Hobbema
Present-Day Hobbema
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Hobbema is one of Canada's richest reserves in terms of resources and wealth. The land is rich in oil and gas deposits although the reserve is small (approximately 30 kilometres by 15 kilometres or 18.64 miles by 3.1 miles). Those living on the reservation, regardless of age, gain revenue through oil and gas industry royalties.
On August 8, 1997, a first-of-its-kind Aboriginal facility for male minimum security known as the Pê Sâkâstêw Centre was opened. Located on the Hobbema reserve, Pê Sâkâstêw Centre is a 60-bed federally-owned correctional centre that uses Aboriginal spiritual practices. Staffed mainly by Aboriginal people from Hobbema, the centre was built on land owned by the reserve. The site was chosen because of Hobbema's unique situation: the community has significant wealth, yet many of its citizens experience issues related to drug, alcohol, unemployment and suicide.
