Latest news with #YukonUniversity


Hamilton Spectator
01-08-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Takhini trail closed due to presence of mother bear with cubs
The Sage Trail in the Takhini neighbourhood of Whitehorse is temporarily closed due to the presence of a bear with cubs in the area, according to a Facebook post from the City of Whitehorse. The trail runs parallel to Range Road, behind houses and buildings and the Takhini arena in the Takhini neighbourhood. According to the Facebook post, municipal parks staff closed the trail after receiving multiple reports of a mother bear with cubs in the area. People are being asked to avoid the area and obey posted signage. The closure of the Sage Trail comes after the Millennium Trail in Riverdale was also closed due to bear presence on July 21. Last year, a bear was killed by conservation officers after breaking into Yukon University , also located in the Takhini neighbourhood. Conservation officers were at the Sage Trail on the morning of July 31, according to the City's post. They will continue to monitor the area. If you see a bear in the area, you are encouraged to reach out to conservation officers at 1-800-661-0525. The City is asking people who use trails in the city to carry bear spray, slow down, stay alert, and make noise. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .


Hamilton Spectator
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Yukon-based poet announces ‘Alaska Highway Poetry Crawl' tour
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A poet with extensive experience throughout his travels in Canada will descend on the Peace region for several readings later this month. Peter Jickling, a poet based in Whitehorse, Yukon, shared a press release announcing the Alaska Highway Poetry Crawl, with dates in Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson and Fort St. John. Currently an English professor at Yukon University, Jickling has also been a playwright and a journalist, with his 2011 play Syphilis: A Love Story touring western Canada and winning the 2013 best comedy at Victoria's Fringe Festival. His first book of poetry, Downtown Flirt, was published back in 2019. Jickling told the book came as a result of his travels to eastern Canada. 'I had always talked about one day going away somewhere, leaving Whitehorse behind,' said Jickling. 'I unexpectedly came into a little bit of money [in 2016]. Now I finally had the means to go away and do this. So it was sort of a put up or shut up situation. 'I actually had moved to Toronto for six months. I just started writing poetry. I [had] done it before, not in a sustained practice sort of way. But then in Toronto, I started doing it, started going out to readings and open mics and meeting the community and that ended [up being] my first poetry collection.' According to Jickling, the tour is designed to 'build connections and foster a collective writing community in northwestern Canada.' He says, with the semester at school finished, he started planning for the tour in May. 'Northwestern Canadian little towns are as far away [as you can] get from the Canadian literature centre,' said Jickling. 'I feel like it's important for us to make connections with each other [and] make opportunities. 'I'm hoping that [writers] along the Alaska Highway can start to build a slightly larger writing community and begin to operate as a little bit more of a cohesive unit. Maybe this poetry crawl is a small step in that direction.' Each stop will feature a special guest: in Fort Nelson writer Kerissa Dickie will take the stage alongside Jickling. Dickie's work includes the 2007 book Wild Flowers and Seh Woo, My Teeth, the latter of which made the 2022 CBC Nonfiction Prize shortlist. Dawson Creek's stop includes Donna Kane, who was nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award in 2020 for her book Orrery. Fort St. John's stop will be guested by Norma Rrae. Rrae's work includes the titles Justyce Scales of the Otherly and Obscura and Hot Moroccan Nights. Additionally, the Fort Nelson and Dawson Creek stops will feature an open mic where community members can showcase their own work. The Alaska Highway Poetry Crawl begins on Thursday, July 17th at the Fort St. John Public Library on 10015 100th Avenue from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Fort Nelson stop will take place at the Phoenix Theatre the following evening, starting at 7 p.m. The final stop in Dawson Creek is scheduled for July 19th beginning at 7 p.m. at the Dawson Creek Art Gallery. Booking in advance is not required for any of the events. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .


CBC
06-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Unusually low water in Yukon lakes this spring a sign of climate change, expert says
Social Sharing When Peter Heebink looks at the extra metres of sandy shore in front of his house on Marsh Lake, south of Whitehorse, he can't help but laugh. "I feel like having a beach party," Heebink said, standing in front of his beached kayak. Following a relatively dry winter and cool spring this year, water levels in some lakes and reservoirs across the Yukon are at record lows — including in the Southern Lakes region where Heebink lives. And while it's still early in the warmer months, one expert says things might not change much in the weeks or months ahead. "If the dry conditions continue, it would be very surprising to me that we reach the historical median or average in those lakes," said Benoit Turcotte, a senior researcher at Yukon University. Turcotte, who specializes in hydrology and climate change, says water levels are unusually low across the Yukon for this time of the year. He says that's due in part to some windy weather. "It just seems that we lost a lot of the snowpack to just sublimation — to the wind," Turcotte said. He says there's still enough snow up the mountains to fill up bodies of water in most areas in the Yukon. However, he says the territory will need a good amount of rain to reach average levels by the end of the summer. "That would mean a quite rainy summer and people would not be super happy about that," he said. Heebink says he would be concerned if the water level at his home stayed this low. But he's also somewhat relieved, recalling the serious flooding that hit the Southern Lakes region back in 2021. "Everyone was pretty traumatized," Heebink said. "You'll find most people are happy to see [low water levels] because if it's high this time of year, it's likely to be a flooding year, usually." Extreme weather patterns Yukon Energy said last week that Marsh Lake was not refilling as fast as usual, breaking a decades-old record. "Typically, snowmelt begins refilling Marsh Lake by mid-May, and in 75 per cent of years, it's underway by May 23rd," the electric utility company wrote on social media. "The latest start of refill since 1980 was June 1st. This year, due to ongoing unseasonably cool weather, we now expect lake refill after June 5th, which will be the latest on record." Yukon Energy says this is a "clear reminder" that with unpredictable weather conditions, climate change is affecting operations. Turcotte agrees. He says the territory will see more and more extreme weather patterns, including more drought and flooding. "We can always talk about climate change because we're in it," Turcotte said. "Anyone saying, 'oh, this is not climate change,' well ... everything is climate change, even a normal day is climate change ... In the Yukon, we're one rain storm away from a flood, and we're a few snowstorms that didn't happen or rain storms that didn't happen away from record-dry conditions." It's a serious worry for elder Charlie James from the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. He's been living in Carcross, about 72 kilometres south of Whitehorse, for at least 70 years. He says he has never seen the water level this low in the area. "We have a good relationship with the water ... everybody spends a lot of their time out on the water because it's healing," James said. "We dry a lot of our fish for winter. Lot of times, most elders like to have fresh fish year round. But we can't do that anymore." James says he's concerned about the fish, which need specific water conditions and depths for spawning. Fish habitat and migration, as well as energy production, and drinking water are among Turcotte's top concerns. He says the dry conditions are also a reminder that forest fires can start, and spread very quickly. "You can definitely enjoy this weather and all that, but we're never too close from having problems up here," he said.


Canada Standard
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
First Nations Angered at Being Elbowed Out as Provinces Fast-Track Projects
Donald Trump's 51st State threats may have Canadians advocating for a more #ElbowsUp approach to strengthening the economy, but Indigenous people are concerned they're being elbowed out of the way by some elected leaders. New legislation to fast-track infrastructure projects in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia has Indigenous organizations questioning the provinces' commitment to reconciliation. They say the push to accelerate project approvals risks violating treaty rights and undermining Canada's 2021 law to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Indigenous people need to be involved early in the process, Ken Coates, program chair for Indigenous governance at Yukon University, told the Aboriginal People's Television Network (APTN). "The government is already sending out the agenda and deciding what the priorities are going to be." Coates added that the federal government's promise to render decisions on major projects within a two-year timeline was unrealistic, given there are "hundreds and hundreds of Indigenous people-First Nations, Metis, Inuit-and they are very different." In this week's Speech from the Throne-written by the Prime Minister's Office and read by King Charles III-Mark Carney's newly-elected government promised faster approvals for major infrastructure as a top priority. The speech also pledged up to $10 billion in loan guarantees for Indigenous communities to gain ownership in large projects. But First Nations leaders warn that unless governments at all levels honour treaties and uphold the UNDRIP principle of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), they risk triggering protests, blockades, and litigation. UNDRIP requires governments to involve Indigenous people in a way that is "free from manipulation or coercion, informed by adequate and timely information, and occur(s) sufficiently prior to a decision so that Indigenous rights and interests can be incorporated or addressed effectively as part of the decision-making process." A wave of unprecedented moves to strip environmental protections, skip Indigenous consent requirements, and give governments more power is uniting Indigenous people across Canada, much the way Trump's threats united Canadians. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government is yielding to some First Nation demands by amending its controversial mining bill to include duty to consult provisions throughout, reported The Canadian Press. Bill 5, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, is being reviewed and almost certain to pass with the majority government. It revises or repeals a number of other laws, including the Ontario Heritage Act, the Mining Act, and the Endangered Species Act, among others. Prior to news of the coming amendment, Chiefs of Ontario First Nations opposed the bill in a statement and said they wanted it immediately withdrawn so that meaningful consultation with First Nations could begin. APTN News reported the bill creates "special economic zones," exempt from many laws and regulations, a move being viewed by many Indigenous peoples as an attack on First Nations lands, rights, and legal agreements with the Crown. After testifying at the standing committee reviewing the bill, Indigenous representatives spoke to reporters from a lectern with the message "Our rights are not for sale." That language echoed Ford's baseball cap slogan, popularized prior to this year's provincial election, with its message that "Canada is not for sale." "Ontario is trying to legislate us out of the conversation," Chief Shelly Moore-Frappier of the Temagami First Nation said of the original bill. "They are about to learn what happens when a nation has nothing left to lose and everything to defend." The amendment to Bill 5 would create a new category of zones, adding in "special Indigenous economic zones" at the request of First Nations for projects they want fast-tracked. But Indigenous peoples across Canada fear that special economic zones are being considered by other provinces and at the federal level, Chief Alvin Fiddler, Grand Chief of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, told the news conference. He predicted "conflict on the ground," adding that First Nations will do "anything and everything that will make this government listen to us," reported the Toronto Star. In British Columbia, First Nations leaders said proposed legislation to fast-track resource projects would likely lead to "conflict, protests, and litigation" unless the government engaged with First Nations on potential amendments. Bill 15, the Infrastructure Projects Act, was tabled May 1 by Premier David Eby's New Democratic government, which holds a narrow majority in the legislature. The Globe and Mail reported that Eby hoped to pass the bill by the end of the month, promising "none will be built without First Nations' consent-and financial benefits." In a statement, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, president of the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs (UBCIC), said the province did not consult or cooperate with First Nations in developing the bill and didn't follow its own rules for aligning with UNDRIP. "While we support the Province taking action to counter Trump's erratic behaviour, such action must be principled, respect First Nations' basic human rights, and be done in consultation and cooperation with First Nations," said Phillip. BC Assembly of First Nations Regional Chief Terry Teegee called the bill "overreaching" in the statement, adding that "it enables the Province to bypass permitting processes and expedite environmental assessment for any project they deem a priority." According to the Globe, Eby "was forced to apologize in person" to the First Nations Leadership Council of the UBCIC. Eby has since said that if First Nations oppose a particular project, his government will look to other proposals. The Nova Scotia Assembly of Mi'kmaw Chiefs told the legislature's natural resources committee this week that Indigenous communities should not be hearing about important developments, including policy or legislative changes proposed for the mining sector, from the evening news, CBC News reported. Chief Tamara Young of Pictou Landing First Nation said her community has serious concerns about recent decisions, including the adoption of legislation lifting the province's ban on hydraulic fracturing and rescinding a prohibition on uranium mining. Bill 6, An Act Respecting Agriculture, Energy and Natural Resources, was tabled February 18 in the Nova Scotia legislature by Premier Tim Houston's Progressive Conservative supermajority government. It became law on March 25 and the First Nations backlash was immediate. The Halifax Examiner reported that a letter signed by Chiefs Carol Potter, Cory Julian, and Tamara Young said it was "unacceptable that this government is fast-tracking the extraction of natural resources that will permanently devalue and damage our unceded lands and adversely impact the exercise of our Section 35 rights." Section 35 of Canada's 1982 Constitution Act protects Aboriginal and treaty rights. Source: The Energy Mix


CBC
26-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Yukon Nominee Program reopens for applications from pre-approved businesses
The Yukon Nominee Program is now accepting applications from businesses that expressed interest this past spring and have been pre-approved. The government said it received 502 eligible expressions of interest from employers, and 392 of those "aligned" with the government's priorities for this year. Employers were prioritized if their nominee candidates were Yukon University graduates, French-speaking or have lived in the Yukon for a year. Selected businesses will now be invited to apply for the program via email, the government says. Those who were not selected will also be notified. Applicants with a temporary measure letter of support will be prioritized for approval, the government says. The remaining spots will be randomly selected. There are 215 nominee spots allotted to the Yukon for 2025. The Yukon government changed the application system after the program's popularity began surpassing the number of available spots. The nominee program is restricted to the number of nominees allowed by the federal government. This past spring, the Yukon government announced that businesses would be required to express interest and get approved based on a list of pre-set priority areas.