 2011}}{{Dead link). "Council Meeting Request".
8. (August 28, 2012). "Approved Minutes of a Meeting of the Council of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo".
9. (August 28, 2012). "Fort MacKay requests name change". Postmedia Network.
10. (May 7, 2016). "Fort McKay under voluntary evacuation order as wildfire size expected to double". Postmedia Network.
11. "Fort McKay First Nation welcomed 5,000 people at wildfire evacuation's peak". Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
12. "Climate Regions". Environment Canada.
13. "Plant Hardiness Zone by Municipality". Government of Canada.
14. (May 2, 2015). "Census Profile – Fort Mackay, S-E, Alberta (Census subdivision)". Statistics Canada.
15. (December 23, 2013). "Electronic Area Profiles: Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1996 Census – Fort Mackay, S-E". Statistics Canada.
16. (December 2025). "Community Highlights for Fort Mackay". Statistics Canada.
17. (January 5, 2015). "2006 Community Profiles – Fort Mackay, Alberta (Indian settlement)". Statistics Canada.
18. (February 8, 2017). "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2016 and 2011 censuses – 100% data (Alberta)". [[Statistics Canada]].
19. "census2018 Municipal Census Report". Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.
20. (February 23, 2016). "Province Approves 2015 Municipal Census Figures". [[Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo]].