Current Problems

Housing

Moccassin Flats Evictions

September 27, 2018

Canadian Press – A report “Moccassin Flats Evictions“: Métis Home, Forced Relocation, and Resilience in Fort McMurray, Alberta” commissioned by the Fort McMurray Metis says the housing subsidiary of oilsands giant Syncrude collaborated with the municipality to evict mostly Metis families 40 years ago to make way for an apartment tower. The eviction disrupted people’s lives and caused lasting economic harm to families. It broke up a tight-knit community and cut people off from their traditions.

The evicted families were leased trailers from the municipality, which were of substandard quality and on land that couldn’t be passed along to their children. The report recommends compensation, a monument and cultural centre and a land transfer.