Residents ask Whitehorse council not to let Gladiator Metals explore for copper within city limits

CBC

08-04-2025

Almost 40 people crowded into Whitehorse council chambers on Monday night to hear delegates speak about a proposed drilling expansion project within city limits.
Gladiator Metals recently began drilling in the Whitehorse copper belt with a class 1 permit. It also applied for a class 3 exploration permit, which would allow it to expand work over the next five years throughout its whole 35-kilometre Copper Belt project, most of which is within Whitehorse city limits.
Eight delegates asked council not to let the project expansion happen.
Some of the speakers were residents of the Cowley Creek subdivision, which is near the proposed project. They said mining exploration would bring noise, dust and disruption to the quiet country residential neighbourhood.
"This ridiculous proposal is completely inappropriate, given its location and proximity to where people live," said delegate Stephen Burles.
The environmental impact of exploration and eventual mining was also brought up by speakers. Delegate Tory Russell said there's worry that drilling could release radon, arsenic and other contaminants into domestic well sources and become "a potential public health risk."
Several delegates asked council to hit the brakes until new minerals legislation is introduced, arguing that the outgoing rules — which haven't been updated since the Gold Rush — give too much power to companies with mineral claims.
Only one delegate spoke in favour of the project. Jonas Smith, the executive director of the Yukon Chamber of Mines, said copper mining is necessary for the green energy transition. He also lauded the Yukon's assessment process as having "among the highest environmental standards and safety standards in the world," and asked council to leave the issue with the assessment board.
"I would encourage you to focus on items that are within your mandate," Smith said.
Gladiator's class 3 proposal was submitted to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) in late February. Whitehorse Mayor Kirk Cameron said the decision is out of council's hands while it's assessed.
"Our jurisdiction is very finite, very specific and pretty dog-gone narrow compared to what can come out of a decision document through that broader process," Cameron said.
Cameron said concerned parties should put their concerns to the assessment board.
Glenys Baltimore, president of the Cowley Creek neighbourhood association, said she's planning to write a submission to YESAB against the project. She also appeared as a delegate to council and co-authored a letter to all three territorial party leaders on Monday.