Fort McKay 174C is an Indian reserve in the province of Alberta, Canada. It is one of several reserve parcels administered by the Fort McKay First Nation, a band that is a party to Treaty 8. The reserve is situated within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, in the vicinity of the hamlet of Fort McKay and the Athabasca River, an area that has been heavily impacted by oil‑sand development.
Legal status and governance
- Designation: Reserve No. 174C, as listed by Indigenous Services Canada (formerly Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada).
- Governing body: The Fort McKay First Nation Council, which also governs the main reserve (Fort McKay 174) and the smaller parcels Fort McKay 174A, 174B, and 174C.
- Treaty affiliation: The reserve falls under the jurisdiction of Treaty 8, signed in 1899.
Geography
- Location: Northern Alberta, approximately 35 km north of Fort McMurray.
- The reserve lies on lands traditionally used by the Cree and Dene peoples and is part of the boreal forest region of the Athabasca oil‑sand area.
Demographics
- Population figures for Fort McKay 174C are not separately reported in the most recent national census; the Fort McKay First Nation as a whole reported a population of roughly 3,200 members in 2021, with many residing on the main reserve (Fort McKay 174).
Purpose and land use
- The reserve’s land is primarily used for housing, community facilities, and cultural activities of the Fort McKay First Nation.
- Proximity to oil‑sand operations has led to involvement in environmental monitoring and consultation processes regarding resource development.
References
- Indigenous Services Canada, “First Nation Profiles: Fort McKay First Nation” (official government database).
- Government of Alberta, “Alberta Land Titles – Reserve Numbers”.
- Statistics Canada, “2021 Census of Population – Indigenous peoples and communities” (aggregate data for Fort McKay First Nation).
Note: Detailed information such as exact land area, establishment year, and specific population counts for Reserve 174C are not independently published in publicly accessible encyclopedic sources.
