A new McDonald’s restaurant set to open in Alberta later this year will be unique and look a little different from other locations.
It will open at Buffalo Run within Taza on Tsuut’ina Nation land, just outside of Calgary, and be the first McDonald’s in the province whose design was guided by the Tsuut’ina-Taza Cultural Advisory Working Group, a collaborative body committed to ensuring the inclusion of Tsuut’ina language, traditions, and protocols across Taza projects.
Buffalo Run is located at the intersection of Tsuut’ina Trail and Calgary’s southwest ring road Stoney Trail.
The development has more than 50 businesses on 390 acres of retail, dining, and recreation. Officials say Buffalo Run is one of three distinct yet interconnected villages within Taza, alongside Taza Park and The Crossing, all united by Tsuut’ina Trail and the broader vision of a 1,200-acre, multi-generational development that places Tsuut’ina culture, prosperity and identity at its centre.
Working with Taza Development Corp. (TDC), McDonald’s engaged the working group in a consultation process that guided the restaurant’s architectural vision and brought Tsuut’ina design into the final plans. The collaboration produced a restaurant that honours the Nation’s identity throughout, from beautiful murals created by local artists, to signage that includes the local Tsuut’ina language, added officials.
“Taza is much more than a real estate project, it’s a generational commitment to building on Tsuut’ina land in a way that honours what that land represents,” said James Robertson, President of Taza Development Corp. “We ask every partner to engage with the community, and McDonald’s has stepped up in a meaningful way to understand it. That’s the kind of partnership that helps us to advance Taza’s mission.”
“It’s an honour to bring this restaurant to life in partnership with Tsuut’ina Nation,” said Scott Winhold, McDonald’s Calgary franchisee.
“From the very beginning, this project has been about more than building a restaurant – it’s about creating a space that reflects and respects the community it serves. We look forward to opening our doors and building meaningful connections with the community.”
Construction is scheduled to begin later this month, with the location set to open by the end of the year.
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