The Government of Yukon recently delivered a wildland fire truck and firefighting equipment to Keno for use this winter. The new equipment is part of the government's work with unincorporated communities to strengthen their volunteer fire services through education, training and equipment.

Residents from Keno were provided a program orientation with the fire truck delivery and volunteers will begin training to respond as Scene Safety Responders this month. As mutual-aid partners, the Mayo Volunteer Fire Department also familiarized themselves with the vehicle’s operation.

Today, Premier Sandy Silver announced a leadership change for the Department of Finance and a term extension for the deputy minister of the Department of Justice.

Scott Thompson has announced his retirement as deputy minister for the Department of Finance. Jessica Schultz has been appointed as acting deputy minister for the Department of Finance for one year, effective on February 17.

The Yukon's Dental Program launches today, providing $1,300 per year in dental benefits to Yukoners without dental coverage. Up to 8,000 Yukoners will benefit from the program.

The program will cover dental treatments necessary to relieve pain and infection, prevent disease, treat cavities and restore chewing and social function. It will also offer full coverage for preventive care, such as routine dental cleaning.

Participating pharmacists in the Yukon can now assess and prescribe medications for common, minor ailments. They can also provide injections for travel-related diseases and prescribe medication for smoking cessation.

These expanded services will make better use of pharmacists’ clinical expertise and training, and align with the services provided by pharmacists in many other Canadian jurisdictions. This will help decrease pressures on emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and the entire health care system in the territory. 

A boil water advisory has been issued for residents of the Village of Carmacks and Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation who use private wells.

The advisory is a precautionary measure to protect public health. Private wells may be impacted by the raw sewage release entering the Yukon River from the Carmacks lift station outfall due to an ongoing malfunction due to cold weather that the Village of Carmacks is working to resolve.

If people are using water from a private well:

The Yukon will be the first jurisdiction in Canada to launch its own set of green business recognition awards through a new partnership with Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) Canada. The Yukon Sustainability Awards will honour Yukon businesses that have demonstrated a strong commitment to the creation of a greener economy and Our Clean Future: A Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy.

Yukon youth will benefit from more than $53,000 being awarded to 13 community groups through the Youth Investment Fund. The funding will support a variety of arts and recreation programming throughout the territory, including Kidsfest 2023; a rock wall climbing program; a ski and snowboard program; a ukulele club; and a youth café.

The Youth Investment Fund provides financial support to short-term projects aimed at marginalized youth under 19 years of age with fewer opportunities and those who may experience discrimination.

“There are a number of respiratory viruses circulating throughout the territory this season. They include COVID-19, influenza, RSV and other viruses.

“This year, we are seeing increased severity of influenza, especially among children under five and adults over 65 years of age. Across Canada, the hospitalization rates for children under 17 is almost four times higher than the highest hospitalization rate we have seen in the six years before the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also seeing high influenza hospitalization rates for adults aged 65 and over.

The work plan to address the 2022 report by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) on the state of housing for vulnerable Yukoners is now available to Yukoners. The report focused on emergency shelters, transitional housing, supportive housing and social housing available in the territory between April 1, 2015, and November 30, 2021. The state of the private rental market and home ownership in the territory were not included in the audit.

This is a joint news release between the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon.