If you're young, single, can avoid the drugs, prostitutes & bank savings up there I say go for it. Save enough $ to come back ahead of the game and get into a house here would be how I would go about it.
Essentially, Ft Mac would be a means to an end with the ultimate goal of being able to comfortably afford real estate and enjoy everything BC has to offer. My dad did this successfully in the 80's. SO glad he decided to move back here after working at Syncrude for several years.
BC ftw
