Was at work today and a coworker said his nephew gets a little over $40/hr to drive dump trucks at Ft. McMurray for one of the big mines. He lives in a camp so takes all his cash home. Is this a realistic wage? Seems pretty high. Makes me wonder what I am doing here plugging away at SaskEnergy for peanuts.

That may be a little high, but wages are extremely high up there... but so is the cost of everything, food, accomodations, etc.

Yeah those wages are pretty common up there, if he's only staying in camp and not paying a fortune on food and lodging then he's making a killing. I know a bunch of guys though that go up and make a fortune but just blow it twice as fast as they make it.

. .....I know a bunch of guys though that go up and make a fortune but just blow it twice as fast as they make it.



:agree:
I can see those kind of wages up there.I also know a 1000square foot house is $500,000 ish.Here there are crane operators making 42-48 hour.The starting wage on the service rigs is $22/hour.The oil pacth is slowing down tho and the out look for this summer does not look good.

Good place to work, but wouldn't want to live there. If you can get a camp job, it's worth it, otherwise steer clear.

Yeah that sounds about right. I know most equipment operators in the Diamond mines are making $75 000 - $100 000 a year. 12 hours days, 2 weeks in, 2 weeks out.

I heard a report in the news about a month ago that you could make $50 an hour building houses in Fort McMurray, but at $2200 a month to rent an apartment are you really ahead?

The oil patch may slow down but if oil is over $40 a barrel Fort McMurray will continue to boom.

To get a better idea of the scale of the project read this US article from CBS's 60 Minutes.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/01/20/60minutes/main1225184.shtml

The US want to have oil from friendly contries and see this as there supply.

The Tar Sands have 8 times the reserves of Saudi Arabia!

I drive by them most winters as there is a winter road south of Fort Smith, through Wood Buffalo National Park, by Tar Sands, and into Fort McMurray. The landscape is changing regularly and the development is being driven further north each year. This project is huge and wrecking havoc on the landscape.

well i thought i would put my two cents in seeing as how i just got back from the Fort today... Im a second year apprentice heavy duty mechanic working at Syncrude I work 3 days 3 nights and six days off and take home 2 grand every two weeks... Now i am getting paid block two wage. Block five (journeyman mechanic wage) the highest block is about $3300 take home wage every two weeks. (Those figures are after tax and all deductions …its what’s in your pocket at the end of the day)

Oh by the way Rent for a one bedroom with a bar fridge and hot plate goes for $900 a month (sometimes you can find i it as low as $600 if your really lucky

All in all "Fort Mcmoney" is a 90 thousand man work camp...also over time is double time pay and there is a lot available if you want to work it

I also have to add this in ... its rare to find a house that sells under $500 000... mobile homes go for 300000 and you don’t own the land it sits on.

it all depends on what your ideals and values are and what’s best for your family