Fort McMurray Heliport

The closure was a result of operational consolidation and relocation. The primary operator, Canadian Helicopters, like many other aviation services in the region, moved its base of operations to the larger and better-equipped Fort McMurray International Airport (CYMM). The main airport offered superior logistics, dedicated fueling and maintenance facilities, and the ability to operate alongside fixed-wing aircraft, making the smaller, separate heliport in an industrial park redundant and less efficient.

The site of the former heliport has been completely redeveloped and no longer exists for aviation purposes. The land at the specified coordinates (56.666667, -111.333335) is now occupied by a large industrial facility for Finning Canada, a major dealer of Caterpillar heavy equipment. The property, located at 205 Maclennan Crescent in the Gregoire industrial park, is now used for the sale, service, and storage of heavy machinery.

Fort McMurray Heliport (CA-0135) was a private heliport that played a crucial role as a logistical hub during the peak expansion of the Alberta oil sands industry. Operated primarily by Canadian Helicopters, it was a vital base for missions supporting oil and gas exploration and production. Its operations included transporting personnel, sensitive equipment, and supplies to remote and often inaccessible work sites, conducting pipeline and power line patrols, and performing aerial surveys. It also likely supported regional forestry operations and wildfire suppression efforts, making it a key piece of aviation infrastructure for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo before services were centralized.

There are no plans or prospects for reopening this heliport. The site has been fully repurposed for a high-value industrial use, and there is no physical space remaining for aviation operations. All regional helicopter services are now comprehensively and efficiently handled from the modern heliport facilities at the Fort McMurray International Airport (CYMM), making a separate, smaller heliport at this location both unnecessary and unfeasible.