Wildrose candidate Tany Yao vows to change ‘commuter city’ reputation
by Rebekah Benoit
Wilrose Candidate Tany Yao
Tany Yao knows Fort McMurray well. He and the city have been acquainted for nearly all of Yao’s life, ever since his family arrived in the oilsands capital in 1977. Yao graduated from high school in Fort McMurray, left to pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter and EMT, and came back to carve out his niche as a community leader.
“A good chunk of my life has been spent here, so I’m pretty passionate about this community,” Yao says.
While Yao has always been interested in politics and, in recent years, concerned about the growing issues of land allocation and health care in the region, it took a chance meeting with Wildrose leader Brian Jean in the University of Alberta hospital to inspire Yao to run for one of the region’s two MLA seats.
Jean and Yao have been friends for years, but when Yao heard Jean’s concerns about the way the PC party has managed provincial government, as well as Jean’s determination to run for the Wildrose leadership, Yao heard an echo of his own worries for the region, and the province itself.
“Historically, this province has never given Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo any support whatsoever. It’s always been very reactive,” Yao says.
Yao says he is particularly concerned about the way he says the provincial government has managed land allocation in the region, which he believes has led to Fort McMurray’s inflated housing market and has created a potentially disastrous situation for homeowners if the government continues to hand out land in the same “irresponsible” manner.
“Land allocation is the reason why prices in Fort McMurray are so high. The province didn’t allocate any land to the city of Fort McMurray, even though they were handing out hectares and hectares to all the oil companies,” Yao says. “They knew there was going to be job creation, they had all the revenue coming in, and not once did they consider the logistics.”
Yao believes the lack of available land led to skyrocketing housing during the city’s recent booms and has created a critical situation for homeowners and prospective home buyers alike.
“The province didn’t release any crown land when Fort McMurray was asking for it,” Yao says. “I’m very concerned with how they’re going to release land and manage allocation [in the future], because if they do it improperly, it could destroy the housing economy”.
“This could make or break this community,” Yao adds.
In addition to creating a super-heated real estate market, Yao thinks the province’s land allocation has turned Fort McMurray into a “commuter city,” as work camps were built as a response to the high price of housing which he believes encouraged workers to commute from other communities to Fort McMurray, instead of making the city their home.
“Growing up, I had a good crew of friends who we all thought would be ‘lifers’ in Fort McMurray. They worked at the oil companies, they were settled in Fort McMurray. But then these commuting shifts started, promoting flying in and out, and they’ve all gone to live elsewhere,” Yao says.
Another issue that is near and dear to Yao’s heart is the ongoing problem of health care delivery in the region. Yao says his years of experience as an EMT and firefighter in the region have given him an intimate knowledge of the problems that plague health care in the region, and Yao takes issue with the stance of incumbent Don Scott that health care delivery is excellent in Wood Buffalo.
“A lot of my associates in the health care industry would disagree 100 per cent with that [assertion],” Yao says. “There are still long line-ups in the emergency department. We’re still lacking critical specialists. Our hospital is still under-resourced. “
Yao’s perspective on health care became much more personal when his father, a beloved doctor in Fort McMurray for more than three decades, became ill and was not able to get the care he needed in Fort McMurray, forcing a move to Edmonton.
“Even though he was very sick, he wanted to come back and work in Fort McMurray because he was worried about his patients. He knew how hard it would be for them to find a doctor,” Yao says. “We just didn’t have the resources here or in the community.”
Yao says he wants to provide the loud, strident voice that Fort McMurray needs in the legislature to make the region’s issues priorities.
“That’s why I’ve stepped up, because I want to see a change. I want to be Fort McMurray’s voice.”
The provincial election is scheduled for May 5. For more information, or to find out where you can vote, visit www.electionsalberta.ab.ca.
“A good chunk of my life has been spent here, so I’m pretty passionate about this community,” Yao says.
While Yao has always been interested in politics and, in recent years, concerned about the growing issues of land allocation and health care in the region, it took a chance meeting with Wildrose leader Brian Jean in the University of Alberta hospital to inspire Yao to run for one of the region’s two MLA seats.
Jean and Yao have been friends for years, but when Yao heard Jean’s concerns about the way the PC party has managed provincial government, as well as Jean’s determination to run for the Wildrose leadership, Yao heard an echo of his own worries for the region, and the province itself.
“Historically, this province has never given Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo any support whatsoever. It’s always been very reactive,” Yao says.
Yao says he is particularly concerned about the way he says the provincial government has managed land allocation in the region, which he believes has led to Fort McMurray’s inflated housing market and has created a potentially disastrous situation for homeowners if the government continues to hand out land in the same “irresponsible” manner.
“Land allocation is the reason why prices in Fort McMurray are so high. The province didn’t allocate any land to the city of Fort McMurray, even though they were handing out hectares and hectares to all the oil companies,” Yao says. “They knew there was going to be job creation, they had all the revenue coming in, and not once did they consider the logistics.”
Yao believes the lack of available land led to skyrocketing housing during the city’s recent booms and has created a critical situation for homeowners and prospective home buyers alike.
“The province didn’t release any crown land when Fort McMurray was asking for it,” Yao says. “I’m very concerned with how they’re going to release land and manage allocation [in the future], because if they do it improperly, it could destroy the housing economy”.
“This could make or break this community,” Yao adds.
In addition to creating a super-heated real estate market, Yao thinks the province’s land allocation has turned Fort McMurray into a “commuter city,” as work camps were built as a response to the high price of housing which he believes encouraged workers to commute from other communities to Fort McMurray, instead of making the city their home.
“Growing up, I had a good crew of friends who we all thought would be ‘lifers’ in Fort McMurray. They worked at the oil companies, they were settled in Fort McMurray. But then these commuting shifts started, promoting flying in and out, and they’ve all gone to live elsewhere,” Yao says.
Another issue that is near and dear to Yao’s heart is the ongoing problem of health care delivery in the region. Yao says his years of experience as an EMT and firefighter in the region have given him an intimate knowledge of the problems that plague health care in the region, and Yao takes issue with the stance of incumbent Don Scott that health care delivery is excellent in Wood Buffalo.
“A lot of my associates in the health care industry would disagree 100 per cent with that [assertion],” Yao says. “There are still long line-ups in the emergency department. We’re still lacking critical specialists. Our hospital is still under-resourced. “
Yao’s perspective on health care became much more personal when his father, a beloved doctor in Fort McMurray for more than three decades, became ill and was not able to get the care he needed in Fort McMurray, forcing a move to Edmonton.
“Even though he was very sick, he wanted to come back and work in Fort McMurray because he was worried about his patients. He knew how hard it would be for them to find a doctor,” Yao says. “We just didn’t have the resources here or in the community.”
Yao says he wants to provide the loud, strident voice that Fort McMurray needs in the legislature to make the region’s issues priorities.
“That’s why I’ve stepped up, because I want to see a change. I want to be Fort McMurray’s voice.”
The provincial election is scheduled for May 5. For more information, or to find out where you can vote, visit www.electionsalberta.ab.ca.
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