The ATC Cultural Festival will now take place every other year, with the next Festival scheduled for September 2027.

This decision reflects the Festival’s growth, and ATC’s exciting plans to proceed with cultural celebrations that extend for longer periods throughout the summer within the urban area of Fort McMurray.  These new activities will be an important supplement to the Cultural Festival in 2027 and onward.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is pleased to announce the 3Nolans (Ted Nolan and his sons, Brandon and Jordan Nolan) as the keynote speakers for the upcoming ATC Career Fair taking place April 15-16, 2026, at the Syncrude Sport & Wellness Centre. The ATC Career Fair is open to all and places a strong focus on supporting First Nations and Indigenous people as they pursue education, employment, and long-term career goals.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is seeking a qualified firm to provide strategic communications and public relations services that enhance ATC’s public profile, strengthen advocacy for Treaty and Inherent Rights, secure sustainable funding and partnerships, and increase public awareness of programs, services, and initiatives. 

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC), as a lead partner and strong advocate within the Murdered, Missing, and Exploited Indigenous Peoples (MMEIP) Taskforce, stands united in its commitment to ensuring that every Indigenous person feels safe in their community.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) invites qualified consultants to submit proposals for a comprehensive feasibility study to explore the establishment of a tribal police service within the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. This initiative will assess the feasibility of creating a community-led policing model that addresses the safety and security needs of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Fort McMurray 468 First Nation, and Chipewyan Prairie First Nation, in alignment with Treaty 8 rights and the broader goals of the ATC. 

ATC is deeply shocked and disheartened by the recent findings of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), which determined there was no evidence to support criminal charges against the RCMP in relation to the 2020 assault on Chief Allan Adam.

Chief Allan Adam, President of the Athabasca Tribal Council and Chief of Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation is extremely disturbed by statements posted by Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo MLA Tany Yao in the fall Legislature Question Period that allege drug-related concerns at the Tawâw Housing Initiative (Tawâw).

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is excited to announce Carey Price, former NHL goaltender and inspiring youth speaker, as the keynote speaker for the ATC Career Fair 2025. The Fair is being held on April 8 and 9, 2025, at the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre in Fort McMurray.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) stands strong in solidarity with Woodland Cree First Nation (WCFN) and other Treaty 8 Chiefs as they continue their fight against Obsidian Energy. ATC joins other First Nations to demand that Obsidian executives return to the table to address the concerns of WCFN and that Canada and Alberta must step in to uphold their duty to consult.

The SCC’s decision on February 9, 2024, provides certainty to ATC and First Nations to implement their own laws regarding child and family services in a manner that respects each Nation's diversity, culture, and autonomy.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is pleased to announce the newest addition to its leadership team, Fred Russell, who joined the organization as Chief Operating Officer (COO) on Monday, January 8th, 2024.

As CEO of Athabasca Tribal Council, Karla Buffalo is being recognized for her work to guide culturally-led solutions impacting education, social services and health care.

Since January, at least 30 community members across the region have been lost, prompting regional State of Emergency declaration by Chiefs, Councils and Athabasca Tribal Council

Two staff members of the Athabasca Tribal Council have been honoured with Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee pin award.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) would like to extend congratulations to Danielle Smith on her new role as the Premier-designate for Alberta. On October 6th, Danielle Smith won the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership race and became the Premier-designate.

(Fort McMurray–September 16, 2022) The second edition of the Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) Cultural Festival was a success in showcasing and revitalizing Indigenous culture and traditions with an estimated more than 10,000 people attending or participating at Snye Point Park over the four-day long festival.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is excited to announce the headlining performing artists of the Imperial Oil Mainstage Concert at the ATC Cultural Festival.

Ernest Monias headlines the mainstage on Saturday evening. Known as the “Elvis of the North,” Monias has 18 albums that range over different genres of music such as gospel, country and rock. His stage presence charms audiences across Canada. Monias is a residential school survivor and has loved music for as long as he can remember. He taught himself guitar, and by 15 years old, he was singing and playing his own music.

The Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is sending prayers of comfort and healing to all Indian Residential School survivors, Indian Day School survivors, Indian Day Scholars, 60’s Scoop survivors and their families during this week of the Pope’s visit to Canada. Additionally, we believe it is critically important to continue to stand alongside calls for more concrete action to follow the apology by the Pope and the Roman Catholic church, the Government of Canada and the RCMP.

Chief Executive Officer of the Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC), Karla Buffalo, was awarded the Executive Leadership Award at the Heart of Wood Buffalo Excellence Awards. The awards ceremony took place Thursday, June 2, 2022.

The Director of Education, Culture and Language at Athabasca Tribal Council, Elena Gould is being recognized for her exceptional work promoting Indigenous culture and community at the Esquao Awards Gala taking place tonight, Friday, May 13, 2022, at the River Cree Resort-Entertainment Centre in Enoch, Alberta.

Athabasca Tribal Council has reflected on the events of the past few weeks and recognizes that following meetings with First Nations, Inuit and Métis representatives who told their stories as residential school survivors, Pope Francis has apologized for the deplorable abuses to Indigenous people under the residential school system by members of the Roman Catholic Church. Our hearts are with those who shared the truth first-hand to Pope Francis and we send them our gratitude and prayers.

In this last week, the first Truth Scanning Gathering of the former site of the Holy Angels Residential School in Fort Chipewyan also took place. Our prayers are with the survivors of this school, their families, and their descendants as they meet to begin the process to identify the graves of those who never returned home.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) is announcing that it will be closing the Fort Chipewyan Isolation Care Center on April 15, 2022. Other supports will still be available to community members who need assistance with COVID-19 exposure and symptoms.

At the Fort McMurray Catholic School Board of Education meeting on April 4, 2022 the Board officially approved a recommendation to rename Father Turcotte School.

Moving forward the school will be called Our Lady of the Rivers.

The name change was initiated following allegations of sexual abuse by Father Turcotte. In the summer of 2021, as the Athabasca Tribal Council supported the Blinding Light healing walk in the downtown core of Fort McMurray, serious allegations were brought forward to the community.

(March 30, 2022 Fort McMurray, AB) – Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) and Alberta Health Services (AHS) are excited to announce that they have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will establish the basis for a partnership to design and implement an Indigenous Health Clinic at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre (NLRHC) in Fort McMurray.

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) has announced that the ATC Cultural Festival is back after a two-year pandemic induced hiatus. This regional showcase of Indigenous artists, musicians and culture will be held from September 8-11, 2022. 

Athabasca Tribal Council (ATC) will continue to raise funds for First Nation students with the annual ATC Golf Classic. Taking place on June 3, 2022 at the Fort McMurray Golf Club, the event will showcase Cree and Denesųłıné cultural experiences, networking and fun.

Today during the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo’s formal and public budget meeting Councillor M. Shafiq Dogar responded to Councillor Kendrick Cardinal’s motion to fund prevention intiatives for Murdered, Missing and Exploited Indigenous People.