Northern Alberta hamlet of Conklin getting 21 new homes thanks to Cenovus donation

The hamlet of Conklin is getting several new homes thanks to a $50 million project funded by Cenovus, which has several oil and gas operations in the northeastern Alberta region.

The hamlet of Conklin has one gas station, a school and a community center.

The community along Highway 881 in northeastern Alberta sits beside the shores of Christina Lake, where residents pull pike and walleye from its waters.

It has deep Metis roots and despite the lack of amenities, there’s nowhere else many of its close to 200 residents want to be.

“This is family, this is home,” said Grace Richards, who grew up in the community, on the same land her mother was born.

“There’s a lot of good memories,” she said, pointing to her grandmother’s old log cabin. Its roof now sits in a grassy meadow.

After living 150 kilometres north in Fort McMurray for work and education, Richards moved back to Conklin eight years ago — but finding an adequate roof to put over her head has been trying.

There’s nothing for rent and it’s too expensive to build in the remote region where there are more workers living at nearby oil and gas operations than permanent residents.

Richards has been living in a small converted camper with a wooden extension, no more than 200-square-feet in size.