Tag: Fort McMurray

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Flying Westjet Between Fort McMurray and Calgary Means Fewer Options Now

Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo residents who want to get to Calgary using Westjet now have fewer options available since the airline has reduced the number of normal scheduled flights between the two locations. Westjet has announced the cancellation of flight 3145, which travels from Calgary to Form McMurray, and flight 3148 which travels in the opposite direction. Both of the flights were operated on a Monday through Friday schedule, and could carry 78 passengers. Lauren Stewart, the spokesperson for Westjet, discussed the changes in an email. “With the downturn in t. We appreciate and recognize that this is unfortunate news for the communities involved. We will continue to evaluate the situation and make changes as necessary.” Due to competitive reasons the airline would not release the passenger load numbers on the flights canceled.

It is no secret that the passenger numbers at Fort McMurray International Airport are not what they once were, and a 16% drop in passenger numbers in the last year shows the need for caution. Westjet will cancel both flights effective March 5, and these are not the only flights that the airline has canceled. Direct flights on Westjet going to Kelowna, B.C. will be stopped on February 15, 2016. Scott Clements, the CEO of the Fort McMurray International Airport, called the latest flight cancellations understandable but disappointing. Clements explained that “Westjet just can’t sustain the flight at the current price of oil.” This leaves Wood Buffalo residents who want to get to Calgary with fewer options available.

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Ft Mac Health

Positive Messaging Service Pioneered by Psychiatrist from Fort McMurray

A positive messaging service is an effort by a psychiatrist from Fort McMurray to improve mental health and put a positive spin on life. Dr. Vincent Agyapong, a clinical psychiatrist, has launched Text4Mood, an innovative program being offered through the Fort McMurray Northern Lights hospital. Anybody who signs up for the service will receive 1-2 positive text messages daily in an effort to boost their mood and prevent negative patterns. According to Dr. Agyapong “It gives you something to focus on rather than continue to think in the negative. I’ve told (my patients), if you get a message, that’s me coming to your home to bring a positive message. And it’s worked, it’s quite phenomenal. There are many people who are unfortunately losing their jobs and becoming psychologically distressed. These are messages which will be very helpful for people like that.” There are 400 messages which have already been written which can be sent to those who sign up for the service. In addition the Alberta Health Services is developing this program so that it can be used for the public as well, and a clinical trial of the service is being conducted in Fort McMurray.

Over 80 people have signed up for the positive messaging service in Fort McMurray so far and many more are expected to join in the coming months as the program receives greater recognition and is more widely understood. One application for the service involves those who suffer from depression. Receiving positive texts each day could help people who are depressed feel better, and cause any depression symptoms experienced to be less severe and shorter in duration. The clinical trial is expected to determine just how effective the service may be at these goals.

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Fort McMurray Leading the Real Estate Decline in Alberta

According to the Canadian Real Estate Association Fort McMurray saw the worst of the real estate decline in Alberta in 2015, leading the market in the worst price fluctuations and housing sales in the entire province. The CREA report was compiled using data in the Multiple Listing Service database. Once oil prices started dropping in 2015 home sales in Fort McMurray also saw a decline of about 43.5%. In 2014 there were 1,724 home sales in the fort McMurray area while in 2015 there were only 974. Housing prices during the same time dropped 6.2% in the area. Only one other housing market saw any sale price decrease during the same time period and that was Calgary, which only saw a price decrease of 1.5% by comparison.

What does the real estate decline mean for Fort McMurray homeowners and purchasers? If you own your home you may see the value start to decline as prices go lower. Buyers who want to purchase a home in Fort McMurray may get prices that are lower than expected, but this could be offset by a lower overall home value as well. In the past when the oil industry was booming and prices were at high levels the prices and values of homes in the area have gone up to almost unbelievable numbers. Some have found that home ownership in the Wood Buffalo region in the past has been unaffordable because of the high demand for housing but that may no longer be the case with the recent real estate decline.

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Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Salvation Army Christmas Kettles Show the Generous Spirit of Fort McMurray

There is no denying that many residents in Fort McMurray have a generous spirit, and this was seen once more by the numerous donations that area residents made to the Salvation Army Christmas kettles leading up to the year end holidays that just passed. In fact this was the most successful campaign at Christmas that the organization has had in recent years in spite of the fact that the fundraising efforts fell a little short of the $190,000 goal that was set. Thanks to the community spirit and the compassion that Fort McMurray showed the Salvation Army Christmas kettles managed to raise 95% of the set goal, or a total raised of $180,592. Many people may not realize that the money raised will stay in the local community and help out residents in need.

In the beginning things were slow for the Salvation Army Christmas kettles, and recent years have failed to meet the goals set for funds raised. Trudy Malone, the campaign coordinator for the Salvation Army, explained “We discussed lowering [the goal] this year because for the last few years it hasn’t been met.” When the organization made an announcement on December 11 saying that the campaign goals were only 65% Malone said that “The community came together. People kind of stepped up after they heard that.” Malone also discussed the funds raised and explained “It goes to help less fortunate families in need who are struggling with meeting their mortgage, or their rent, or utilities, or prescription drugs, or whatever the family financial shortage is. I know everybody’s kind of hurting financially, or most people are. I think those people who have jobs and are doing alright really went the extra mile to help the people in the community who are in need.”

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Ft Mac Health

Winter Weather Safety Tips

Fort McMurray, winter weather safety

It is winter time in Fort McMurray again, and that means being prepared and staying safe. There are some winter weather safety tips that can be very useful, and that could even mean the difference between staying safe or being injured or even worse. One important tip is to layer your clothing when you are going to be outside in the winter weather. Several layers of light weight clothing will keep you much warmer for a longer period of time than one or two thick and heavy layers of clothing. This will help you avoid sweating, and individual layers can be peeled off as needed. It is also important to remember to wear a hat and gloves. You can lose significant body heat through your scalp and hands, and wearing gloves and a hat will help prevent this.

No list of winter weather safety tips for Fort McMurray would be complete without a reminder to keep a winter preparedness kit in your vehicle, and to make sure that your vehicle is well maintained to avoid any mechanical problems in remote areas. Your emergency kit should include food that will store for a significant time like protein bars and MREs, water, extra clothing, at least one blanket, and first aid supplies in order to treat any injuries. This emergency kit can save your life if you break down in a remote area and the weather conditions are bad or the temperatures are really low. Don’t forget to protect your pets as well, and bring them inside if it will be very cold or the weather will be severe.

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Alberta Ft Mac

Man from Fort McMurray Arrested for Alleged Assault Against Flight Attendant on Flight to New Delhi

Fort McMurray, alleged assault

A man from Fort McMurray has been arrested and is facing charges for an alleged assault against a flight attendant while the plane was over the Atlantic Ocean. Ontario police have charged Jaskaran Sidhu, a 47 yer old male from Fort McMurray, with assault causing bodily harm after an incident on board an AirCanada flight headed to India. According to police Sidhu engaged in “assaultive and belligerent behaviour” during the flight, forcing the crew to turn the plane around and return to Pearson Airport in Toronto. The Peel Regional Police reported that the flight attendant who was assaulted was injured and required medical attention for the injuries involved. Once the plane was back at the airport and the craft had landed the police arrested the Fort McMurray man without any further incidents, and he is scheduled to appear in court to face the charges that were brought.

The alleged assault of a flight attendant by the 47 year old Fort McMurray man, and the arrest for these actions, show that passengers must behave and act civilly on flights. Any passenger who interferes with a flight crew member or who does not follow the orders of the crew can be charged with a number of criminal offences. This is something that Mr. Sidhu learned first hand, and the consequences for his action while on board the plane could have serious consequences that include stiff fines, incarceration, and a permanent criminal record. The other passengers who were on board the AirCanada flight were inconvenienced because of the delay and this could also factor into the final sentence handed down for the incident.