Yukon
Population:
41,078 (1)
Last Updated:
January 1, 2021
Current majority government:
Premier: Sandy Silver, Yukon Liberal Party
Number of Members of Legislative Assembly in YK: 19
Yukon Liberal Party: 10
Yukon Party: 6
New Democratic Party: 2
Independent: 1
You can find your representative in the Yukon Legislative Assembly here: (2)
Environmental stance of majority party:
Included within their party platform, the Yukon Liberal Party focused on reducing energy use and implementing the use of renewable sources of energy. Specific projects include converting all street lights to use LEDs, and investments of up to $30 million per year to renovate buildings, making them more energy efficient. (3)
Percentage of 2020/2021 budget estimated to be allocated to the environment:
Total budget: $1.62 billion
Estimated allotment to environmental programs and projects: $52,324,000
Percentage: 3.2% (4)
Main provincial-level legislation for environment protection:
Solid Waste Action Plan (2013):
The Government of Yukon set a goal of halving the amount of waste in landfills by 2015, with an overall goal of being Zero Waste by 2040. (5)
Yukon Ambient Air Quality Standards:
Details the maximum amount of specific pollutants (eg: oxone, nitrogen dioxide) permitted in the ambient air, set to be re-updated along with national standards in 2025. (6)
Devolution Transfer Agreement:
An agreement between the federal government of Canada and territorial government of Yukon, sharing the responsibility for cleaning up mining sites. (7)
Specific government-based environmental programs:
Good Energy Rebates:
Offering anywhere form 25-75% rebate when homeowners and business owners complete eco-friendly renovations. (8)
Yukon Rideshare:
Encourages drivers to carpool by offering discounts on gas and parking, matches drivers and passengers. (9)
Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP Line):
A service in which citizens can report incidents in which environmental policies are disobeyed (eg: illegal hunting and fishing practices) to authorities. (10)
Next election date:
Yukon does not have a fixed election date, but the next territorial election cannot occur later than November 18, 2021. (12)
Extra information:
Yukon is home to many conservation areas including:
8 Territorial Parks:
Agay Mene Territorial Park
Asi Keyi Territorial Park
Coal River Springs Territorial Park
Herschel Island-Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park
Kusawa Territorial Park
Ni’iinlii Njik (Fishing Branch) Territorial Park
Dàadzàii Vàn Territorial Park
Tombstone Territorial Park
12 designated habitat protection and special management areas:
Ch'ihilii Chìk (Whitefish Wetlands) Habitat Protection Area
Ddhaw Ghro Habitat Protection Area
Devil’s Elbow and Big Island Habitat Protection Area
Ni'iinlii Njik (Fishing Branch) Wilderness Preserve and Habitat Protection Area
Nuna K'óhonete Yédäk Tah'é (Horseshoe Slough) Habitat Protection Area
Łύtsäw Wetland Habitat Protection Area
Mandanna Lake -Pickhandle Lakes Habitat Protection Area
Tagish River Habitat Protection Area
Ta'tla Mun Special Management Area
Tsâwnjuk Chu (Nordenskiold) Habitat Protection Area
Van Tat K'atr'anahtii (Old Crow Flats) Special Management Area
3 National Parks:
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Ivvavik National Park
Vuntut National Park
1 National Wildlife Area
Nisutlin River Delta
4 Canadian Heritage Rivers:
Alsek River
Thirty Mile River
Bonnet Plume River
Tatshenshini River (13)
What makes this province different?
In order to take advantage of the natural resources in Yukon’s forests (i.e. chopping up firewood for use in one’s house), citizens of Yukon are required to have a Forest Resource Permit, which lasts for a maximum of three years and cannot be renewed. (14)
Quick facts:
Yukon was the recipient of $1.987 million of funding to support projects focused on adaptation to climate change via the Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. (15)
Sea ice in the Yukon is becoming thinner and younger as about 300 km^3 of sea ice disappears every year. (16)
As temperatures rise at three times the rate as the rest of the world, houses built on permafrost will begin to grow mold as well as decompensate structurally. (17)
In recent years the Spruce bark beetle outbreak, aided by increasing temperatures, led to the death of half of the Spruce trees in the Southwest of the territory. This event highlights that with increasing temperatures, the territory may be at high risk of more invasive species moving in and having detrimental effects. (18)