FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - Prime Minister Stephen Harper took his first tour of northern Alberta's multibillion-dollar oilsands bonanza Monday, then heard first-hand about all the problems the massive projects are causing.
Harper and his entourage flew over the massive mining excavations by helicopter and then climbed aboard a three-storey high, heavy hauler earth-moving machine. He then shook hands with Syncrude Canada employees.
Back in Fort McMurray, community leaders met with the prime minister in a closed-door invitation-only meeting and told him about the flip side of developing Canada's energy riches.
"We need housing, we need better roads and we need better medical services,'' said businesswoman Francis Jean, who is also the mother of the region's Conservative MP, Brian Jean.
"People are paying exorbitant rents, making it difficult for families to move to here,'' she said.
Other community leaders were equally as blunt.
Melissa Blake, mayor of Wood Buffalo, the municipality that includes Fort McMurray, said it is great to have the prime minister visit an area that will provide much of Canada's economic oomph over the next decade.
Blake said while much of the region's problems fall within Alberta's jurisdiction, she hopes the federal government will contribute money to help the community build the road, water, sewer, health and other infrastructure projects it will need to flourish.
The population of the Fort McMurray area has doubled to 90,000 people since 1999 and continues to grow quickly.
"It is the challenge of having a population that has doubled and is projected to triple within 15 years,'' Blake said.
"The infrastructure is simply not keeping pace under the regular funding mechanisms. We are looking at the possibility of sharing costs with other levels of government -- be it federal or provincial.''
Just last week there were media reports of people in the area finding notices posted on their doors warning of impending rent hikes exceeding $1,000 a month.
Harper would not speak to the media about the meeting, his tour of the oilsands or any other issue.
Jean said the prime minister will take the message that he heard from community leaders back to Ottawa. The MP said no promises were made of immediate federal money to help deal with Fort McMurray's growing pains. Jean said Ottawa must respect Alberta's jurisdiction.
Other community leaders also spoke about the labour shortage. Alberta estimates it will need 20,000 new workers over the next seven years just to replace those retiring or moving on.
Last year Wood Buffalo recorded triple the provincial average of traffic accidents and had a rate of sexually transmitted diseases four times higher than the rest of Alberta.
The health region has complained of dangerously strained medical resources and a shortage of doctors.
All the blunt talk didn't spoil the satisfaction community and business leaders felt about Harper's visit.
"The fact that he came here tells me that we are on his radar,'' Blake said.
Syncrude Canada spokesman Alain Moore said employees were proud the prime minister took the time to tour the project.
"They were thrilled and honoured to have a person of that national stature see our facility.''
Harper was to fly to Castlegar, B.C., Monday to give an evening speech at a Conservative Party of Canada event.
