The Fort McKay First Nation app is now available

Fort McKay First Nation is located on the Athabasca River, about 60 km north of Fort McMurray. Its members are of Cree, Métis and Dene heritage, and Cree and Dene are the community's languages. The Nation's traditional lands include portions of the Athabasca oil sands. The Nation holds five reserves:

• Fort McKay 174, 174C and 174D
• Namur Lake 174B
• Namur River 174A

The community's history goes back a long way. The Hudson's Bay Company built a trading post near the site in 1820. In 1898, people at the Little Red River settlement, now Fort McKay, asked for Chrysostom Pische to be appointed chief. Headman Adam Boucher signed Treaty 8 on August 4, 1899. Fort McKay was once part of the same band as Fort McMurray First Nation and became a separate band in 1942.

Hunting and trapping remain central to the traditional way of life. Moose Lake is known as the community's key cultural heartland, and hunting groups go there every year. The Nation's mission is to assert Treaty rights, revitalize culture and language, promote education, build economic capacity and support wellness. Its Sustainability Department works to protect members' Treaty rights and traditional land uses.

Fort McKay works closely with the oil sands industry. Money from impact benefit agreements and band-owned businesses, including the Fort McKay Group of Companies (set up in 1986) and Project 174C, goes back into the community. The Nation is a member of the Athabasca Tribal Council, and its own Land Code took effect on March 1, 2023. Learn more at the official Fort McKay First Nation website.