Following the July 10 redraw of the 2018–19 Permit Hunt Authorization (PHA) lottery, additional data errors were discovered. The errors are a result of duplicate client application histories that were not properly cross-referenced prior to the draw. Approximately 300 individuals were affected by the errors.
Given that the hunting season starts on August 1, and hunters need time to plan and prepare, a further redraw will not take place. Permits issued through the July 10th redraw are valid for the 2018–19 hunting season. No returned permits will be reissued prior to August 1.
All unsuccessful applicants from the 2018–19 draw will be refunded their application fees and the approximately 300 individuals that were improperly weighted in the redraw will be compensated with an additional year’s weighting the next time they apply.
Following the Department of Environment’s efforts to address the data errors, all data, processes and policies will be independently reviewed to ensure the PHA lottery is operating fairly and effectively. This review will address longstanding concerns related to the PHA and complement steps already taken to improve the process, including contracting the Yukon Bureau of Statistics to conduct the draw and working through the migration to a fully electronic system.
I am very disappointed with the errors that have affected this redraw. Out of respect for Yukon hunters, and the fast approaching start of the Big Game season, we are proceeding with the results of the lottery redraw. I have called for an independent review of the entire Permit Hunt Authorization process, including all data, policies and procedures. We want to ensure hunters have certainty when it comes to the accuracy and fairness of the permit system, and I look forward to putting in place a better and more reliable system going forward.
Minister of Environment Pauline Frost
More than 4,300 applications were submitted by 1158 individuals for the 247 available permits in the 2018–19 Permit Hunt Authorization lottery.
The 2018–19 Permit Hunt Authorization lottery was redrawn for caribou, sheep, moose and mountain goats. The errors found in the redraw impacted the weighting of 311 individuals, who submitted a combined 1166 applications.
The Kluane Sheep draw was unaffected. It’s the only permit draw that does not apply any weighting to applications.
All hunters are legally required to show their most recent hunting licence if requested by a Conservation or RCMP officer while hunting. Hunters can print or show their licence by logging in to their client profile, which shows all valid seals and permits.
When applications for permit hunt authorizations (PHA) exceed the number of PHAs available, PHAs are issued through a lottery process. Individual applicants are assigned a weighting in the lottery that reflects the number of years they’ve applied without receiving a permit.
An initial 2018–19 permit hunt lottery draw was conducted and results were announced on July 3, 2018. Errors were discovered in the weightings assigned to some applicants related to returns and reissuances of permits from the 2017–18 hunting season. As a result, the initial draw was cancelled on July 5. Following a correction of the weightings related to returns and reissuances of permits from the 2017–18 season, the redraw of the 2018–19 permit lottery hunt was conducted and results were announced on July 10.
Subsequent to the July 10 redraw, further errors were discovered in the weightings assigned to some applicants related to duplicate client application histories. For example, if an individual had previously filled out a paper application with their name as ‘John Doe’, and then this year completed an electronic application with the name ‘Johnathan Doe’, two client applications would exist for the same individual. These applications are then cross-referenced and combined into one profile to ensure the weighting assigned to Mr. Doe’s lottery entry reflects his full history of unsuccessful applications. This cross-referencing step was not completed after applications were received for the 2018–19 PHA lottery, resulting in 311 individual applicants receiving improper weighting.
Janine Workman
Cabinet Communications
867-393-7449
janine.workman@gov.yk.ca
Roxanne Stasyszyn
Communications, Environment
867-332-0219
roxanne.stasyszyn@gov.yk.ca