Fort McMurray's federal budget wishlist: infrastructure, student grants and more immigration

During the lunch hour, a lineup forms atFort McMurray's Chez Max forCaribbean comfort foodlike curry goat, oxtail and jerk chicken.

But co-owner Jeff Peddle knows not all of the city's other restaurants have the same steady stream of customers.

"It's slower now," said Peddle, who isrunning for municipal council October. "In some of the malls, all you have to do is walk through and see that it is certainly slower for most. A lot of businesses are devastated by the downturn."

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Peddle's colleagues tell him it's hard to find labour and turn a profit each month. Some are covering their commercial rents out of pocket, he said.

The federal government has yet toannouncethe 2017 federal budget date. However, Peddle and others said the federal budget mustaddress Fort McMurray's exceptional needs.

Alberta's economic downturn is describedas one of the worst in the province's history. The decline in oil prices and the shutdown of oil production during last spring's Fort McMurray wildfire hammeredthe province's petro-based economyand to the oilsands capital itself.

"Fort McMurray is the economic engine of Canada," Peddle said. "It drives Edmonton, Calgary and certainly a lot of places from Vancouver to Newfoundland."

To drive Fort McMurray's economy forwards, Peddle suggests new infrastructure investment for a second highway out of Fort McMurray.

Several Fort McMurray communities currently have only one road in and out of the area, and the region's 90,000 residents rely solely on Highway 63 as an entry and exit to the city. During the wildfire evacuation, cars were stuck along this highway for hours, encircled by forests engulfed in flames.

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The highway would cost about $1.5 billion to build and the municipality saysit would make Fort McMurray safer.

A second highway would offer more than just another emergency route, Peddle said. It would also enhance new oilsands exploration, he said.

"It would connect the oilsands sites," Peddle said. "Easier access for site workers. Easier access to more oil. So I think it's important for economic development."

Living the Fort McMurray dream

Florist Lisa Anderson has a clear idea about what Fort McMurray needs out of the 2017 federal budget.

From betterhealth care for seniors, drugs and alcohol treatment programs, and small business support, Anderson lists many areas needing attention. But she narrows her priorities down to more affordable tertiary education and grants for mature students who want to return to school without racking up debt.

The wife and mother of two teenagers plans to become a licensed practical nurse.

"I want some better grants. I want to be able to go back to school," Anderson said."I want to be able to do better for my kids and for my family. I want to make more money and want to live the Fort McMurray dream."

Anderson said she and many others moved north hoping to cash in on the promise of higher income. Successive downturns and the wildfire robbed her of that opportunity, she said. Now, her family lives almost paycheck to paycheck.

Increase immigration

Outside one of Fort McMurray's elementary schools, Napoleon Manalo picks up his daughter at the end of the day.

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He said the federal budget should once again focus on increasing immigration and resettlement of new Canadians.

Some have argued allowing in foreign workers could solve Fort McMurray's problemwith attracting skilled labour to restaurants, stores and other low paying jobs.

During the 2016 budget, the Liberals committed to admitting between280,000 and 305,000new immigrants.

That's an increase from the 260,000 to 285,000 newcomers the previous Conservative government had planned to welcome by the end of 2015.

"Help the Filipino community," Manalo said. "Many Filipinos have problems with achieving (citizen) status. That's why they go back."

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