A new study suggests people who work in Fort McMurray but don’t live in the city may be having a negative impact on the community.
The research, conducted by University of Alberta scientists, examined how fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers are perceived by permanent Fort McMurray residents.
The principal investigator in the study, Leith Deacon, said there’s been a lack of information about the issue.
“This research is trying to illustrate local experiences of the effects of a relatively new employment model,” Deacon said.
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The researchers found three main outcomes: FIFO workers have little interaction with the local community; permanent residents are concerned about the strain the workers put on the infrastructure and services that they don’t support with tax dollars; and the use of FIFO workers has a negative effect on place attachment and long-term sustainability in the city.
“If a person isn’t interacting with the community, their ability to develop (an) attachment to that community is diminished,” Deacon said.
“There is no meaningful way for FIFO workers to develop this attachment, especially if you take a bus from your residence to (the) site every day. Your transportation and food are provided. You don’t go to a coffee shop or a grocery store.”
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The study also suggests there’s a lack of means and opportunity for FIFO workers to integrate into the community.