Athabasca Tribal Council has reflected on the events of the past few weeks and recognizes that following meetings with First Nations, Inuit and Métis representatives who told their stories as residential school survivors, Pope Francis has apologized for the deplorable abuses to Indigenous people under the residential school system by members of the Roman Catholic Church. Our hearts are with those who shared the truth first-hand to Pope Francis and we send them our gratitude and prayers.

In this last week, the first Truth Scanning Gathering of the former site of the Holy Angels Residential School in Fort Chipewyan also took place. Our prayers are with the survivors of this school, their families, and their descendants as they meet to begin the process to identify the graves of those who never returned home.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is announcing that it will be closing the Fort Chipewyan Isolation Care Center on April 15, 2022. Other supports will still be available to community members who need assistance with COVID-19 exposure and symptoms.

At the Fort McMurray Catholic School Board of Education meeting on April 4, 2022 the Board officially approved a recommendation to rename Father Turcotte School.

Moving forward the school will be called Our Lady of the Rivers.

The name change was initiated following allegations of sexual abuse by Father Turcotte. In the summer of 2021, as the Athabasca Tribal Council supported the Blinding Light healing walk in the downtown core of Fort McMurray, serious allegations were brought forward to the community.

(March 30, 2022 Fort McMurray, AB) – Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) and Alberta Health Services (AHS) are excited to announce that they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will establish the basis for a partnership to design and implement an Indigenous Health Clinic at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (NLRHC) in Fort McMurray.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) has announced that the ATC Cultural Festival is back after a two-year pandemic induced hiatus. This regional showcase of Indigenous artists, musicians and culture will be held from September 8-11, 2022. 

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) will continue to raise funds for First Nation students with the annual ATC Golf Classic. Taking place on June 3, 2022 at the Fort McMurray Golf Club, the event will showcase Cree and Denesųłıné cultural experiences, networking and fun.

Today during the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s formal and public budget meeting Councillor M. Shafiq Dogar responded to Councillor Kendrick Cardinal’s motion to fund prevention intiatives for Murdered, Missing and Exploited Indigenous People.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is gravely concerned by the recent rise in COVID-19 numbers in the province of Alberta and is calling on the Government of Alberta to immediately re-introduce measures to help curb the spread and protect our communities.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) will be closing the ATC Covid Clinic on Wednesday, August 11th at 8:00 am. The clinic provided support to Indigenous Community Members, living in the Wood Buffalo region, who had been released from the hospital with COVID-19 and were at risk of experiencing symptoms that could worsen. As vaccination rates increase in the region the need for the ATC Covid Clinic is not necessary to support the communities.