In the wake of the Fort McMurray wildfire, hundreds of modular housing units parked at the Northwest Regional Airport at Terrace are now headed for the northern Alberta city.
The units, which include kitchens, and last used at Rio Tinto Alcan’s now-completed Kitimat smelter modernization project, will be set up as temporary housing for workers and residents in Fort McMurray.
Calgary-based ATCO owns the units and plans to use them to build a 1,000-person camp.
Nearly 50 trucks were pressed into service beginning on the weekend to move the nearly 200 units and the company coordinating the move, Lodgewood Enterprises, has already signed up nine companies to assist in the transport.
In all nearly 300 units were moved to the location of an old runway late last year after ATCO signed a one-year lease with the airport.
The units were stored at the airport in anticipation of being used again at large industrial projects in the region.
It was considered more cost effective and efficient to store the units in the area then to return them to ATCO facilities farther away.