Yukon News Releases
Premier meets federal Ministers in Ottawa to discuss shared priorities
Yesterday, Premier Ranj Pillai met with federal Ministers in Ottawa on his return to Canada from Asia.
These meetings provided opportunities to discuss outcomes from the Asia mission, advancement in the following:
- bringing skilled workers to the territory from abroad;
- Arctic security;
- investments in infrastructure and affordable housing; and
- clean energy that can support the Yukon’s continued growth and economic development.
The Premier, joined by Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, met with the following federal Ministers:
Statement from Premier Pillai on the International Day of Sign Languages
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“There are over 300 different sign languages around the world, which are collectively used by more than 70 million people. On September 23, we have an opportunity to support sign-language users and their linguistic identities.
“The International Day of Sign Languages is a part of the International Week of the Deaf, a global movement of deaf unity and concerted advocacy to raise awareness of the issues that deaf people face in their everyday lives.
Statement from Premier Pillai on Yom Kippur
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“This Sunday at sunset, the Yukon’s Jewish community will join Jewish communities across Canada and around the world to begin the observance of Yom Kippur, the Day of the Atonement and the most solemn and holy day in Judaism.
“Yom Kippur is a 25-hour period of fasting and prayer, marking the end of the 10-day High Holy Days. This period is a time for repentance, self-examination and atonement, and for seeking reconciliation in preparation for the year to come.
Statement from Minister of Health and Social Services on investigation of NGO employee
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee issued the following statement:
“The Department of Health and Social Services is aware of an allegation of sexual assault involving a staff member of a contracted non-governmental organization (NGO) and that the matter is under investigation by the Yukon RCMP.
Government of Yukon issues special warrant to meet financial commitments related to collective agreement payments
The Government of Yukon has issued a special warrant to ensure government programs and functions are able to continue while the third supplementary estimates for the 2022–23 fiscal year are debated during the fall legislative sitting.
The special warrant provides budgetary authorization for up to $15.3 million in additional government spending for the 2022–23 fiscal year – the fiscal year in which retroactive payments were earned by Yukon Employees’ Union members. The entirety of this amount relates to these payments.
Yukoners affected by dementia can now access specialized community support with just one call
The Government of Yukon and the Alzheimer’s Society of British Columbia have partnered to launch the First Link® Yukon Dementia Helpline to support Yukoners on their journey with dementia. This service is available to Yukoners across the territory as part of comprehensive support for seniors and caregivers in response to recommendations from the Putting People First report and the Aging in Place action plan.
Statement from the Government of Yukon on the deaths of four BC firefighters
Premier Ranj Pillai, Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn and the Yukon Wildland Fire Management branch have issued the following statement:
“The Government of Yukon and Wildland Fire Management send our deepest condolences to British Columbia today after the deaths of four wildland firefighters in a vehicle accident near Cache Creek, BC.
Premier and business delegation conclude Asia mission
This news release has been edited for accuracy.
Premier Ranj Pillai and a Yukon business delegation have completed their Asia mission and are on their way back to Canada.
Statement from Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker on National Forest Week
Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker has issued the following statement:
“Each year, National Forest Week (NFW) is celebrated across Canada to educate, raise awareness and foster connection to our rich and vital forest ecosystems.
“Across the Yukon, we have over 28 million hectares of forests that play a vital role in our ecological, cultural, social and economic welfare.
Yukon Public Libraries eliminate late fees
This news release has been updated to correct the number of days before a charge will apply to late materials.
Yukon public library users have more reason to celebrate as Libraries Month approaches: Yukon libraries will no longer be charging late fees.
Yukon Public Libraries are joining libraries across North America in removing barriers by eliminating overdue fines and outstanding balances for late returns so users feel comfortable accessing library resources and services.
Statement from Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker on Tr'ondëk-Klondike being inscribed to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites
Minister of Tourism and Culture John Streicker has issued the following statement:
“The Government of Yukon wishes to congratulate the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in on the inscription of Tr'ondëk-Klondike to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Statement from Premier Pillai on Ganesh Chaturthi
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“Today is the start of Ganesh Chaturthi, an important annual Hindu festival.
“Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day celebration of the birth of the Hindu god Ganesh. Known as the remover of obstacles and the guardian of esoteric knowledge, Ganesh is celebrated with a variety of rituals, including creating idols of Ganesh out of clay and decorating them with flowers. At the end of the 10 days, the idols are carried to a river and immersed in the water to symbolise Ganesh’s return to the sacred Mount Kailash.
Village of Carmacks celebrates the opening of its new firehall
On September 16, the Government of Canada, the Government of Yukon and the Village of Carmacks celebrated the opening of the new Carmacks firehall. The celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours, demonstrations and a community barbecue.
The new, modern firehall features fire apparatus bays, which are designated areas within a fire station where firefighting vehicles and equipment are stored and maintained, as well as Emergency Medical Services space, a training room, a business centre and support spaces.
Statement from Minister of Education and the Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean on Gender Equality Week
Minister of Education and the Minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate Jeanie McLean has issued the following statement:
“Every September, we mark Gender Equality Week in the Yukon. It’s not just a nod to progress or ideals but a celebration of a fundamental human right that everyone deserves. Gender equality means embracing and valuing everyone, be they women, men, neither, both or anywhere on the gender spectrum.
Yukon Permanent Art Collection exhibits new acquisitions
An exhibition featuring 18 new works added to the Yukon Permanent Art Collection opened today in the main foyer of the Jim Smith Building in Whitehorse.
Featuring a wide range of media including painting, sculpture, textile, printmaking and fine craft, Out in the Open explores the artistic inspiration and influence of the Yukon’s vastness.
Update on Government of Yukon service outages due to cyberattack
On September 14, the Government of Yukon experienced a cyberattack targeted at Yukon.ca resulting in services being intermittent or unavailable from approximately 12 am to 4 pm. The attack is continuing, however, efforts to mitigate the attack have been effective and approximately 90 per cent of government services were restored by the morning of September 15. There is no evidence that this attack resulted in any unauthorized access to private citizen data, government systems or government files.
Whitehorse vaccine clinic moving to new location
The Whitehorse vaccine clinic is relocating to Northern Vision Development (NVD) Place at the corner of 4th Avenue and Ogilvie. The clinic was previously operating out of the Yukon Convention Centre. This move is part of the Government of Yukon’s efforts to integrate COVID-19 supports into ongoing health service operations.
Statement from Premier Pillai on Rosh Hashanah
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“This evening at sunset, Jewish communities across Canada and around the world will begin celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
“Rosh Hashanah is a two-day observation and celebration marking the beginning of the 10-day High Holidays before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. This period is a time for introspection, to reflect on the previous year and to seek reconciliation in preparation for the year to come.
Statement from Minister of Education on the Yukon RCMP investigation at Jack Hulland Elementary School
Minister of Education Jeanie McLean has issued the following statement:
“The Yukon RCMP announced today that they have completed their investigation into allegations regarding the use of holds and isolation spaces at Jack Hulland Elementary School and are now preparing a comprehensive final report.
“While the conclusion of the RCMPs investigation represents a significant milestone in this investigation, which has been ongoing since November 2021, it does not yet provide families with answers.
2SLGBTQIA+ Yukoners, allies and government service providers encouraged to participate in survey on Inclusion Action Plan
The Government of Yukon has released an online survey to check in with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on the Yukon government’s progress on the five-year LGBTQ2S+ Inclusion Action Plan.
The Yukon government released the Inclusion Action Plan in 2021 to ensure its services and programs are inclusive of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. One of the plan’s key commitments is to conduct a survey with 2SLGBTQIA+ Yukoners and allies every two years. Results from the survey will:
