About Fort McMurray

About Fort McMurray
Once an independent municipality, Fort McMurray merged with other regional entities in the mid-1990s to form the Wood Buffalo Regional Municipality. The town sits atop the world's largest oil deposit, lately made accessible thanks to oil sand exploration ­ the process of extracting oil from subterranean water, sand, and clay. That's quite a long way from its early history as a 19th-century outpost and fur trading center. Today, Fort McMurray is home to business and commercial interests that derive their livelihood from large oil firms, which provide jobs, economic security, and community enrichment. Fort McMurray also boasts surprisingly diverse cultural offerings for a town its size and is home to Keyano College, a community-based center of higher education that focuses on the oil sands industry and draws students from across Canada for specialized study. Sporting events, sightseeing opportunities, and leisure activities provide welcome distraction, and The Fort McMurray Oil Barons, popular Junior Hockey League champions, are a familiar presence. Nature lovers find a variety of hiking, camping, and tour options available, including those that capitalize on the amazing Northern Lights and feature treks to Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada's largest park and home to the world's most populous habitat of bison.