Weekly update: Crime in Fort McMurray went up last year

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Happy Friday, Fort McMurray!

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• Wood Buffalo Mural Fest: New murals will go up across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo throughout August and into the fall. The event also hosts community gatherings. A free family-friendly public art exhibition will be hosted at Kiyam Community Park on Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Schedule of events and murals.
• Empty Bowls and Blueberry Festival: The annual Empty Bowls fundraiser for the Wood Buffalo Food Bank returns with the Blueberry Festival, which was held for decades every Labour Day weekend until 2008. August 30-September 2 at Snye Point Park. Information.
• Fort McMurray Fringe Festival: Local theatre company Theatre, Just Because is launching the first Fort McMurray Fringe Festival at Heritage Village on Aug. 31. Information.
• The Irish Descendants: The four-piece Newfoundland musical act returns to Keyano Theatre. Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets.
• Theatre Club: Local theatre company Swamp Rat Experience is hosting a 12-week learning and creative performance program for youth ages 7-11. Students learn performing and disciplines such as acting, singing, improv and theatre etiquette. Classes, rehearsals and performances at Composite High School’s King Street Theatre. Registration is open.
• Staged reading of “A Work in Progress”: Local theatre artist Brodie Dransutavicius invites you on a harrowing and comedic journey about the process of writing a new play. A Work in Progress is a one-man show (…or is it?) about the ups and downs of creating art–the writer’s block, trusting the process, the exhilaration of finding the words that capture what you’re trying to say and the despair when you don’t. Sept. 7 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at King Street Theatre. Free tickets.
• Fallen Firefighter Memorial Service: Please join the Fort McMurray Honour Guard and members of the Fort McMurray Fire Department as they pay tribute to firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice. Their courage, dedication, and selflessness will never be forgotten. Light refreshments will be available after the Service. Sept. 11 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Fire Hall 5 (200 Saprae Creek Trail). Information.
• ATC Cultural Festival: Celebrate the Indigenous cultures of the Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo region at Snye Point Park between Sept. 12 and 15. Information.
• Play in a Day: For Alberta Culture Days 2024, get a group together and write, direct and act in a play created in 24 hours. Participants are given a theme, prop, and costume piece to be included. They will have access to rehearsal space at King Street Theatre, where they give a free performance for judges. Theme reveal at 7 p.m. on Sept. 13, performances the next day at 6 p.m. Information and free tickets.
• RES Community Pancake Breakfast: The Fort McMurray Fire Department celebrates its 50th anniversary with a morning of rescue demonstrations, tours of emergency services equipment, fire trucks, an interactive fire safety trailer and lots of pancakes. Children can meet Sparky and other local mascots, try a full-size fire hose and even take part in a fire rescue obstacle course. Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. until noon at Fire Hall 1 (2 Tolen Drive). Information.
• Hospital Bed Races: Teams of four people in costumes or corporate gear and one 150-pound sandbag will race each other in 50-metre sprints as they raise money for the Northern Lights Health Foundation. All teams are guaranteed two races with the fastest teams advancing. Prior to race day, teams must fundraise a minimum of $2,000. Sept. 21. Information.
• Fort McMurray Marathon: Compete in a kid fun run, 3K, 5K, 10K, 21.1K and 42.2K. Runners can also fundraise or donate to any of the 20 local charitable organizations and non-profits participating in the Run for a Reason program. General registration is open until Aug. 21, late registration until Sept. 6, race day is Sept. 22. Information.
• Council’s Excellence Awards: Nominations for outstanding people, community champions, young achievers and real-life heroes are open until Oct. 14.
• Kenny vs. Spenny Live: In a rare instance of Fort McMurray importing a crude product, the “best friends” who became famous for torturing each other on national television bring their 20th anniversary tour to Fort McMurray. Oct. 19 at Quality Hotel Ballroom from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets.
• Wood Buffalo Regional Library hosts all-ages weekly events.
• MacDonald Island Park updates its website with upcoming events and programs.
• Wood Buffalo Volunteers has volunteer opportunities for different causes and non-profits across Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo.
• Obituaries: Obituaries, memorial notices and sympathy announcements can be uploaded and read online.

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Violent and non-violent crimes in Fort McMurray increased in 2023

Most violent and non-violent crimes in Fort McMurray increased in 2023 from 2022, according to data released by Statistics Canada and confirmed by Wood Buffalo RCMP’s leadership.

Fort McMurray also scored higher than the rest of Alberta on the overall crime severity index, as well as the indexes for violent, non-violent and property crimes.

More people in 2023 than in 2022 were charged with assaults, criminal harassment, uttering threats, breaking and entering, stealing vehicles, arson, and disturbing the peace. Overall sexual assaults dropped, but sexual abuse against children increased.

Property crimes, such as mischief and thefts over and under $5,000, rose sharply and Fort McMurray was Alberta’s worst city for shoplifting crimes. Traffic violations increased, but impaired driving dropped.

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Chief Superintendent Mark Hancock of Wood Buffalo RCMP said he only has theories about what caused these increases. This includes the social and economic fallouts from the COVID-19 pandemic, layoffs in the oilsands and other job sectors, economic uncertainty in the region, and continued stress from the 2016 Horse River wildfire and the April 2020 flood.

Social profits in the region have also mentioned these factors as they deal with higher demands for their services. Hancock adds the RCMP’s data shows police responded to more local calls involving mental health in 2023.

Hancock says the detachment has stable staffing levels this year. Fort McMurray has also become a preferred destination for experienced officers, he said. Special attention is being given to repeat offenders. There are more patrols and public engagement meetings. A program pairing officers with mental health nurses has been a success, he said.

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New crime prevention programs include a bike index, voluntary security camera registry and a method of tagging property in case they’re stolen.

“I talk to the mayor just about every day. The CAO and councillors are always messaging me. That’s OK, I want that,” said Hancock. “I want to keep an eye on the pulse of the community, see what we can do to make people want to be here and make them feel safe.”

Former Fort McMurray cocaine kingpin arrested in drug investigation

A man once described as a cocaine kingpin by police and Crown prosecutors is among two people charged with drug trafficking after dozens of Mounties and tactical officers searched three homes in Fort McMurray on Aug. 14.

Jeffrey Mark Caines, 51, was arrested at an Eagle Ridge condominium along with Crystal MacLellan, 39. Police seized more than $100,000 in cocaine, $18,970 in cash and a firearm after searching a home downtown and on Timberline Drive.

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“This individual is arguably one of the most well-known organized crime figures in the region,” said Staff Sergeant Mark Wait of ALERT Fort McMurray in a Monday morning statement. “His alleged proclivity for drugs continues to put the community in harm’s way and I’m glad our team was able to take a significant amount of harmful substances off the streets.”

Caines and MacLellan are both charged charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime.

Caines was arrested in December 2006 and, according to an agreed statement of facts, led a sophisticated drug-dealing operation in Fort McMurray. The Crown argued Caines earned nearly $500,000 in profits from his operation.

Two members of the Hells Angels were also convicted. The court was told Caines paid the bikers $20,000 per week to protect his operation and handle problems with competitors. Caines is not a member of the outlaw motorcycle club.

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Caines pled guilty in October 2011 and was sentenced to 14 years in jail. He was given credit for serving more than 96 months in pre-trial custody and served an additional 71 months and 11 days behind bars.

While Caines was at the Edmonton Remand Centre in 2010, a guard testified in 2014 that Caines allegedly threatened to harm his mother if he did not smuggle drugs into the jail. Caines was again convicted of drug trafficking charges in 2020 and sentenced to 30 months.

Homeless man claims he was forced to rob liquor store

Jonathan Mercredi, a 39-year-old homeless man charged with robbing the Ace Liquor on Real Martin Drive last June, alleges he was threatened to do so by four of the store’s employees who have also been charged.

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Wood Buffalo RCMP announced on Aug. 15 that five people had been charged with five robberies of the Ace Liquor stores on Signal Road and Real Martin Drive. The incidents were on May 4, 5, 12, 23 and June 1.

Mercredi was arrested on June 1 by officers patrolling the area. In June 3 and July 17 interviews with investigators, Mercredi said the four men promised to rent an AirBnB for himself and his pregnant girlfriend, who is also homeless. Both individuals are struggling with addictions. If he did not cooperate, Mercredi said he was shown photos of people with their throats cut.

He was allegedly driven to the store by three of the staff, and the fourth man was working at the time. Mercredi was told to go inside and wave around the axe, while the fourth man would help with the robbery.

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Police have also charged Guraman Singh, 19; Jasmeet Singh, 21; Harshdeep Singh, 21; and Daksh Jain, 22; with multiple robbery and extortion charges. Harshdeep and Daksh have yet to be located by police.

Alberta Energy Regulator issues $50,000 penalty on Imperial Oil amid ongoing Kearl investigation

Imperial Oil has been fined $50,000 after the province’s energy regulator concluded the company broke environmental laws when wastewater containing oilsands tailings seeped outside its lease boundary in 2022.

The fine includes requirements for mitigation plans and research into the environmental effects of such wastewater, and represents only the first part of the regulator’s inquiry.

Imperial reported $1.1 billion in income in the second quarter of 2024. The fine for two contraventions is the maximum allowed under Alberta law.

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In May 2022, Imperial told the regulator discoloured water had pooled on the surface near the boundary of its Kearl oilsands lease.

First Nations and Metis communities were told. It was not until February 2023 when they were told the release contained tailings seepage and of a second release of 5.3 million litres of contaminated wastewater from a holding pond.

Indigenous communities were angry their members had been harvesting in the area for nine months without warning. So was the RMWB and water users as far downstream as the Northwest Territories.

The regulator’s decision shows that by late 2022, Imperial knew the seepage locations exceeded guidelines for sulphates, iron, dissolved metals, hydrocarbons and arsenic. The regulator said impacts to wildlife have been “minimal.”

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Imperial has since more than tripled the total number of pumping and monitoring wells to address seepage. There are now more than 800 monitoring wells in the area.

The company continues to detect tailings seepage. On its website, it says shallow groundwater that exceeds guidelines has been found up to 150 metres off-site and contaminated deeper groundwater has been found a kilometre past the boundary.

The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, downstream of Kearl, has filed a lawsuit against the regulator for failing to keep it informed of the release.

Fort McMurray public, Catholic schools hosting provincial robotics competition

Fort McMurray’s public and Catholic school divisions will welcome Alberta’s top middle and high school robotics teams as they compete for spots in the VEX Robotics World Championships.

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The event builds upon the success local teams have made in the event. Father Mercredi and Westwood high schools have competed at the world championships.

Organizers say the event, which will be held Feb. 21 to 22 at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre at Keyano College, will promote Fort McMurray’s reputation for education, creativity and engineering.

“This event presents a wonderful opportunity to showcase our vibrant city and the incredible talent within our schools,” said Annalee Nutter, FMPSD superintendent.

Teams from Westwood and Father Mercredi both competed at the 2022 world championships in Dallas. Father Mercredi returned to Texas in 2023 and Westwood qualified this past school year.

Holly Kalma, the head coach at Father Mercredi School and VEX Provincials Event Lead, said in a statement that robotics competitions prepares students for career opportunities in a field that is constantly evolving and changing.

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“Robotics gives students a creative outlet, a practical application of math and science knowledge and skills, and the opportunity to hone skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving,” she said.

“And, of course, it is also fun! Or as we often say, ‘the hardest fun you will ever have!’”

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