Construction crews brace for tough job ahead as first residents return to Fort McMurray

CALGARY—Construction workers and cleanup companies are trickling into Fort McMurray along with its first returning residents as the rebuilding process begins in the northern Alberta community devastated by wildfires.

Ben Dutton, president and CEO of the Casman Group of companies, said about half of the 200 workers employed by his Fort McMurray-based general construction firm are already back in town and working on restoring heating-ventilation and other systems for commercial and industrial customers.

The cleanup and rebuilding will create jobs beyond the 200 workers on staff before last month’s fires forced most to flee the region, but the number of new hires isn’t known yet.

Dutton estimates it will take at least two years to rebuild the Fort McMurray homes and businesses destroyed by the fire.

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