We want to hear what Yukoners’ needs, ideas and considerations are for Whitehorse-area school facilities.

The Whitehorse schools replacement ranking, released in 2022, identifies Whitehorse schools to be renovated or replaced in the coming years. The ranking is based on a broad set of weighted criteria, including:

• building condition;
• enrollment demand;
• utilization; and
• support for an adaptive, modern and integrated learning environment.

The Government of Yukon recognizes that plans for building, upgrading and renovating school facilities should also reflect the values and needs of the users and the community. We are looking to public engagement to tell us about the user experiences in Whitehorse school infrastructure in consideration of these themes:

• modern learning environments;
• connection to the outdoors;
• cultural, inclusive and accessible spaces; and
• other elements the public determines.

This engagement outlines the key elements of the proposed Resource Roads Regulation. We want to gather feedback and ensure the regulation is as comprehensive as it can be before it becomes law.

Our current recycling system is fragile and financially unsustainable.

To help solve this issue, we're adopting extended producer responsibility, which means large producers that sell products and packaging will be responsible for the recycling or disposal of it.

The 3 priority product categories are:

• printed and packaging products, such as blue box type items (excluding beverage containers);
• household hazardous waste, such as waste paints, fuels and solvents; and
• automotive wastes, such as waste oil, waste antifreeze and their containers.

Extended Producer Responsibility will provide financial sustainability for recycling, keep more waste out of landfills and help us reach our waste diversion and greenhouse gas reduction targets under Our Clean Future.

We want to hear from you about how you think the program should work, including details on:

• what specific products and sources of waste should be included in the regulation;
• service level expectations;
• exemptions for small businesses; and
• program plans and approvals.

We wanted to hear your views on the approaches we’re considering for new minerals legislation. We’ve developed these approaches in collaboration with Yukon First Nations.

We wanted to know what you think about the approaches and how they could support:

• a strong and viable industry in the future;
• environmental protection;
• Indigenous rights; and
• healthy and sustainable Yukon communities.

The Forest Resources Act working group have developed draft recommended changes.

The proposed changes seek to improve the functionality of this legislation for the Government of Yukon, industry, First Nations and the public.

Some of the potential updates to the forestry legislation are:

• streamlining and modernizing the licensing and permitting process;
• improving administrative and planning processes;
• enabling the development of community forest timber harvest plans and
• building more flexibility into the forest resources permit.

We’re interested in hearing from you about these proposed changes.

The purpose of this public engagement is to gather public feedback and explore the next steps to help the Government of Yukon continue improving access to French language services and information. We want to ensure that we prioritize the actions that will have the most impact on you and your family over the next two years.

The Dawson Regional Planning Commission drafted the Recommended Plan based on input received from the public, community members, and stakeholders.

The Dawson Regional Planning Commission is an independent body of six Yukon community members. The Commission’s job is to develop and present a draft Land Use Plan, a Recommended Plan, and if needed, a Final Recommended Plan for the region to the Parties. 

Yukon Land Use Planning Council helps governments, Yukon First Nations and Regional Planning Commissions coordinate their efforts to conduct regional land use planning. The Yukon Land Use Planning Council was created through Chapter 11 of the Umbrella Final Agreement.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action #80 calls on the federal government, in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples, to establish as a statutory holiday a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families and communities and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.

On September 30, 2021, the federal government introduced this new statutory holiday for federally regulated employees.

The Government of Yukon is seeking feedback from the public on whether the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) should become a general (paid) holiday for all employees in the Yukon.

We are seeking input from the mining industry and other large industrial facilities that may qualify for inclusion in the federal Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS). 

The OBPS is a federal program for large facilities that provides an alternative to the regular carbon levy. This program is designed to encourage emission reductions while maintaining competitiveness for energy-intensive and trade-exposed industries.

OBPS facilities pay the federal carbon levy if their emissions are above a certain limit. This limit is set by Canada so that the average facility pays the federal carbon levy on about 20 per cent of its emissions. If a facility's emissions are below the limit, it can receive credits that it can use in future years when its emissions are above the limit. It can also sell those credits to other facilities in the OBPS.

Responses will assist in identifying methods for:

• returning carbon pricing revenues to large industrial facilities; and 
• will guide the creation of a carbon rebate program that supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Association of Yukon Communities represents municipalities and local advisory councils in the Yukon. The Association unanimously passed a resolution at its 2022 Annual General Meeting in May. The resolution calls on the Government of Yukon to increase the current three-year term of office for municipal councils to four years prior to the October 2024 general elections. We want your feedback on extending the term of office from three to four years for:

• mayors and councils. (Elected officials of the incorporated municipal governments of Carmacks, Dawson, Faro, Haines Junction, Mayo, Teslin, Watson Lake and Whitehorse); and
• members of local advisory councils. (Elected members for councils in the unincorporated communities of Ibex Valley, Marsh Lake, Mount Lorne, Tagish and Carcross/South Klondike).