Fox Creek, Alberta facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fox Creek
|
|
|---|---|
|
Town
|
|
| Town of Fox Creek | |
Welcome sign
|
|
| Nickname(s):
Fox Vegas
|
|
| Motto(s):
A Playground of Opportunity
Canada’s Centennial Community |
|
Town boundaries
|
|
 Fox Creek
Location in Alberta
Fox Creek
Location in M.D. of Greenview
|
|
| Country | Canada |
| Province | Alberta |
| Region | Northern Alberta |
| Planning region | Upper Peace |
| Municipal district | Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 |
| Incorporated | |
| • New town | July 19, 1967 |
| • Town | September 1, 1983 |
| Area
(2021)
|
|
| • Land | 12.26 km2 (4.73 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 808 m (2,651 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
|
|
| • Total | 1,792 |
| • Density | 133.6/km2 (346/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC-7 (MST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-6 (MDT) |
| Postal code span |
T0H 1P0
|
| Area code(s) | 780 |
| Highways |  Hwy 43 |
| Waterways | Smoke Lake Iosegun Lake Raspberry Lake Fox Creek |
Fox Creek is a town in northwest Alberta, Canada. It is located on Highway 43. This town is about 259 kilometers (161 miles) northwest of Edmonton. It is also about 199 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of Grande Prairie. Fox Creek sits at an elevation of 808 meters (2,651 feet) above sea level.
The town is part of the Upper Peace planning region. It is completely surrounded by the Municipal District of Greenview No. 16.
Contents
History of Fox Creek
How Fox Creek Got Started
On June 6, 1952, two people named Ryan Krause and Victor Heath chose the spot for a new community. They named it Fox Creek after a nearby stream. This stream flows into Iosegun Lake to the north. The first official survey of the town's land happened in October 1955.
Another town site was planned north of Fox Creek, near Iosegun Lake. But this area was too wet, so no one wanted to build there. The government decided not to develop a community at that location.
Early Settlers and Growth
People started moving to Fox Creek soon after Highway 43 opened in late 1955. They were looking for jobs in the forestry and oil and gas industries. The first two houses were built in 1956 by Alberta Forest Services. These houses supported a new ranger station that opened in 1957. The town's first two roads, 1 Street West and Highway Avenue, were also built in 1956.
In 1957, a big oil field called the Kaybob North Field was found north of Fox Creek. The town's first two businesses also opened that year. They were gas stations with restaurants, under the British American and Imperial Oil brands.
The community's post office opened on March 18, 1958. It was first called the Iosegun Lake Post Office. It wasn't officially renamed the Fox Creek Post Office until 10 years later.
Oil and Gas Discoveries
The late 1950s and early 1960s were busy times for Fox Creek. Many sawmills, drilling rigs, and work camps were set up in the area. Between 1957 and 1962, 12 new oil and gas fields were found. This included a large gas field south of Fox Creek in 1961, known as the Kaybob South Field. These discoveries led to the building of five gas processing plants in the Fox Creek area over the next eleven years.
Becoming a New Town
The 1961 Census of Canada was the first to count Fox Creek's population. It was listed under the name Iosegun Lake and had 144 residents. By 1966, the population grew to 187 people.
On July 19, 1967, the Province of Alberta officially made Fox Creek a New Town. Premier Ernest Manning signed the papers. A three-person Board of Administrators was put in charge. This board included local businessman Otto Ritter as chairman.
Geography of Fox Creek
Lakes and Rivers
Fox Creek is close to three lakes. Smoke Lake is to the southwest, Iosegun Lake is to the north, and Raspberry Lake is to the northeast. The Fox Creek stream flows through the town itself. This stream then empties into Iosegun Lake.
Earthquakes in the Area
The Fox Creek area experienced three earthquakes in 2015. The first one happened on January 14, 2015, about 38 kilometers (24 miles) west of town. It measured 3.8 on the Richter scale. No damage was reported from this earthquake.
The second earthquake occurred on January 22, 2015. It was about 36 kilometers (22 miles) west of Fox Creek and measured 4.4. People in Fox Creek felt this one "lightly." Experts think it might be linked to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Duvernay Formation.
A third earthquake, also measuring 4.4, happened on June 13, 2015. This one was about 36 kilometers (22 miles) east of the community.
Population of Fox Creek
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the 2021 Canadian census, Statistics Canada reported that Fox Creek had 1,792 people. These residents lived in 720 homes. This population was a 9.1% decrease from 1,971 people in 2016. The town covers a land area of 12.26 square kilometers (4.73 square miles). This means there were about 133.6 people per square kilometer in 2021.
The town also conducts its own counts. The 2019 municipal census showed a population of 2,189. This was a 3.6% increase from the 2,112 people counted in the 2013 municipal census.
Economy of Fox Creek
Main Industries
Fox Creek's economy mainly relies on the resource industry. Oil and gas play the biggest role. A major employer in this area is SemCAMS. This company bought several facilities from other companies like Chevron and BP Amoco. As of September 2010, SemCAMS owns and runs two sour gas processing plants. They also have a sweet gas processing plant and many pipelines.
The oilfield service industry also supports oil and gas activities. Many companies that drill wells or provide well services have offices in Fox Creek.
Forestry and Sawmills
Forestry is the second important resource industry in Fox Creek. Its role was uncertain after a fire destroyed the only sawmill in the area. This sawmill, owned by Millar Western Forest Products Ltd., burned down on August 29, 2008.
After almost two years, Millar Western announced on June 18, 2010, that they would rebuild the sawmill. As of June 2013, the new sawmill, called the Fox Creek Wood Products Division, employs 55 full-time staff. It produces a lot of lumber, about 125 million board feet per year. The sawmill started full operations in late 2011. Millar Western was later bought by Canfor in 2022.
Other Businesses
Compared to SemCAMS and Millar Western, other employers in Fox Creek are smaller. Because the town is on Highway 43, it has many businesses that serve travelers. These businesses also cater to workers in the oil and gas industry and trucking companies.
Education in Fox Creek
Fox Creek School is the main school in the town. It is run by Northern Gateway Public Schools. This school teaches students from Kindergarten all the way to Grade 12. In the 2009/2010 school year, 455 students attended Fox Creek School. This included 14 students in a special program called the Fox Creek Talent Developmental Centre.
