Latest news with #OldCrow
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Illicit drugs are getting into Yukon's only fly-in community. Officials say there's little they can do
The Yukon government says that stopping illicit drugs from reaching the remote, fly-in community of Old Crow is an urgent issue — but government and regulatory officials also say they have limited authority to do much about it. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation issued a public notice earlier this summer warning Old Crow residents that tainted drugs may have made their way into the community, and urging anybody using illicit drugs to carry naloxone and to not use alone. It followed a letter sent earlier this year from a territorial government minister to Yukon's MP, describing the flow of illicit drugs into Old Crow as an "urgent" and "pressing" issue that somehow needs to be addressed. CBC News sent the Vuntut Gwitchin Government — which declared a substance use emergency in Old Crow two years ago — multiple requests for an interview, but the First Nation said it had nothing to say "beyond what has already been shared publicly." Meanwhile Annie Blake, the NDP MLA for Vuntut Gwitchin, says drugs have had devastating impacts on her community and she wants more done to address the issue. "We've lost so many of our community members," said Blake. "And we continue to see so many people struggling." She says impacts are compounded by the community's size and isolation. "We see things very openly and deeply with each other, and when people are struggling, everyone feels it." Blake, who has spoken openly in the past about her own struggles with substance use, says a toxic drug supply can have particularly devastating impacts in Old Crow. "For the most part, a lot of people who use, use in groups. It's a safety mechanism. But if there's a toxic drug supply, it's a huge risk factor. It's quite scary." She says she visits with people who are raising their grandchildren because the children's parents struggle with substance use issues, or have died due to overdose. Blake said they are frustrated by the lack of attention to the issue. "What are we doing to support the children who've lost their parents? The grandparents raising their grandkids? What grief supports are we investing in? What mental health services are available?" Blake asked. "These are the questions I keep hearing in the homes I visit." Jurisdictional gaps, limited enforcement In a January letter to Yukon MP Brendan Hanley, obtained by CBC News, the territory's highways and public works minister described some of the challenges to stemming the flow of illicit drugs into Old Crow. Minister Nils Clarke wrote that those challenges include the fact that "there is no federal or territorial law that would authorize the RCMP to search all mail or baggage arriving in Old Crow." Yukon RCMP told CBC News in an email that random dog searches at an airport would violate Section 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects against unreasonable search or seizure. To use a sniffer-dog team at an airport, the RCMP says there would have to be "reasonable suspicion" that an offence had been committed. Larger airports around the country rely on the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), which was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, to screen passengers and baggage. But Clarke points out that in Yukon, CATSA only operates out of Erik Nielsen Airport in Whitehorse, and not the airports in Dawson City or Inuvik, N.W.T. — the two aerodromes with direct flights to Old Crow. "Passengers and goods flying to Old Crow are not screened by CATSA, as they do not go through our screening checkpoints prior to boarding the aircraft," said CATSA spokesperson Dominique Huras in an email to CBC News. Clarke's letter says even if CATSA did provide security, searching for drugs is not part of its mandate. He wrote that in conversations his office had with federal authorities, it became clear that CATSA "specifically targets threats to safety of civil aviation," but does not screen for "community contraband." Transport Canada, which regulates CATSA, told CBC News in a statement that the authority screens for "prohibited items that could potentially pose a threat to aviation security," and provided a link to a full list of items banned from flights, including weapons and incendiary devices. It is a criminal offence to carry illicit drugs in checked or carry-on baggage on any flight, and CATSA told CBC News that when illegal drugs are "inadvertently discovered during screening, local police are advised." 'How are we supporting those who are already struggling?' Blake says some residents in Old Crow want to see more RCMP presence at the airport and tighter security on flights to the community. She also says some people would like to see more local drug enforcement in Old Crow. "We only have two RCMP officers, so some people talk about the need to have more presence in the community," she said. However, Blake also said it's clear that enforcement on its own isn't the answer. "People also ask, how are we supporting those who are already struggling? Where are the harm reduction services, the health care, the safety checks, the nutrition? Why is there no regular programming like men's groups or women's groups? Why aren't there workshops to help people understand how to access Yukon government supports?" Blake asked. She said conversations are happening between the Vuntut Gwitchin, territorial and federal government agencies, as well as funding initiatives and programming. MP Brendan Hanley also said "we have to talk about the bigger picture." He went on to list mental health supports for youth and adults, harm reduction services for those using drugs, treatment options in community, including land-based healing, and post-rehabilitation aftercare as resources that could help turn the tide. Hanley said "there is no one clear defined pathway" for addressing the issue, but that any solution will require collaboration between the Vuntut Gwitchin government, the Yukon and federal governments, RCMP, and Air North, the airline that serves Old Crow. He also suggested the territorial government has a role to play "as the operator of all public airports in the Yukon." Neither the territorial, federal, or Vuntut Gwitchin government would provide specifics on what actions or meetings are currently taking place to address the issue. The First Nation has said that safer-use supplies are available at the Old Crow Health and Wellness Centre.
CBC
12-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Mother in Old Crow, Yukon, starts petition to clean up and improve recreational spaces
Social Sharing Living in a small and remote northern community like Old Crow, Yukon, can mean limited access to recreational activities — especially when many of the spaces meant for activities like baseball or soccer are being instead used to store industrial equipment and supplies. Jeneen Frei Njootli, a Vuntut Gwitchin citizen and mother of two young children in Old Crow, has started a petition to try to change that. Njootli says the community needs options available for outdoor play. "Every single one of our fields has [construction] equipment in it," Njootli said. "There's nowhere safe for our children to play soccer or play baseball, because they're being used as industrial storage." Njootli said there are shipping containers, rolls of chain-link fencing, building materials such as loose gravel, and organic material on those recreational fields, making them unsafe and unusable for kids. According to Njootli, that leaves few options for families and kids: the playground at the school, a playground located in the "downtown" area, or in one of the community's subdivisions. Njootli said the community of about 250 people used to have an arena where children and youth could skate and play, but it was recently demolished after the condition of the building became too unstable for public use. Njootli said a government services shop is set to be built in the vacant space. Njootli said the shop is needed, but that it's frustrating there's been no discussion about creating a recreational space to replace the arena. "Our youth need to know they matter. Show them that they matter by prioritizing spaces that are just for them," Njootli said. The online petition, signed by 85 people from Old Crow and elsewhere as of Wednesday afternoon, urges the Vuntut Gwitchin chief and council "to prioritize, protect, and invest in recreational spaces that serve all of our community members," by relocating the government services shop to another site, by cleaning up the baseball diamond and soccer field, and by developing a new multi-use recreation space at a site on the riverfront. Njootli said the issue is one for the whole community to address. "This has been years and years and years in the making," Njootli said. "Over a decade of slow, corroding of community spaces in favour of development. Yes we need the development, but it can't come at the cost of our recreation spaces." CBC News contacted the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation about the issue but the First Nation declined to comment. CBC News also reached out to Vuntut Gwitchin MLA Annie Blake, but she wasn't immediately available for an interview. Jeneen Frei Njootli's brother, Stan Njootli Jr., said recreation creates healthy children, and healthy families. He said he feels that there's a lot of effort to "build up" Old Crow, but not enough being put toward supporting sustainable recreation. "That's where the healing really begins for First Nations people," Stan Njootli Jr. said. "It's on the land, and being active.
CBC
26-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Evacuation alert lifted in Old Crow, Yukon as risk of ice-jam flooding passes
An evacuation alert for parts of Old Crow, Yukon, has been lifted, with water levels on the nearby Porcupine River now below flood levels. "The risk of ice jam flooding has passed. Water levels may go up and down over the next week due to snowmelt, but no flooding is expected," Yukon's Emergency Management Organization (EMO) said in an update Saturday afternoon. With the evacuation alert for parts of Old Crow officially rescinded, residents are no longer being asked to stay prepared for a possible evacuation. A reception centre set up for potential evacuees at Chief Zzeh Gittlit School has also been closed, and the school will be open for classes on Monday as usual. Yukon's EMO also said that Dump Road, which was closed on Saturday because of flood risk, has reopened to one lane of traffic, and members of the emergency management team in Old Crow are working to remove flood barriers and assess any damage that might have occurred over the weekend. However, residents are still being asked to conserve water for the next few days. Yukon's EMO said in the update that its team will continue to monitor water levels on the Porcupine River.
CBC
25-05-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Evacuation order in parts of Old Crow lifted as water levels decrease
Social Sharing People living in southwest Old Crow who were evacuated due to flooding early Saturday morning have returned home as water levels decreased through the day. Residents in the Yukon community were evacuated at 5:30 a.m. after water levels on the Porcupine River rose by over 5.5 metres in 24 hours. According to a social media update from Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN), flooding started on the southwest side of town at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday. Community members in affected areas moved to Chief Zzeh Gittlit school. But just hours later, the order has been rolled back to an evacuation alert, which remains in effect for residents in zones 1, 2 and 3. This means people living in these areas should continue to be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Officials reported that a 10-kilometre-long ice jam had formed over Friday night, with little to no movement through the morning. But by Saturday afternoon, they reported the risk of ice jam flooding had diminished. "The risk of flooding from snowmelt upriver will be continuously reassessed over the next few days," read an update posted to social media from VGFN and the Yukon government's Emergency Management Team (EMO). "River Watch will continue in Zone 1 throughout the night." Regular flights to Old Crow are set to resume on Sunday morning, but the Dump Road remains closed due to flooding. Residents are also being asked to conserve water as flooding in the lagoon area may reduce sewage pickups over the next few days. "Snow is still melting, so water levels will stay high but are not expected to lead to flooding in Old Crow," the update continued. VGFN's River Watchers are continuing to actively assess and track the progress of ice on the river, along with the Yukon government's EMO team.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Parts of Old Crow, Yukon evacuated as flood risk worsens
Parts of Old Crow were evacuated on Saturday morning after water levels on the Porcupine River rose by over 5.5 metres in 24 hours. According to social media update from Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation (VGFN) , flooding started on the southwest side of town around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning. In the update, the first nation said floodwater is running over the North Road and the area between Ketza Camp and the river. Because of the flooding, residents who live in Zone 1 are currently under evacuation order. The residents left their homes around 5:30 a.m. this morning to register at the reception centre at Chief Zzeh Gittlit school. Zones 2 and 3 of the community remain under evacuation alert, meaning residents who live there should take steps to prepare in case they are later ordered to evacuate. In an update shared by the Yukon government, officials reported a 10-kilometre-long ice jam had formed overnight, with little to no movement through the morning. "Snowmelt continues to contribute flows to the Porcupine River, while the solid ice cover below Old Crow remains in place," the update read. "A small, lower portion of the jam has released below town as of 7:40 am." With a high of 13 degrees forecast for this afternoon, there's a risk that warmer temperatures could drive increased flows throughout the rest of the day. Even if the ice jam remains in place, snowmelt is expected to continue to drive up water levels. "Increased flows may help release the ice jam, but the thick and solid ice pans contributing to the jam at Old Crow will take some momentum to release," the update said. VGFN's River Watchers are actively assessing and tracking the progress of ice on the river, along with the Yukon government's Emergency Management Team (EMO). People living in areas under the evacuation alert are advised to have an emergency bag packed and to have an evacuation plan. If there are further evacuations, people are asked to go to the reception centre at Chief Zzeh Gittlit School to inform officials about their plan. Officials say updates will be posted on the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation's Facebook page, and on the territorial government's website.
