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Fort McMurray - Profile

Fort McMurray is a vibrant, urban center in a wilderness setting located 435 Km north of Edmonton. Since the development of the oil sands resources in the 1960's, the area has expanded from a new town of 2,515 in 1965 to becoming a full fledged city.

With two major extraction and refining operations - Suncor Oil Sands Group and Syncrude Canada Limited - the single largest industry is bitumen. In keeping with this development, Fort McMurray acts as a service centre for both the surrounding area and for the oil sands plants. At the same time, with a view to diversification and expansion, small manufacturing industries have evolved and tourism is being promoted as an industry worthy of pursuit. This role as supplier, co-ordinator and deliverer of services and goods is not entirely a by-product of the 1960's. Because of its location, the general vicinity of Fort McMurray served as a trading post and off-loading site during the fur trade of the 1700's. During the late 1800's, it became a steamboat terminal for the northern barging supply routes. In the 1920's with the arrival of the railway, the economy was bolstered by a logging industry, a salt plant and a fish packing plant. During each of these phases, the settlements and the ensuing City of Fort McMurray, were influenced both by technology and resources.

The Fort McMurray Economic Development Board and Chamber of Commerce are actively seeking new investment in industry and services and welcome all inquiries.

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