Science and natural resources

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.

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:

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. 

We are developing legislation to administer and regulate geothermal resource exploration and development projects in the Yukon. Geothermal resources are a source of renewable energy that can be used to generate heat and electricity for a number of applications on a variety of scales.

We are interested in hearing from you on these proposed elements of this legislation:

The purpose of the Clean Energy Act is to legislate our greenhouse gas commitments, provide the Government of Yukon with the regulatory tools needed to meet those greenhouse gas commitments, and ensure long-term climate change accountability through public reporting.

How we got here?

The Government of Yukon conducted extensive public engagements in developing Our Clean Future: a Yukon strategy for climate change, energy and a green economy.

The Government of Yukon works with the Government of Northwest Territories to manage shared waters. We are updating our bilateral water management agreement for the Peel and Mackenzie Delta watersheds. We are also establishing a new bilateral water management agreement for the Liard River watershed. The goal of these agreements is to modernize standards for transboundary water management and better protect aquatic ecosystem health in the Mackenzie River basin.

The Ch’ihilii Chìk Habitat Protection Area is situated on the travel route over the mountains between Old Crow and Fort McPherson, close to other well-known areas such as Kaachik (Johnson Creek Village) and LaPierre House. The Ch’ihilii Chìk Habitat Protection Area is approximately 115 km southeast of Old Crow, in the Traditional Territory of the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation. The area is 468 km2 and encompasses Whitefish Lake and the surrounding wetlands.

The Government of Yukon and the 11 self-governing First Nations are committed to the long-term responsible management of Yukon’s mineral resources, and to supporting a healthy mining industry that adheres to high environmental and social standards.

To help achieve this, they collectively appointed an independent panel.  The independent panel hosted a nine-month public engagement process.

We are proposing an update to the Quartz Mining Act to advance reconciliation. The changes would allow First Nations to stake quartz mineral claims on specific land that is withdrawn from staking. The changes will also provide opportunities to remediate some of Yukon’s abandoned Type II mine sites. 

There are approximately 700 known contaminated sites in Yukon. The contamination on these sites can range from very small (such as a leak from a fuel tank on a house) to very large (such as large-scale chemical spills).

The Contaminated Site Regulation establishes cleanup standards, processes for identifying, investigating and assessing contaminated sites, and permits for managing contaminated material within Yukon. The Spills Regulation sets reporting standards for spills of contaminants.