In the aftermath of the Fort McMurray wildfire the number of mental health referrals for area residents has increased. Many of the people in the Wood Buffalo community were forced to flee their home with little advance notice, and some were forced to travel between walls of flame as they fled in terror. Coming back…
Read moreA Fort McMurray resident has been charged for a sex assault that occurred at a Timberlea home daycare, and the man lived at the home where the daycare was operated although he was not the owner or a caregiver for the business. Police allege that 30 year old Shawn Giles sexually assaulted a minor who…
Read moreDuring the wildfire recovery in the Wood Buffalo area many people may need counseling, and some will experience at least minor symptoms of PTSD. This is a normal reaction to recent events and is nothing to be ashamed of. The entire Wood Buffalo community is under an incredible amount of stress. Many people have lost…
Read moreA request by rural hamlets is asking the provincial government to determine whether they have been unfairly treated under the amalgamation agreement terms. According to McKay Metis president Ron Quintal “We’re hoping Alberta will open the amalgamation agreement and tell us what it originally really says, especially regarding what the rural communities are owed and…
Read moreThere is no doubt that the first responders were crucial to the successful evacuation when the wildfire hit, and many people owe these professionals a big debt of gratitude. The Family Christian Centre provided gift baskets to 187 first responders as a way of showing appreciation and saying thank you for all that these men…
Read moreThe Fort McMurray Victim Services Unit is celebrating 25 years of providing services to the community. The unit was first formed in the 1980s as a non profit group dedicated to helping local people who were victims of crime, tragedy, or other types of trauma. Today the unit includes 6 full time staff plus a…
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