Fort Chipewyan

Fort Chipewyan
—  Hamlet  —
Aerial view of Fort Chipewyan
Location of Fort Chipewyan in Alberta
Coordinates: 58°42′44″N 111°08′55″W / 58.71222°N 111.14860°W / 58.71222; -111.14860
Country	Canada
Province	Alberta
Region	Northern Alberta
Census division	16
Municipality	Wood Buffalo
Settled	1788[1]
Government
- Type	Unincorporated
- Governing body	Wood Buffalo council
Area
- Total	10.24 km2 (4 sq mi)
Elevation	220 m (722 ft)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	915
- Density	89.4/km2 (231.4/sq mi)
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
Postal code	T9K
Area code(s)	+1-780

Fort Chipewyan is one of the oldest European settlements in the province of Alberta, Canada. The settlement was established by the North West Company when it setup a trading post there in 1788.^[1] The Fort was named after the Chipewyan First Nation living in the area. The Fort is located on the western tip of Lake Athabasca, adjacent to Wood Buffalo National Park, in the eastern extremity of northern Alberta.

Tourism plays a key role in the economy, especially in the summer months. The primary method of transportation to Fort Chipewyan is air, serviced by a regional airline named Air Mikisew who fly from Edmonton and Fort McMurray. There are no permanent roads to the Fort, but it can be reached from Fort Smith or Fort McMurray on ice roads and winter roads. In summer, the Fort can also be reached by boat via Fort McMurray, 280 km to the south on the Athabasca River.

Demographics

The unincorporated community is part of the expansive Wood Buffalo regional municipality and had a population of 902 living on a land area of 10.24 square kilometers (4.0 sq mi) as of the 2001 census.^[3] In 2006, the population was 915.^[2] The town population is made up of Cree First Nations, Chipewyan (Dene) First Nations, and Metis people.

Infrastructure

Although the Alberta government long ago did studies on all-weather road access, no action has been taken, and at the beginning of December 2005, one-third of the 915 residents signed a petition to request that government for a road to be built 50 km to connect with existing roads north to Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. The major expenditure would be a bridge over the Slave River.

The community is served by the Fort Chipewyan Airport

Climate

See also

• Hamlets of Alberta

References

	Wood Buffalo National Park	Fort Smith	Uranium City
	Wood Buffalo National Park		Lake Athabasca
		Fort Chipewyan
	Lake Claire	Fort Mackay Fort McMurray

v • d • e Subdivisions of Alberta Subdivisions Regions · Census divisions · Counties and municipal districts · School districts · Regional Health Authorities Communities Cities · Towns · Villages · Hamlets · Indian reserves · Métis Settlements · Ghost towns Cities and Special Centres Airdrie · Brooks · Calgary · Camrose · Cold Lake · Edmonton (capital) · Fort McMurray · Fort Saskatchewan · Grande Prairie · Leduc · Lethbridge · Lloydminster (part) · Medicine Hat · Red Deer · Sherwood Park · Spruce Grove · St. Albert · Wetaskiwin

Coordinates: 58°42′44″N 111°08′54″W / 58.71222°N 111.14833°W / 58.71222; -111.14833 (Fort Chipewyan)