After almost four years of halted work and budget overruns, the long-delayed Métis cultural centre in Fort McMurray will see significant construction activity restart in the coming months.
The project’s price tag has climbed sharply from its original $22-million estimate with costs expected to cost as much as $73 million.
The centre is planned as a multi-purpose facility featuring an indoor theatre, classrooms, a community kitchen, office space, an art gallery, and a museum.
Construction first broke ground in fall 2020 with an opening eyed for late 2023, but those timelines have long since passed. No new completion or opening date has been announced.
Shawn Myers of Infinity Metis Corp., the business division of McMurray Métis, noted the project has faced added pressure from tariffs but emphasized that new contracts are now in place to improve accountability.
“Construction isn’t just bulldozers and cranes — there’s a lot of engineering and architectural work involved,” he said. “We now have signed contracts that hold everyone accountable.”
Nearly $35 million has been contributed by municipal, provincial and federal governments. McMurray Métis and Infinity Métis Corp. are contributing a combined $28.4 million to the project.
The remaining funding is “currently being validated,” according to McMurray Métis spokesperson Melanie Walsh.
The McMurray Métis Cultural Centre will be a landmark destination celebrating Métis culture and heritage while creating opportunities for education, tourism, and economic development.
“When you step into the Cultural Centre, you step into a living story,” Project Director Shawn Myers said. “You step into the heart of who we are, and our heart is open.”
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