This is a joint news release with the Yukon Soaps Company

Today, the owner and operator of the Yukon Soaps Company, Joella Hogan, held a grand opening of the company’s new building in Mayo. The Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation Ranj Pillai attended the celebration in downtown Mayo near the Stewart River. 

Premier Sandy Silver has issued the following statement:

“We would like to congratulate the Government of Canada on the tabling of its 2022 budget.

“We are pleased to see the federal government recognize the unique challenges facing the North in 2022 and the actions they are taking to address many of these concerns.

“We are also pleased to see support for initiatives that remain a priority to Yukoners and to the Yukon government.

On April 5, 2022, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) provided recommendations on the use of second COVID-19 boosters for people at high-risk for severe illness due to COVID-19.  

In support of these recommendations, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health has recommended second boosters to Yukoners who are 70 years of age or older, seniors living in long-term care or other senior congregate living settings and immunocompromised Yukoners.

The White Pass and Yukon Route scenic railway announced the Carcross, Yukon to Fraser, British Columbia section of their rail service will not be in operation this year. The company stated that logistical complications were too great to offer the service this year but was hopeful to see it restored for the 2023 summer season.

The fifth intake of the Housing Initiatives Fund will support 11 shovel ready housing projects throughout the Yukon.

These projects will build a total of 182 new homes, including 155 new affordable homes, in Carmacks, Dawson City, Haines Junction, Mayo, Watson Lake and Whitehorse. Funding is also being provided for two housing project development concepts that would create another homes 80 homes in the territory.

Approved projects include:

The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (OCMOH) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Copper Ridge Place long-term care home following the identification of several linked cases.

After the first case was detected, routine outbreak management procedures were put in place to keep staff and residents safe. Copper Ridge Place is working closely with the OCMOH and Yukon Communicable Disease Control (YCDC) to contain the outbreak and ensure infection prevention and control practices are followed.

The Government of Yukon has adopted six new wildlife regulations, effective April 1, 2022.

These changes were recommended by the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management board and will help us support sustainable wildlife populations, ensure responsible wildlife management and protect critical habitats.

The six regulation changes are:

Premier Sandy Silver has issued the following statement:

“Today, I spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and National Defence Minister Anita Anand alongside Nunavut Premier P.J. Akeeagok and Northwest Territories Premier Caroline Cochrane. The focus of our discussion was Arctic sovereignty and security in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Government of Yukon will continue its efforts to increase representation of Indigenous employees in the public service by extending the Indigenous hiring preference initiative until the end of 2029.

The goal of this initiative is to increase the number of Indigenous employees in the Yukon’s public service. The first 15 months of the pilot resulted in 78 successful Indigenous candidates across a total of 632 competitions. This includes new employees and existing employees moving to a new position within the Yukon government.

A diverse group of 10 young climate leaders have been selected to form the Government of Yukon’s second Youth Panel on Climate Change.

Panel members include: