Zama City

For other uses, see Zama (disambiguation).

Zama City
Hamlet
Location of Zama City in Alberta
Coordinates: 59°09′06″N 118°42′21″W / 59.15176°N 118.70590°W / 59.15176; -118.70590
CountryCanada
ProvinceAlberta
Census divisionNo. 17
Specialized municipalityMackenzie County
Foundation1966/1968
Government
 • TypeUnincorporated
 • ReevePeter F. Braun
 • Governing body
  • Jacquie Bateman
  • Peter F. Braun
  • Cameron Cardinal
  • David Driedger
  • Eric Jorgensen
  • Joshua Knelsen
  • Anthony Peters
  • Ernest Peters
  • Walter Sarapuk
  • Lisa Wardley
Area
 • Land21.68 km2 (8.37 sq mi)
Elevation
320 m (1,050 ft)
Population
 (2024)
 • Total
50
 • Density2.4/km2 (6.2/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC−7 (MST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)

Zama City is a hamlet in northwestern Alberta, Canada within Mackenzie County.[1] It is located north of Zama Lake along Zama Road, which branches off the Mackenzie Highway (Highway 35) approximately 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of High Level. The hamlet falls within Census Division No. 17 and the federal riding of Grande Prairie-Mackenzie.

Toponymy

Zama City is named after the Zama Lake, which runs through wetlands approximately 30 km northwest of Zama City.[2][3]

The river was referred to as Zammah River by Ernest Wilson Hubbell of the Dominion Land Survey in 1921. In 1922, Hubbell informed the Geographical Names Board of Canada that he had derived the word Zammah from a transliteration of a Dene Tha' First Nation Chief he had encountered during his survey. The board accepted the name, but altered the spelling to Zama for unknown reasons.[2]

Dene Tha' identify the river as Kólaa Zahéh ("Old Man River"). This name is likely a reference to traditional creation myths, rather than the chief Hubbell described.[2]

Economy

Oil and gas

Zama City is the service centre for the Zama Oil Fields, described by Alberta Culture as "possibly the largest oil and gas field in the province" in 2012.[2] As of 2025, the hamlet supports a transient workforce of up to 4,000 oil and gas personnel annually.[4]

Commerce and services

Most lots in Zama City are zoned for small-scale urban farming, allowing residents to tend to a small number of livestock.[5]

As of 2026, trucking companies deliver groceries and other items that cannot be sourced in Zama City to locals, and Canada Post services are available in the community hall.[5] Water and sewage services are managed by Mackenzie County, and power through ATCO.[5] Prescription medications are also delivered to locals from High Level once a week; for more complex medical assistance, residents must travel to High Level.[5]

History

Establishment: 1966-1970

According to National Topographic System maps, no community existed in the area today known as Zama City in 1963.[2] Permanent settlements were established after the first oil well in the vicinity was discovered in 1966; the community grew concurrently with the discovery of an additional 255 petroleum reservoirs throughout the rest of the decade.[6][2] Texaco Canada was advertising for oil and gas personnel for the "Zama area to be based at... Zama City" as early as December 1967.[7]

In these early years, Zama City was also known as "Cameron Corner" after an oil company active in the area.[2][8] Its 'city hall' operated informally from the cabin of a resident, trapper Joe Martel.[8] By 1969, the locality was recognized as Zama City by the Government of Alberta, with 200 residents recorded.[9]

Development: 1971-2000

A public library opened in Zama City in 1974,[10] and a school opened by 1979, serving 32 students from kindergarten to Grade 9.[11] Zama City became a hamlet on September 10, 1980.[3]

In 1996, the Edmonton Journal described Zama City as having 400 permanent residents.[12] Described as an "oil and gas servicing community," it was reported that Zama City lacked a paved road to the nearest primary highway, located 60 km from the settlement.[12] Residents could only access the highway by driving on a thin gravel trail, operated by a local oil company.[12]

21st century: 2001-present

A Calgary Herald article on Zama City in 2003 reported that the hamlet, at that time, consisted of mobile homes and one permanent house.[13] Zama City also contained a coffeehouse, general store, and a bar named PumpJacks.[13]

After a pile of leftover sulphur caught fire at an Apache Corp gas plant near Zama City in August 2008, a state of emergency was declared in the hamlet, with 250 of its residents temporarily evacuated.[14] The next year, locals cleared land around the community to slow the spread of a potential fire, as part of a planning program to prepare for the event of future emergencies.[15] These preparations assisted firefighters after a lightning strike on June 21, 2012 caused a forest fire in the vicinity of Zama City.[15][16] After the flames drew within 10 kilometres of Zama City, having spread across 100,000 hectares in less than a month, Zama City was evacuated on July 11.[17][15] Firefighters gained control of the fire on July 20, allowing Zama City's 160 residents to return.[18][19]

In October 2013, a leak developed in an above-ground section of an Apache Corp pipeline near Zama City, releasing 1.8 million litres of wastewater.[20][21] Dene Tha' Chief, James Ahnassay, reported that "every plant and tree" touched by the leak died.[22][23] The Alberta Energy Regulator laid charges against Apache Corp for failing to properly operate its pipeline.[24] Apache Corp pleaded guilty in September 2016, admitting it had not installed an appropriate protective fence.[21][24][25] Evidence suggested the spill occurred after a bison crushed the pipe.[25] Apache Corp was ordered to pay damages of $350,000 for the Zama City spill and a second incident elsewhere in Alberta.[21]

In 2017 and 2018, Zama City School received no students.[26] After the Fort Vermilion School Division reported in 2019 that the community contained five children, who were home-schooled, Zama City School permanently closed.[27][26][28] The building was sold to the Dene Tha' First Nation for a dollar in 2020.[28]

A lightning strike in June 2022 sparked a wildfire near Zama City that was classified as "out of control" by Alberta Wildfire within the week, having grown to 3,000 hectares.[29] This fire stopped short of posing a threat to the hamlet.[29]

Demographics

As of the 2024 Alberta municipal census, Zama City has a permanent population of 50 residents.[30]

Transportation

The two airstrips that served the community, Zama Airport and Zama Lake Airport, have been abandoned.[31]

  • Turkish-American filmmaker, Hakan Sahin, shot two feature films in Zama City: Snow (2005) and Mirror (2003).[32] Both works by Sahin, who worked in trucking for a time in Zama City, depict the experience of living in remote areas.[32]
  • Zama City features in the stage play, Bears (2018), by Matthew Mackenzie.[33]
  • Guitar Lessons, a 2022 movie starring Cree actor and comedian Conway Kootenay, was partially filmed in Zama City.[34]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Specialized and Rural Municipalities and Their Communities" (PDF). Alberta Municipal Affairs. June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Kelland, Ron (August 21, 2012). "Zama". RETROactive. Alberta Culture. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Alberta Culture (January 3, 2025). "Zama City". Alberta Geographical Names Web Map. Retrieved January 18, 2026. Location Notes: The hamlet takes its name from the nearby lake. The name was approved in 1980. (See Zama Lake.) [...] Site Type: Hamlet [...] Culture or Language: Indigenous origin; Dene Tha' name [...] Provincial Official Date: 1980-09-10
  4. ^ "Historic Sites". Mackenzie County. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d "Live". Zama City, Alberta. May 8, 2021. Archived from the original on January 19, 2026. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  6. ^ "Historic Sites". Mackenzie County. Archived from the original on March 19, 2025. Retrieved January 18, 2026.
  7. ^ "Texaco Canada Limited (Producing Department) requires Field Foreman". Calgary Herald. December 22, 1967. p. 10.
  8. ^ a b Reid, Gordon (1977). Notes of the North. Lower Peace Publishing. pp. 45–46. ISBN 9780919213470.
  9. ^ Alberta. Dept. of Health. Northern Alberta Health Services, issuing body (1969). The Northern Alberta Health Services. Legislative Assembly of Alberta - Alberta Legislature Library. Government of Alberta. p. 7.
  10. ^ "Zama City". Mackenzie County Libraries. March 23, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  11. ^ "Zama City School". Calgary Herald. October 13, 1979. p. 62.
  12. ^ a b c Thomson, Graham (February 20, 1996). "Life is no highway in a town without a road". Edmonton Journal. pp. A7.
  13. ^ a b Canton, Maria (August 30, 2003). "Z is for Zama City: Series: Alberta by Alphabet". Calgary Herald. p. 1.
  14. ^ Canadian Press (August 15, 2008). "Fire sparks state of emergency in Alberta town". CBC News.
  15. ^ a b c "Update on wildfire and evacuations in Mackenzie County". Global News. July 12, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  16. ^ "Province ramps up wildfire fight in northwest Alberta". CBC News. July 11, 2012.
  17. ^ "Residents of fire-threatened Alberta hamlet forced to flee". Global News. July 11, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  18. ^ Edmonton, C. T. V. (July 19, 2012). "Zama City evacuation order to be lifted Friday". CTVNews. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  19. ^ "Hundreds forced out by northern Alberta wildfires allowed to return home". Global News. July 17, 2016.
  20. ^ "Another waste-water spill found near Zama City, Alta". CBC News. November 29, 2013.
  21. ^ a b c "Apache pleads guilty to pipeline violations after multiple spills". Global News. October 4, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  22. ^ Vanderklippe, Nathan (June 12, 2013). "Toxic waste spill in northern Alberta biggest of recent disasters in North America". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  23. ^ Staff, I. C. T. (August 26, 2013). "'Every Tree and Plant Died': Massive Toxic Spill Guts Alberta". ICT. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  24. ^ a b Tobin, Cara (October 4, 2016). "Apache Pleads Guilty After Two Pipeline Failures". Marketwired.
  25. ^ a b "Apache pleads guilty to spills". Calgary Herald. October 5, 2016. pp. B3.
  26. ^ a b Fort Vermilion School Division (November 22, 2019). "Zama City School future discussed at public meeting". www.fvsd.ab.ca. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  27. ^ "Live". Zama City, Alberta. May 8, 2021. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  28. ^ a b Fort Vermilion School Division (September 16, 2020). "Fort Vermilion School Division Minutes of the Regular Meeting". fvsd.ab.ca.
  29. ^ a b CBC News (June 5, 2022). "60 firefighters, 6 helicopters working to douse out-of-control wildfire in northwestern Alberta". Yahoo News. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  30. ^ ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd (February 7, 2025). 2024 Municipal Census Report. Mackenzie County. p. 7.
  31. ^ Canadian Flight Supplement
  32. ^ a b Totaro, Donato (November 1, 2006). "Time Spent in Zama - Mirror and Snow: A Diptych on Isolation and Loneliness". OffScreen.
  33. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (May 4, 2018). "Bears is a pipeline play from Alberta with claws". vancouversun. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
  34. ^ Laskaris, Sam (March 2, 2023). "Cree actor displays his comedic and serious sides in movie Guitar Lessons - Windspeaker.com". windspeaker.com. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
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