Joint statement on submission of project proposal for relicensing the Aishihik Hydro Facility

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Dän nätthe äda (Chief) Barbara Joe and Government of Yukon Premier Currie Dixon have issued the following statement:

“We want to acknowledge that Yukon Energy has submitted its project proposal on the relicensing of the Aishihik Hydro Facility to the Haines Junction Designated Office of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board.

“In 2022, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and the Government of Yukon signed agreements to guide our government-to-government relationship and take a collaborative approach to the long-term operation of the Aishihik Hydro Facility.

“The agreements recognize our shared interests and reflect our desire to work together cooperatively and effectively. Through the agreements, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, the Government of Yukon and Yukon Energy established a new way of working together on matters related to the Aishihik Hydro Facility, including the development of the project proposal for a new water licence. This is an important milestone in implementing the agreements as we continue to work collaboratively on the future of the facility.

“The 2022 agreements uphold our shared responsibility to the Äshèyi – Aishihik – Lake area and ensure all decisions respect its cultural, ecological and spiritual significance as we work together on long-term energy planning to meet the Yukon’s future energy needs.

“We understand that the Aishihik Hydro Facility is critical to the Yukon’s electricity grid, providing up to 40 per cent of the power needed to meet peak winter demand. This is why we are building solid relationships that are bringing reconciliation into effect and creating a shared path forward that supports a stable grid and strong stewardship of the Äshèyi.”