The Government of Yukon has temporarily withdrawn the remainder of high conservation value areas identified by the Dawson Regional Land Use Planning Commission in their draft land use plan. The total amount of land withdrawn accounts for 44.7 per cent of the planning area.
The draft plan known as ‘On the Land We Walk Together‘/ ‘Nän käk ndä tr'ädäl,’ identifies areas where interim mineral staking withdrawals will help protect wildlife habitat, wetlands and other key areas within the planning region during the planning process. The Commission will engage the public on the draft plan in the summer and early fall of 2021. Anyone with an interest in the Dawson region is encouraged to provide their comments and feedback during the engagement period to help inform the final recommended plan.
The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and the Government of Yukon along with the Commission are collaboratively developing the Dawson Regional Land Use Plan. All three parties agreed that there should be an interim withdrawal of mineral staking in high conservation value areas identified in the draft plan. The withdrawals will be in effect for one year and may change after the Dawson Regional Land Use Planning Commission releases their recommended and final plans.
Existing claim holders with claims in the withdrawn areas can continue to work their claims during the period of the interim withdrawal.
Today, we are one step closer to completing a land use plan for the Dawson region and honouring the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Final Agreement. These interim withdrawals will help ensure that wildlife, wetlands and key conservation areas remain protected during the land use planning process, and will minimize land use conflicts in conservation areas identified by the Commission during the planning process. I want to thank the Dawson Regional Land Use Planning Commission for their efforts along with all those who have provided their feedback so far. I encourage all Yukoners to review and comment on the draft plan released today.
Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker
The Government of Yukon and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in formed the Dawson Regional Land Use Planning Commission in December 2018 to achieve the objectives of Chapter 11 of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Final Agreement.
The Dawson planning region covers about 40,000 square kilometres in the northwestern part of the Yukon.
The interim staking withdrawals made today equal 39.4 per cent of the planning area, with an additional 5.3 per cent of the planning area already withdrawn by Tombstone Territorial Park.
The draft plan is the starting point for the next step in the commission’s planning process to develop a recommended plan. The recommend plan is expected to be complete by 2022.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Rachel Veinott-McKeough
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-667-3123
rachel.veinott-mckeough@yukon.ca