The regional municipality of Wood Buffalo covers an area of more than 60,000 square kilometres in the northeast corner of Alberta. It is home to the oilsands, which are responsible for the vast majority of the oil produced in the province.
Wood Buffalo at a Glance
- Population 73,851
- Median Family Income $175,401
- Unemployment Rate 7%
- Residential Vacancy Rate 20.3%
- Life Stress 23.3%
- Sense of Belonging 67.6%
Source: Government of Alberta
At its heart is the city of Fort McMurray, a young and vibrant place set amid the vastness of Canada’s boreal forest. Outdoors is the favourite place for most McMurrayites to be, and many restaurants in the region feature wild game along with beef, bison and fresh fish.
Downtown, the popular Mitchell’s Café occupies the building that was the first official RCMP headquarters in Fort McMurray. Mitchell’s serves up sandwiches on its famous homemade Sunshine bread and soups ranging from tomato basil to pork belly pho, with lots of vegan and vegetarian options available.
Across the Athabasca River, in the Timberlea neighbourhood, is the popular Blackhorse Pub. It offers a menu full of home-cooked meals, great snacks and comfort foods for every taste. It also has live entertainment every Friday and Sunday.
And just south of there, on the banks of the river, The Bear & Buffalo is the popular restaurant at the Fort McMurray Golf Club. It prepares local cuisine from scratch featuring Alberta beef, bison, game, cheese and wild and foraged foods.
