Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Yukon

Victoria Gold fined $95K for violating mining licences in Yukon

Victoria Gold fined $95K for violating mining licences in Yukon

The Victoria Gold Corp. has been fined $95,000 after pleading guilty to violating some of its licence conditions at the Eagle gold mine near Mayo, Yukon. The company was charged by the territorial government in June. The company was accused of failing to maintain minimum water storage requirements at the mine site. The government alleged Victoria Gold stored more water in its heap leach facility than its licence allows. It also said Victoria Gold failed to report the amount of water it transferred every month.

Hot and dry July saw temperature records topple in the Yukon

Hot and dry July saw temperature records topple in the Yukon

You weren't imagining it — last month was an unusually hot and dry July in the Yukon. "Well, it was warmer in June, but boy did [temperatures] ever take off in July," said David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada. "We saw temperatures in the Yukon that were two to three-and-a-half degrees warmer than normal."

'Here we are again': Flood warning returns for Klondike River, evacuation underway

'Here we are again': Flood warning returns for Klondike River, evacuation underway

A tactical evacuation is underway once again in the Rock Creek area near Dawson City, Yukon, as the Klondike River continues to run dangerously high. Officials have issued another flood warning for the area, a little more than a week after an earlier warning was downgraded to a flood watch. A tactical evacuation means that residents are advised to leave the area, but are not under an evacuation order.

Yukon's Minto Mine ceases operations, territory steps in to secure site

Yukon's Minto Mine ceases operations, territory steps in to secure site

Streicker says the priority is to ensure that the site is secure, and that water treatment continues. He said the territorial government immediately hired a contractor who then had the water treatment facilities back up and running "basically within 24 hours." "The team has moved very quickly and the reports I'm getting are that things are in hand," Streicker said Monday morning.

High risk of flooding around Dawson City, Yukon, as late spring thaw arrives

High risk of flooding around Dawson City, Yukon, as late spring thaw arrives

The latest ice breakup forecast for Yukon suggests there may be some flooding in the Dawson City area this spring, though not likely in town. "We assess the flood risk as low for Dawson City proper, the town itself, because it is protected by the dike," said Anthony Bier, the Yukon government's acting senior hydrologist. It's been a cool spring so far in the Dawson area, and a lot of snow fell over the winter. The amount of snow on the ground — called the snowpack — is higher than it usually is, meaning more water hitting the rivers once things start melting.

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation takes mine remediation complaints to water board

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation takes mine remediation complaints to water board

The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN) claims that remediation work at an abandoned mine site in its traditional territory is only making things worse and so they are asking the Yukon Water Board to step in and change things. The subject of LSCFN’s complaint is the Mount Nansen mine site, a former gold and silver project located west of Carmacks that was heralded as an environmental disaster and an embarrassment to Canada, the Yukon and the mining firm involved when it was abandoned in 1999.

Yukon assessment board says no to mining exploration project in the Peel watershed

Yukon assessment board says no to mining exploration project in the Peel watershed

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) has recommended against a mining project in the Peel watershed. This is the first proposal that's come in since governments approved the land use plan for the Peel watershed in 2019. The project was put forward by Vancouver-based company, Silver47 Exploration Corp. Silver proposed a five-year drilling program at more than 200 sites at its Michelle Creek property in search of silver, zinc and lead. The property is roughly 20 kilometres away from Tombstone Territorial Park, on the traditional territories of the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation and the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun.

Canada and the Yukon sign agreement in principle to deepen collaboration on planting 2 billion trees nationally

Canada and the Yukon sign agreement in principle to deepen collaboration on planting 2 billion trees nationally

Canada and the Yukon are collaborating to fight climate change, protect nature and important habitats, fight biodiversity loss, improve air and water quality and preserve our natural heritage for future generations. Last month during COP15, Minister Wilkinson announced the launch of the third call for proposals of this program, ensuring additional long-term agreements with eligible partners, including Indigenous communities and partners, municipalities and for- and non-profit organizations, as we continue to advance our commitment to support partners in planting two billion trees by 2031.

Canada and Yukon chart new path with agreement to help protect and conserve nature

Canada and Yukon chart new path with agreement to help protect and conserve nature

Protecting and conserving habitat and species requires collaborating with partners, including Indigenous peoples, all levels of government, industry, and community stakeholders. It calls for transformative change, innovation, and proper accounting for the value of nature across all sectors. The Governments of Canada and Yukon are committed to working together to protect and conserve biodiversity, habitat, and species at risk in the Yukon. This will contribute to the goal of protecting 25 per cent of land and fresh water in Canada by 2025 and 30 per cent by 2030.

This week’s mailbox: Yukon’s water and John Streicker’s car

This week’s mailbox: Yukon’s water and John Streicker’s car

Water is essential to life and common to everything that lives. It is our most precious resource and, therefore, needs our protection. This is precisely what Maude Barlow, Canada’s renowned water advocate, has argued for years. In her most recent book, Whose Water Is It Anyway?, she states that a water secure and a water-just future depends upon our adoption of four principles: “1. Water is a human right and an issue of justice and charity; “2. water is a common heritage and public trust and, therefore, access to water must not be allowed to be decided by private, for profit interests; “3. water has rights beyond its service to humans and must be respected and protected for the ecosystem and other living beings; and “4. rather than being a source of conflict and division, water can be nature’s gift to teach us how we might learn to live more lightly on the planet and in harmony with one another.”

BQE Water Signs Multi-Year Operating Agreement for Mine Water Treatment Services at Minto Mine

BQE Water Signs Multi-Year Operating Agreement for Mine Water Treatment Services at Minto Mine

BQE Water Inc. (TSX-V: BQE), a leader in the treatment and management of mine impacted waters, has entered into an Operating Services Agreement with Minto Metals Corp to provide plant operations services for an existing water treatment plant at Minto Mine located approximately 240 km northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon through to 2024. Under the agreement, BQE Water will be responsible for clean water production at the mine where the final effluent must meet stringent requirements not only for metals but ammonia, nitrite and nitrate to protect the aquatic life in the receiving environment. Included in the operations services provided by BQE Water will be on-site technical supervision, coordination with Minto's environmental and metallurgical team to maximize the volume of water discharged into the environment, operator training, and on-site and off-site engineering support.

Yukon judge grants stay to mining company over higher security payment

Yukon judge grants stay to mining company over higher security payment

A Yukon Supreme Court judge has paused part of a security payment contested by the territory's largest mine, ruling the company's bottom line would be adversely impacted. In June, the Yukon Water Board ordered Victoria Gold — the company behind the Eagle Gold Mine near Mayo — to furnish a total of $105 million by mid-September, arguing security needed to be increased because the company breached its water licence. That amount is roughly $74 million more than what Victoria Gold had already put forward, an estimated $31 million. It's also higher than a Yukon government security calculation of roughly $69 million.

High water advisory for Yukon's Southern Lakes

High water advisory for Yukon's Southern Lakes

The Yukon government has issued a high water advisory for the Southern Lakes including Bennett, Tagish and Marsh Lake. A Wednesday advisory said the water levels are "well above average for this time of year." The levels are above the five-year return period water level, which refers to the expected frequency that a level or flow could be exceeded based on statistical analysis of historic records.

First Nation, village propose permanent barriers to protect Teslin, Yukon, from flooding

First Nation, village propose permanent barriers to protect Teslin, Yukon, from flooding

In early winter, Tlingit trappers near Teslin, Yukon, observed something out on the land that stoked serious concern: the snow was unusually deep. Before long, they relayed the message to the Teslin Tlingit Council. "They said we're going to have a problem here with flooding," said Chief Eric Morris. "They couldn't even get to their traplines." Fast forward to June and a flood warning was issued for the community, followed by an evacuation alert for certain parts of it. The water rose so high it surpassed last year's record-breaking flood levels by roughly one metre.

Carmacks issues evacuation alert for some homes as floodwaters threaten wastewater treatment plant

Carmacks issues evacuation alert for some homes as floodwaters threaten wastewater treatment plant

Homes in Carmacks, Yukon, that use the village's wastewater treatment plant are now under an evacuation alert as water levels on the Yukon River continue to rise. The plant is at risk of being overwhelmed, and the village doesn't know how much longer it can last, Mayor Lee Bodie said on Sunday. "There may be an evacuation order coming any day," Bodie said.

Whitehorse one of the only cities in the world to measure airborne microplastics

Whitehorse one of the only cities in the world to measure airborne microplastics

Microplastic pollution is usually associated with the ocean where it's been widely studied, but new research shows those tiny particles can be found in the air as well, even in the Yukon. A team of researchers at Yukon University have been monitoring the amount of microplastics being deposited from the atmosphere into the air around Whitehorse over the past two years.

Flood warning issued for Carmacks, Yukon

Flood warning issued for Carmacks, Yukon

A flood warning was issued for Carmacks, Yukon, Tuesday as the Yukon River continues to rise near the community. "Low lying areas are currently flooding," reads a news release from the Yukon government's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO). The river level rose by 21 cm in the last 24 hours, according to EMO. Part of the rise is because of rain. The weather forecast calls for more rain on Wednesday and then some clearing.

Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte should be on 'high alert' for flooding in coming days, says N.W.T. gov't

Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte should be on 'high alert' for flooding in coming days, says N.W.T. gov't

The communities of Fort Liard and Nahanni Butte should be on high alert for possible flooding in the coming days, warns the Northwest Territories government. In a news release Wednesday, the territory said warm weather means the snowmelt from mountains in BC, Yukon and the N.W.T. is starting to make its way into the water system. That will contribute to high water levels and flow in the Liard and South Nahanni rivers.

Yukon issues flood warning for Pelly River at Ross River

Yukon issues flood warning for Pelly River at Ross River

A flood warning was issued for the community of Ross River as the water level in the Pelly River rose 20 centimetres in the last two days. In a news release Monday afternoon, the Yukon's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) said the water level is still rising although the rate at which it is rising has started to slow. "Low lying areas adjacent to the river are currently flooding," the release states.

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