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The Municipality has received $10M in grant funding through the Government of Alberta’s Drought and Flood Protection Program (DFPP) for the community of Fort McKay.
The funds will support the Fort McKay Water Supply Infrastructure Rehabilitation project with:
- a new water intake and pumphouse in the Ells River
- a new water supply line from the intake to the Fort McKay water treatment plant and
- new connections from the water treatment plan to its raw water storage pond
The RMWB received the largest financial disbursement for approved projects through the DFPP with $5M allocated in 2024-25 and $5M in 2025-26. The estimated capital cost associated with the rehabilitation project is approximately $30.9 M which will be brought forward to RMWB Council for consideration during 2025 budget deliberations later this year.
“An investment in water is an investment in life; Fort McKay Métis Nation is grateful for this financial commitment that will benefit our community. As droughts and floods become more pressing issues in Alberta, this funding is an opportunity to address those challenges and protect our people and community.” President Loretta Waquan, Fort McKay Métis Nation.
“I appreciate the investment by our government of this magnitude. Water security is important for our community in Fort McKay and is a vital piece of infrastructure that will benefit residents of Fort McKay be it the First Nation, Métis Nation or the community at large. I applaud our government for stepping up and supporting our communities where the Federal Government has failed them.” -Tany Yao, MLA Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo
“This is a necessary project in Fort McKay, and we thank the Government of Alberta for making this investment in upgraded water infrastructure in the region. This contribution helps enable the project’s success, improves overall resilience, and again highlights that we have a provincial government that understands the importance of our region in Alberta.”-Mayor Sandy Bowman
About the Drought and Flood Protection Program:
The DFPP is a province-wide capital funding program that is aligned with the Government of Alberta’s drought and flood mitigation priorities to:
- Foster a culture of resilience by empowering communities to develop proactive plans and providing the resources to manage the most pressing and impactful issues.
- Empower Alberta communities to champion drought and flood mitigation measures that promote resilient communities.
- Promote resilience by investing in the design and implementation of projects that minimize risks and impacts to critical infrastructure from droughts and flooding and help to ensure public safety is protected.
DFPP is not intended to provide funds for emergency response situations. To learn more about the DFPP program visit the Government of Alberta website.
To learn more about construction updates in your community, including how to register for future updates on this project, visit rmwb.ca/construction.
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