Yukon News Releases
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.
The Daisy Mason Wellness Fund is open for applications
The deadline to submit an application to the Daisy Mason Wellness Fund is Friday, May 27, 2022. The Commissioner of Yukon, the Bishop of the Anglican Church and the Daisy Mason Wellness Fund Advisory Committee launched this Fund in 2020 to help provide financial assistance to First Nations Citizens or groups organizing initiatives that help people in their community through wellbeing, healing and personal development training and activities.
The Daisy Mason Wellness Fund will be awarded on June 21, 2022, on National Indigenous Peoples day.
The Community Development Fund awards capital to support 24 projects
The Community Development Fund is being awarded to 24 community projects across the Yukon. These projects will receive a total of $621,892 in Tier 1 and Tier 2 funding.
Canadian Index of Wellbeing highlights quality of life in the Yukon
The Government of Yukon has released the final report by the Canadian Index of Wellbeing that highlights the quality of life in the Yukon following a major survey completed in summer 2020.
The survey was the largest of its kind in the territory, receiving close to 5,000 responses, and provided Yukoners with an opportunity to share feedback about community vitality, democratic engagement, education, the environment, health, leisure, living standards and time use.
Yukon Aging in Place annual report released
The Government of Yukon has released its first Aging in Place annual report. The report highlights completed and ongoing projects from September 2020 to September 2021, all of which aim to promote, enhance and protect the wellbeing of Yukon seniors and Elders.
The Yukon Aging in Place Action Plan was released in September 2020. The plan included 56 recommended actions to help older Yukoners live safely, independently and comfortably in their own home or community for as long as possible.
Outbreak at Whitehorse General Hospital declared
The Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 at Whitehorse General Hospital.
The outbreak was determined following the identification of several linked COVID-19 cases among staff. No transmission from staff to patients has been identified at this time. COVID-19 is widespread in the Yukon so having cases in a public place such as a hospital can be expected.
New Omicron variants of concern present in the Yukon
The Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Catherine Elliott has confirmed Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 are present in the Yukon. Currently the BA.1 is the dominant variant in the Yukon.
The acting Chief Medical Officer of Health is continuously assessing the risks of variants. Risk assessment includes information about circulating variants, the vaccination rate in the Yukon's population and epidemiology across Canada and internationally.
Legislative amendments pave way for new Better Building energy retrofit program
Yukoners will soon have access to low-interest loans for energy retrofits following legislative amendments to the Assessment and Taxation Act and the Municipal Act.
Bill No. 3, Act to Amend the Assessment and Taxation Act and the Municipal Act (2021), received assent today in the Legislative Assembly. The amendments enable the creation of the Better Building Program, which can provide loans up to $50,000 for home energy retrofits and up to $100,000 for business energy retrofits. Loans will be offered at the lowest interest rates in the country.
