Athabasca Tribal Council

MARCH 2019 | BUSINESS ELITE CANADA 5 post secondary education, community members learning employment skills, to helping those in need access medical care. Headquartered in Fort McMurray, with local Child & Family Services offices in Edmonton and Fort Chipewyan, ATC is made up of a Board of Directors, a CEO who oversees six active departments, specifically Education, Health, Finance, Employment and Training and Child and Family Services. “We believe the goal and vision of ATC’s formation was a movement to decen- tralize government programming from Indigenous Services Canada, then Indian Affairs, and establish a council that could provide these services at the regional and community level,” says ATC CEO, Karla Buffalo. Establishment of services being provided to community members, by a regional agency to amalgamate services, was a key consideration in the development of ATC, says Buffalo. “Having a Board of Directors assembled of the Chiefs of the Nations being served would mean that the needs of our communities would be brought to the forefront by community leaders,” she continues. “This meant listening to the needs of our people and acting directly on the informa- tion received in a culturally appropriate manner. Over time, the Tribal Council was able to take on additional services and provide more to communities as it has continued to develop.” CPFN Health Fair 2018