Yukon News Releases
Updated: 4 hours 20 min ago
Support for restaurants extended
Restaurants and other businesses with a liquor licence will continue to receive a discount of 25 per cent off the retail price of liquor until November 1, 2020.
The extension takes into account the continued challenges that businesses face during the pandemic, including financial impacts from closures, reopening costs and reduced tourism.
Territory-wide Community Wellbeing Survey launched this week
The Government of Yukon has partnered with the Canadian Index of Wellbeing and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health to undertake a comprehensive study of wellbeing in Yukon.
As Yukon begins transitioning into Phase 3 of the pandemic response, all Yukoners are being called on to complete the Yukon Community Wellbeing survey to measure territorial wellbeing and better understand the local impacts of COVID-19. The survey opened on Monday and responses will be collected throughout the next four weeks, closing in early September.
August 5, 2020: COVID-19 update
The Government of Yukon has the following updates on measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 case count
As of today, August 5, at 2 p.m. the COVID-19 case count is 14. All of the 11 people who have contracted COVID-19 in Yukon have recovered. There are no active cases in the territory and 1,769 people have been tested. We have had no new cases since April 20.
Additional information stations set up in Beaver Creek and Watson Lake
Whitehorse students return to school on August 20
Whitehorse schools will resume classes on August 20, 2020.
The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Teachers’ Association have worked together to re-schedule a Professional Development day for teachers and school staff to support health and safety training for the 2020–21 school year.
A previously scheduled Professional Development day on October 1 for the Yukon Teachers’ Association Fall Conference is being moved to August 19 for Whitehorse schools. This will complement a Professional Development day already scheduled for August 18.
Possible COVID-19 exposure in Whitehorse and Dawson City
The Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Brendan Hanley has advised that Yukon Communicable Disease Control was notified Thursday evening by another jurisdiction that two people have tested positive shortly after returning home from a trip to Yukon.
The Chief Medical Officer of Health has completed a risk assessment and concluded that the risk to local people is low.
However, he is asking that Dawson City residents or others who may have been in the community between Monday, July 20, and Wednesday, July 22, monitor themselves for symptoms.
Yukon offers internships to study impact of COVID-19
Please note that the contact information has been updated.
Joint news release with the Government of Yukon, Mitacs, Yukon University and the University of Alberta North
A unique opportunity to participate in COVID-19 research internships will benefit both Yukon organizations and post-secondary students.
Opioid death toll rises
Concern continues to rise around the number of opioid related deaths in Yukon. Since January 2020, 13 individuals have died as a result of drug overdoses, 11 of which can be directly linked to opioids. The numbers were jointly released today by Yukon’s Chief Coroner Heather Jones, Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley and Minister of Health and Social Services Pauline Frost.
Hunting season opens August 1, 2020
The Government of Yukon would like to issue key updates and reminders as hunters prepare for the 2020 hunting season.
Permit Hunt Authorization (PHA) lottery
The final list of permit holders is now available online.
Forty-four permits were returned. The Government of Yukon completed five rounds of the reissuance process and is pleased to have issued all permits.
In total, there were 6,079 applications for 270 PHA permits covering six species.
Joint initiative reaches out to families and children in crisis
Joint news release with the Council of Yukon First Nations
The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) and the Government of Yukon have co-developed a campaign that addresses some of the indirect and unforeseen consequences to children and families of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Family violence, substance use and child maltreatment may have increased within families due to an array of factors such as the reduction in child care, social isolation and general anxiety due to the pandemic.
Phase 3 begins August 1, includes changes to social gatherings, social bubbles and plans for sports
The Government of Yukon and Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health officially announced today that Phase 3 of Yukon’s plan for safely lifting COVID-19 public health measures will begin on August 1. This will be the longest of the stages, lasting until a vaccine is developed, and will involve a gradual easing of restrictions for Yukoners.
Banking service change for government and Yukon communities
Starting in September 2020, the Government of Yukon will be transitioning community banking services from TD Bank to CIBC.
The new banking service contract with CIBC will ensure continued banking services in communities around Yukon that would otherwise not be served by commercial services. The Government of Yukon is working with both TD Bank and CIBC to ensure there will be minimal disruption of service in communities. The transition will occur throughout communities between September 28 and October 15.
Yukon’s aviation industry continues to receive support
Yukon’s aviation sector will receive a second instalment of federal funding, totalling $1.23 million to help compensate for lost revenues as a result of COVID-19.
As part of this funding Air North will receive approximately $1.06 million over three months. This will help offset the costs of maintaining five weekly flights to Vancouver and three weekly flights on the northern routes to Dawson City and Old Crow. Alkan Air will receive approximately $140,000 in connection with the provision of medevac services from April to June.
Fifteen projects receive Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust funding
Fifteen community-led projects focused on crime prevention and services for victims are receiving $297,241 in funding from the Crime Prevention and Victim Services Trust (CPVST).
Projects include supporting youth leadership; education surrounding trauma and healing, music and dance; mental health workshops; cultural events and workshops for marginalized women; traditional workshops; domestic violence and abuse programming; attention regulation supports and supporting healthy activities for children, families and youth.
Fortymile caribou herd summer hunting opportunity opened
The Government of Yukon is opening a limited licensed harvest on the Fortymile caribou herd from August 1 to September 9, 2020 for Yukon resident hunters.
This is the second hunting opportunity for licensed Yukon resident hunters after 25 years of Fortymile caribou herd recovery efforts between the Government of Yukon, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, Dawson Renewable Resources Council and Alaska.
New COVID-19 case outside of Yukon
A Yukon resident currently outside of Yukon has tested positive for COVID-19. The new case has been confirmed by Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley. The individual acquired the disease and was tested outside the territory.
Health and safety guidelines for schools and school buses released
The Chief Medical Officer of Health and the Government of Yukon have finalized more detailed health and safety guidelines for Kindergarten to Grade 12 school settings and school bus operations. The guidelines will help schools plan for the return of students to classes for the 2020–21 school year.
July 22, 2020: COVID-19 update
The Government of Yukon has the following updates on measures being taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 case count
As of today, July 22, at 2 p.m. the COVID-19 case count is 13. All of the 11 people who have contracted COVID-19 in Yukon have recovered. There are no active cases in the territory and 1,450 people have been tested.
Update on the start of Phase 3
Government of Yukon transfers two duplex sites to Habitat for Humanity
The Government of Yukon will transfer two duplex sites in Whistle Bend to Habitat for Humanity Yukon for a nominal fee of $1 each to assist the group in its ongoing efforts to build affordable housing for Yukoners.
Development of the two duplex sites will provide affordable housing for four families. The locations are lots 574/575 and lots 582/583 on Gleaner Avenue in Whitehorse’s Whistle Bend subdivision.
Locally grown poultry now available in Yukon
Locally-raised, inspected poultry is now available to Yukoners at a retail grocery store in Whitehorse following several years of work by Yukon’s poultry farmers.
The opening of The Farm Gate, a licensed and inspected poultry operation owned by Cain and Michelle Vangel, marks the first opportunity for Yukon retailers to offer Yukon-raised poultry products in store.
Yukoners contract COVID-19 while travelling
Dr. Catherine Elliott, Yukon’s acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, has confirmed today that two Yukon residents have contracted COVID-19 while travelling in another province.
The people acquired the illness outside Yukon. They have a mild illness and are recovering in self-isolation. They will return to Yukon once they are no longer infectious.
Yukon Communicable Disease Control is working closely with the provincial health authority to ensure they are receiving the appropriate care and to coordinate on contact tracing.
