The Government of Yukon participated in a territory-wide emergency preparedness exercise, Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT 2023, from October 23 to 26, together with partner agencies and governments.
Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT is an interagency territorial exercise that takes place yearly in one of Canada’s three territories. It provides an important opportunity to test and improve territorial emergency preparedness and coordination between all levels of government, without the disruption associated with actual emergency responses.
Tabletop exercises are valuable learning tools which contribute to enhanced emergency planning and coordination. This year’s exercise involved responding to a simulated winter storm causing widespread highway closures, power outages and other incidents across southern Yukon.
Local agencies coordinated with territorial and federal partners to practice the response to this simulated emergency, including procuring and delivering supplies and heavy equipment, supporting vulnerable populations, and establishing warming shelters, health and social service support and communications.
As Yukoners, we all have a shared responsibility for emergency preparedness. This exercise will enhance our emergency planning with partners across the territory and build on our ability to respond. While this exercise simulated a power outage, we have learned valuable lessons which we will be incorporating into our emergency response procedures for all types of emergencies.
– Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn
Over the last year, the city has responded to and supported a number of emergency response efforts. Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT is yet another opportunity for our emergency personnel to test their abilities and develop new skills. The City of Whitehorse is not immune to the risks of a major emergency, but these exercises ensure we are prepared to work and respond alongside our partners should the need arise.
– Mayor of Whitehorse Laura Cabott
Emergency response continues to be a relevant and evolving topic in the North. Our strength is the level of collaboration we have at the community, municipal and territorial levels, as well as between other governmental departments and agencies. Operation NANOOK – TATIGIIT (meaning “Together” in Inuktitut) for 2023 focuses on validating our shared emergency processes in the hypothetical event of extensive power infrastructure failure in extreme cold temperatures around Whitehorse and Carmacks, YT. Planning, and practising any possible emergency event is how we make sure that in a real emergency situation, we can execute our shared plans towards the common goal of keeping our Yukon communities safe. It’s a privilege to be able to work with all levels of government and emergency responders on this operation.
– Brigadier-General Dan Rivière, Commander, Joint Task Force North (JTFN)
Participants in Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT 2023 included the Government of Yukon, City of Whitehorse, Village of Carmacks, Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation, ATCO Electric, Yukon Energy, NorthwesTel, Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Government of Canada agencies.
The exercise also included local volunteer organizations such as the Yukon Amateur Radio Association.
Before 2023, the latest Operation NANOOK-TATIGIIT to take place in the Yukon was a simulated wildfire response in 2019.
Renée Francoeur
Cabinet Communications
867-334-9194
renee.francoeur@yukon.ca
Julia Duchesne
Communications Analyst
867-332-4188
julia.duchesne@yukon.ca