Holiday Service Update: roads, curbside collection, transit, office closures and lots more

Plan your holiday season with these service updates in mind

(Fort McMurray, AB – Dec. 20, 2024) – With the holidays just around the corner, residents are reminded of the following updates to municipal services.

Winter Maintenance Zones (WMZs)
All subzones are relaxed over the holidays from Dec. 23-Jan. 3. Crews will continue clearing snow on primary, secondary and tertiary streets and will focus on removing snow from school zones and other areas with less traffic.

Curbside garbage and recycling collection changes
Curbside garbage and recycling collection service will not be conducted on Dec. 25, Dec. 26 or on Jan. 1. A revised collection schedule follows.

Please place your bins at the curb by 7:30 a.m. For more information, visit rmwb.ca/garbage.

Municipal landfill and rural transfer stations
The municipal landfill will be closed on Dec. 25, Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. This includes the public drop off area. The landfill will be open regular business hours throughout the rest of the holiday season. Regular hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

The Conklin and Janvier transfer stations will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

Transit service update
The holiday season will impact regular transit service. Please see below for all service changes:

• On Dec. 25, transit routes 11, 12, 15, 16 will be operating on the statutory holiday schedule.
• On Dec. 26, transit routes 11, 12, 15, 16 and 99 will be operating on the statutory holiday schedule.
• From Dec. 27 to Dec. 31, transit will provide regular service to all routes.
• On Jan. 1, transit routes 11, 12, 15 16 and 99 will be operating on the statutory holiday schedule.

Please note: Rural transit service is not running Dec. 25, 26 or Jan. 1. 

Winter road updates

Stay tuned for winter road updates on RMWB social media accounts. Road users can also get updates by checking rmwb.ca/winterroads, calling the Winter Road Hotline at 1-866-743-6111, or by signing up for email updates at subscribe.rmwb.ca.

Utility bills in the mail

Canda Post has resumed mail service and utility bills issued at the beginning of Dec. have been mailed out.  The payment deadline for utility bills has not changed. There are numerous payment options, including:

• Paying online through your financial institution using "Wood Buffalo Water" or "Wood Buffalo Utilities" as the payee.
• Paying  by credit card through the RMWB Online Payment tool.
• Pre-authorized payments from a credit card or chequing account.
• In person at 9909 Franklin Avenue or any rural office.

Christmas tree drop-off locations

Christmas tree drop-off locations in Fort McMurray will be open Dec. 23-24 until Jan. 15. Trees can be dropped off at the following locations:

• Thickwood – Sobey’s
• Timberlea – Your Independent Grocer
• Beacon Hill – Frank Lacroix Arena
• Downtown – Clearwater Drive municipal parking lot (South of Surekas)
• Timberlea – Syncrude Athletic Park northeast parking lot (by hockey rink)
• North Parson’s Creek – Heritage Drive parking lot (by skate and spray park)
• Waterways – Howard Pew Park

Winter recreation – there’s lots to do!
There are many free outdoor activities that residents can enjoy this winter—the RMWB’s outdoor rinks, skating trails, sliding hills and more. Municipal Parks staff are working hard to ensure outdoor winter recreation areas are ready for enjoyment over the holiday season and throughout winter. Take a stroll around Candy Cane Lane at Borealis Park to see the festive light displays or visit the tree in kiyām Community Park illuminated by the multi-coloured lights of the park.

Multiple outdoor rinks including the Lions Park skating trail are already open, as well as the Timberlea sliding hill and many groomed trails. Find more information on outdoor recreation activities, including a map of all available amenities, at rmwb.ca/parks

Municipal office closures

All municipal offices will be closed Dec. 25 & 26 and Jan. 1.

Fat, oil and grease (FOG)
Residents are reminded to contain it, don’t drain it this holiday season. Fat, oil and grease can lead to a costly plumbing issue but is easily avoided with some simple tips for safe disposal. Visit rmwb.ca/fog for more information on how you can manage FOG and protect your home or business.

For more information on holiday service in the Wood Buffalo Region, contact Pulse.