Liveability

For those who are looking to make the move from the city to the country, Fort Macleod is an ideal setting. The "Townsearch Guide - Canada", published in 1995, listed Fort Macleod as one of the seven best places to live in Alberta and one of the 64 best places to live in Canada.

Fort Macleod boasts many recreational facilities to keep you busy year round. The town has the highest number of parks per capita in Canada including playgrounds and a wilderness park that follows the Oldman River through town. Fort Macleod has an outdoor swimming pool, skateboard park and arena complex.

The River Valley Wilderness Park provides interpretive trails for biking, horseback riding, bird and wildlife viewing, and unique floral species only found in this area. The scenic Rocky Mountains just to the west of Fort Macleod provide endless skiing and camping opportunities as well. The list of activities available in and around Fort Macleod is growing every day as we continue to grow and expand our recreational possibilities.

Climate

Doing business in Fort Macleod blends a perfect mix of climate, liveability and location.

Fort Macleod has a moderate, continental climate with warm summers, and mild winters as a result of the Chinook conditions. The area receives the highest amount of sunshine in Canada.  Fort Macleod's proximity to the Rocky Mountains usually protects it from the blizzard conditions associated with strong northwest winds.

The severity and duration of a typical Alberta winter cold period is moderated in Fort Macleod by the Chinook conditions. Fort Macleod enjoys the highest mean temperatures on the prairies, and is slightly cooler than many southern prairie locations during the summer.

Education

Fort Macleod is part of the Livingstone Range School Division #68, headquartered in Claresholm  Tel: 403-625-3356.

Daycare/Nursery
Sunshine Kids Family Day Homes Ltd.

Public Schools
Schools in Fort Macleod include:
W.A. Day Elementary School [k-3],
G.R. Davis School [4-7], and
F.P. Walshe School [8-12].

Post Secondary Education
Fort Macleod residents are within easy commuting distance of Lethbridge-based post-secondary institutions such as the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College. Fort Macleod also hosts a satellite campus of Lethbridge College that focuses on upgrading and pre-employment training.

Health Care

The Fort Macleod Hospital is a first rate facility. The hospital complex has a Special Development Unit for the care of multi-handicapped people as well as a Palliative Care Unit.

Senior citizens who no longer live in their own homes have a choice of three types of accommodation, depending on their health and independence. The elderly and disabled also benefit from Handi-bus service and a local drop-in centre.

Transportation

Air Service
Fort Macleod has a local airstrip with all-weather facilities and a 914 metre runway. The nearest commercial and air freight services are at Lethbridge, 48 km east of Fort Macleod.

Rail Service
Fort Macleod is served by Canadian Pacific Railway main line.

Highways
Connecting highways are Highway 2, the major north-south route connecting Fort Macleod to Calgary and Edmonton, and Highway 3, which connects to Lethbridge [east] and the British Columbia border [west].

Trucking Firms
Boot Trucking
Glen West Express Ltd.
Hornberger Trucking
VanDiesel Transport Ltd.
Vanee Livestock Ltd.

Bus Services
Greyhound Bus Lines provides regularly scheduled inter-community service.

Couriers
Greyhound Courier Express, Loomis and Purolator Couriers.