The first McDonald’s restaurant in Alberta to take shape under the cultural guidance of a First Nation will carry Tsuut’ina culture into every facet of its design.
Calgary, Alberta – June 12, 2026 – A new McDonald’s restaurant set to open in Alberta later this year will look a little different from other locations. Opening at Buffalo Run within Taza on Tsuut’ina Nation land, it will be the first McDonald’s in the province whose design was guided from the outset by the Tsuut’ina-Taza Cultural Advisory Working Group, a collaborative body committed to ensuring the respectful inclusion of Tsuut’ina language, traditions, and protocols across Taza projects.
Buffalo Run sits at the intersection of Tsuut’ina Trail and Calgary’s southwest ring road, making it one of the most strategically connected commercial addresses in the region, with direct access from Calgary’s southwest and immediate visibility along the corridor that links the city to Southern Alberta.
The village has grown to more than 50 businesses across 390 acres of retail, dining, and recreation, establishing itself as a destination for residents of Tsuut’ina Nation, Calgary, and surrounding communities. 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 structured 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.
The location will offer McDonald’s signature quick-service dining and drive-thru capabilities, serving residents of Tsuut’ina Nation, Calgary, and the broader region.
“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,” says 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,” says 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, pending the on-time advancement of construction.
For more information about Taza, visit taza.ca.
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About Taza
Decades in the making, Taza is one of the largest and most influential First Nation development projects, located on 1,200 acres of Tsuut’ina land. Consisting of three unique but related community villages, Taza Park, Buffalo Run and The Crossing, Taza is integrated through a comprehensive framework of Tsuut’ina and City of Calgary infrastructure. The villages are physically connected by Tsuut’ina Trail, part of the Southwest Calgary Ring Road, a critical piece of transportation infrastructure for Calgary and Southern Alberta. Each community village has a distinct character built around a guiding philosophy and design principles. Led by Taza Development Corp., Taza will create a unique sense of place, drawing on the history, culture and stories of the Tsuut’ina Nation.
About Taza Development Corp.
Taza Development Corp. is the development entity for Taza, a 50/50 partnership between the Tsuut’ina Nation and Canderel, a leading Canadian real estate company. Adjacent to the southwest quadrant of Calgary, Alberta, the Tsuut’ina Nation is home to approximately 2,400 community members. Guided by a Board of Directors, Taza Development Corp. is advancing the long-term development of Taza’s three distinct yet interconnected villages, Taza Park, Buffalo Run and The Crossing, across 1,200 acres over the next 25-plus years. This transformational project is designed to drive meaningful social and economic prosperity for the Tsuut’ina Nation and the broader region.
About McDonald’s Canada
In 1967, Canada welcomed the first McDonald’s restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, with McDonald’s restaurants serving nearly two million guests every day and employing almost 100,000 people across Canada. More than 90 per cent of McDonald’s 1,500 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent franchisees, with the remaining restaurants corporately owned and operated by McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited. Of the almost $2 billion spent on food and paper by McDonald’s restaurants, over 80 per cent is purchased from suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald’s Canada, visit mcdonalds.ca.
Media Contacts
Maureen Henderson
Vice President, Community Experience
[email protected]
403-992-8388
Paula Worthington
Worthington PR & Story
For Taza
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403-585-2429
