Yukon News Releases
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Long-term care COVID-19 outbreak declared at Whistle Bend Place
The Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (OCMOH) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Whistle Bend Place long-term care home following the identification of several linked cases.
Routine outbreak management procedures have been put in place to keep staff and residents safe. Whistle Bend 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. Further testing, investigation and contact tracing is currently underway.
Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act to be implemented
The Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act (2022) was passed by the Legislative Assembly and received assent on March 31, 2022.
The amendments to the Act will help improve outcomes for children, youth and families who are involved with the child welfare system and address the over-representation of Indigenous children and youth in care. The amended Act will also help ensure that the culture, community and families of children and youth in care are preserved while enhancing supports for caregivers, including extended family members.
Statement from Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kancir on assessing your COVID-19 risk during Easter
Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kancir has issued the following statement:
“With the long weekend approaching and increased COVID-19 risk across the Yukon, it’s as important as ever to consider your COVID-19 risk before attending a dinner party, cultural or faith-based gathering or other Easter or spring event.
“Use your COVID-19 sense to assess your risk before gatherings so that you can help protect yourself and others.
Council of Yukon First Nations donates rapid molecular tests to the Yukon government
This is a joint news release between CYFN and the Yukon government.
The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) has made a donation of rapid molecular tests to the Yukon government for use at Yukon community health centres.
CYFN is donating 3,912 rapid molecular tests to the Yukon government for allocation to community health centres in the Yukon.
Literary program update from the Office of the Commissioner of Yukon
The Commissioner of Yukon would like to update Yukoners with details on her Literary Program.
Borealis PrizeThis prize recognizes excellence in contributions by the writers, publishers, editors and literary community builders of the Yukon. For this third year, the Commissioner of Yukon has worked with BC and Yukon Book Prizes to increase the prize money to $2,000 and the winner of the 2022 Borealis Prize will be invited to do a paid event (travel included) at the 2022 Dawson Daily News Print and Publishing Festival in June.
April snow survey shows snowpack in the Yukon is above average
Results from the Yukon government’s April 1 Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin and Water Supply Forecast show that snowpack throughout the Yukon is well above average.
Eight of eleven monitored basins have the highest basin snowpack estimates ever recorded, while the remaining three basins have well above average snowpack.
Record setting snowpack in many watersheds in the territory increases the potential for flooding during river ice breakup and spring snowmelt.
Atlin Hydro Expansion Project to receive $32.2 million from Natural Resources Canada
Today, federal Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, joined by the Premier of Yukon Sandy Silver, Minister responsible for the Yukon Development Corporation and the Yukon Energy Corporation John Streicker and Member of Parliament for the Yukon Brendan Hanley, announced a $32.2 million investment to Tlingit Homeland Energy Limited Partnership for the Atlin Hydro Expansion Project.
The Yukon government has committed $50 million over the next five years towards the Atlin Hydro Expansion project, including $15 million for the project this year.
Grand opening of the Yukon Soaps Company’s new building
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.
Statement from Premier Sandy Silver on the 2022–23 federal budget
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.
Second COVID-19 boosters available for specific populations of Yukoners
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.
To be eligible for a second COVID-19 booster dose, six months must have passed since your first booster.
Yukon railway route cancelled for 2022 season
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.
Fifth intake of the Housing Initiatives Fund supports 155 new affordable homes in the Yukon
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:
An outbreak at Copper Ridge Place declared
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.
Six new wildlife regulations and reallocated sheep permits for the 2022-23 hunting season
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:
Northern Premiers meet with Prime Minister Trudeau
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.
Indigenous hiring preference initiative extended
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.
Candidates selected for the second Youth Panel on Climate Change
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:
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Keegan Newnham-Boyd
Vaccination requirement lifted for most workers
Starting today, the Yukon government is lifting the vaccination requirement for most workers. Vaccination will continue to be required for employees, contractors, and volunteers working in high-risk settings in the territory.
High-risk settings include:
Third call for COVID-19 Recovery Research Program launched
The Government of Yukon is pleased to announce its third and final call for proposals under the Yukon COVID-19 Recovery Research Program.
With support from the Government of Canada, the COVID-19 Recovery Research Program offers a total of $1 million in funding for research that increases our understanding the impacts of the pandemic in the Yukon and supports recovery and future emergency planning.
Government of Yukon seeking agriculture industry’s priorities
The Government of Yukon is seeking public input on the development of a new suite of agricultural funding programs for the Next Policy Framework, which will address the local agiculture and agri-food sector’s current priorites and future needs.
The Next Policy Framework is a national initiative where the federal, provincial and territorial governments invest in funding to support and strengthen the agriculture and agri-food industries across the country and will replace the current Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) program in 2023.
