Latest news with #DawsonCity
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Food security conference in Dawson City, Yukon promoting community resilience, not reliance
Any community, of any size is capable of moving away from reliance, and toward resilience when it comes to food security and sovereignty, say panelists at the 2025 Yukon Food Security Conference in Dawson City. Organized by the Yukon Food Security Network, this year's conference is taking place at the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Farm where the theme is: diversifying food systems with a rural and youth focus. Most of the attendees came from communities across the North, but some people travelled from down south to participate. Michelle Watson is the coordinator of the event. She said these types of gatherings are meant to ignite excitement around food security and sovereignty through discussions, workshops, and of course food. "The conversation we're hoping to spark around here is that our work as individuals in our communities, and individuals in our organizations only goes so far," Watson said. "But when we come together and we find ways to collaborate and we create that energy, that momentum ... that could really have a huge impact on the overall movement toward a more just, resilient, and equitable food system." Watson said as the rate of food insecurity goes up, along with the cost of food, it's important for people to understand that proactive steps can be taken to address this on a community level. Specifically in the Yukon and the North, one solution could be looking at traditional ways of harvesting food from the land, and learning from people who've done it for generations, she said. "We cannot continue to rely on this one kind of food highway of mass produced, mass marketed products that comes from the global South to the global North," she said. "With traditional food ways disappearing before our eyes. With all of these things it's really important for us to come together and to acknowledge yes we can't continue down this path and we're all here because we believe everyone has the right to food." Derrick Hastings has been the manager of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Farm for the past eight years. He said the farm was the perfect setting to host the conference because it's a great example of what can be achieved on a community level with support from governments. "We're a little bit further ahead as a First Nation farm in the Yukon," he explained. "I think we're more established right now and other First Nations are looking to this space so it gives representatives a chance to look at the good things we're doing. Maybe some of the things they would take on in their own farms." Hastings also expressed the importance of becoming more self-sustaining as a community, and moving away from relying on big corporations for food security. "Big retailers. Big producers. They want you to think you're dependent on them but abundance is there. We just have to take it," Hastings said. "We have to invest in each other and create a circular economy. I invest in you and you invest in me and keep the dollars rotating. Keep the dollars local." Brent Mansfield travelled from Vancouver, B,C. to attend the conference and speak as a panelist. Mansfield is a teacher and a representative for the Coalition for Healthy School Food — Canada's largest network of organizations that advocate for a universal cost-shared healthy school food program. "Gathering like this are so critical for connecting people," Mansfield said. At conferences like this one, Mansfield says he's able to take what he's learned and advocate for food programming in schools on a national level. He added it's also a good way to be able to connect national representatives with local groups to discuss the needs and the work being done in communities. "To be meeting people and understanding that allows me to be a more authentic advocate." The 2025 Yukon Food Security Conference wraps up on Thursday evening.
CBC
5 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Food security conference in Dawson City, Yukon promoting community resilience, not reliance
New This year's theme: diversifying food systems with a rural and youth focus Any community, of any size is capable of moving away from reliance, and toward resilience when it comes to food security and sovereignty, say panelists at the 2025 Yukon Food Security Conference in Dawson City. Organized by the Yukon Food Security Network, this year's conference is taking place at the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Farm where the theme is: diversifying food systems with a rural and youth focus. Most of the attendees came from communities across the North, but some people travelled from down south to participate. Michelle Watson is the coordinator of the event. She said these types of gatherings are meant to ignite excitement around food security and sovereignty through discussions, workshops, and of course food. "The conversation we're hoping to spark around here is that our work as individuals in our communities, and individuals in our organizations only goes so far," Watson said. "But when we come together and we find ways to collaborate and we create that energy, that momentum ... that could really have a huge impact on the overall movement toward a more just, resilient, and equitable food system." Watson said as the rate of food insecurity goes up, along with the cost of food, it's important for people to understand that proactive steps can be taken to address this on a community level. Specifically in the Yukon and the North, one solution could be looking at traditional ways of harvesting food from the land, and learning from people who've done it for generations, she said. "We cannot continue to rely on this one kind of food highway of mass produced, mass marketed products that comes from the global South to the global North," she said. "With traditional food ways disappearing before our eyes. With all of these things it's really important for us to come together and to acknowledge yes we can't continue down this path and we're all here because we believe everyone has the right to food." Derrick Hastings has been the manager of the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin Farm for the past eight years. He said the farm was the perfect setting to host the conference because it's a great example of what can be achieved on a community level with support from governments. "We're a little bit further ahead as a First Nation farm in the Yukon," he explained. "I think we're more established right now and other First Nations are looking to this space so it gives representatives a chance to look at the good things we're doing. Maybe some of the things they would take on in their own farms." Hastings also expressed the importance of becoming more self-sustaining as a community, and moving away from relying on big corporations for food security. "Big retailers. Big producers. They want you to think you're dependent on them but abundance is there. We just have to take it," Hastings said. "We have to invest in each other and create a circular economy. I invest in you and you invest in me and keep the dollars rotating. Keep the dollars local." Brent Mansfield travelled from Vancouver, B,C. to attend the conference and speak as a panelist. Mansfield is a teacher and a representative for the Coalition for Healthy School Food — Canada's largest network of organizations that advocate for a universal cost-shared healthy school food program. "Gathering like this are so critical for connecting people," Mansfield said. At conferences like this one, Mansfield says he's able to take what he's learned and advocate for food programming in schools on a national level. He added it's also a good way to be able to connect national representatives with local groups to discuss the needs and the work being done in communities. "To be meeting people and understanding that allows me to be a more authentic advocate." The 2025 Yukon Food Security Conference wraps up on Thursday evening.
CBC
5 days ago
- General
- CBC
2025 Yukon food security conference looks to diversify food systems
The 2025 Yukon food security conference is underway in Dawson City. It's being hosted at the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Farm. This year's theme is diversifying food systems with a rural and youth focus. Theres also a push for communities to move away from reliance and towards resilience.
CBC
01-08-2025
- Business
- CBC
Dawson City man receives $1000 Yukon Energy bill after meter quit for 8 months
A man in Dawson City, Yukon, is not happy about his latest power bill from Yukon Energy. He says the company took months to find a meter reader resulting in his hefty bill. At the same time, power rates have increased this month. Chris MacIntyre has more.
CBC
25-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Group in West Dawson, Yukon, seeks association status to support grassroots emergency services
A grassroots group that provides emergency medical support to people living near Dawson City, Yukon, says it's applying for official association status with the Yukon government so it can get resources more easily. During the summer months a ferry can bring ambulances to the subdivisions of West Dawson and Sunnydale. But when the river is freezing and breaking up, ambulances can't get there. Darker days also make medevac flights more challenging. David Curtis, a spokesperson for the unnamed group, said there have been times when members have had to transport individuals across the river by snowmobile because the river wasn't fully frozen. They also tend to wounds, fractures, or any other calls they have capacity to handle. Curtis said they need more resources for when they're the first to respond to emergencies. "We're not acting in an official capacity that way," Curtis said. "We're acting as Good Samaritans. We've been doing this sort of ad hoc and it's been going good but we could do a lot better job." Defibrillators, spine boards and medical kits Curtis said the group has submitted its application for association status to Yukon's Department of Community Services and he hopes to hear back soon. While he waits for that – he said he's been talking with Yukon's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to see how it can support them ahead of this year's freeze up. Curtis said they're in preliminary discussions with Yukon EMS about getting an additional defibrillator and pads, as well as a spine board and medical kits. He said Yukon EMS "expressed very clearly" that it wasn't in the position to give his group expensive equipment just because he thinks they need it. "They need to have a more official knowledge too that the equipment will be maintained, and supplies are going to be kept up and up to date, and everything is looked after properly." Curtis is hoping to receive the designation and equipment before this year's freeze up. Ryan Soucy, the acting chief of Yukon's EMS, confirmed his department was in preliminary discussions with Curtis – but without being a recognized society or association, he said there's a lot of red tape to go through before the department can give Curtis the support he and his group are hoping for. "If you look at the Canadian Ski Patrol society you know we're able to work with them," Soucy said. "They're providing care at Mount Sima as well as the trails of Mount Mac. So we can actually work with them a bit more other than just general public." Soucy said it is encouraging to see members of the public take interest in helping provide care for their neighbours and said volunteering with Yukon EMS could open the doors to training opportunities to better serve their community.
