Buffalo Creek Airport

Economic and logistical obsolescence. The airstrip was a private aerodrome built and operated to support the construction and initial phases of the Suncor Energy MacKay River oil sands facility. Once the project became fully operational and road infrastructure to the site was well-established, it was no longer cost-effective to maintain a private airstrip. Personnel and cargo transport were consolidated through the larger, full-service Fort McMurray International Airport (CYMM) and then by ground transportation.

The airport is permanently closed and decommissioned. Satellite imagery confirms the single gravel runway remains physically intact but is in a state of disrepair, with vegetation growing on the surface. It is no longer maintained or marked for aviation use. The adjacent Suncor MacKay River industrial plant is still in operation, but the airstrip itself is dormant and not used.

The airport, also known as MacKay River Aerodrome, was a vital logistical asset for the development of the Athabasca oil sands in the early 2000s. Its primary role was to serve Suncor's MacKay River Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) project, which started production in 2002. The airstrip facilitated the rapid transport of specialized personnel, contractors, and time-sensitive equipment to the remote site, bypassing the lengthy and sometimes unreliable ground routes. It played a crucial, albeit temporary, role in the construction and commissioning of a major Canadian energy project.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Buffalo Creek Airport. The logistical needs of the region are adequately met by the established road network and the Fort McMurray International Airport. Reopening would require significant investment for a need that no longer exists. The site is expected to remain closed permanently and may eventually be subject to environmental reclamation by the operating company.