Latest news with #licenceRenewal
CBC
6 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Yukon gov't temporarily extends some placer mining licences while working through permit backlog
The Yukon government is issuing temporary licence extensions to placer miners in the queue for licence renewals as staff work through the backlog of permit approvals and licence renewal applications. On Thursday, the territory made "temporary" amendments to the Placer Mining Land Use Regulation and the Quartz Mining Land Use Regulation to approve extensions to eligible operators — and temporary additions to the Waters Regulation to authorize eligible operators to use water consistent with the terms of their existing licence while seeking a licence renewal. "We feel this will help alleviate the pressure on the overall system," said John Streicker, Yukon's minister of energy, mines and resources. The decision comes after placer miners and advocates went public about delays that were costing them their ability to work. Some had been in limbo for over a year waiting for their approvals. Streicker said extensions will be given to operators whose licences are close to expiring, including 19 operators whose licences recently expired while in queue for renewal. Extensions will also be given to "previously approved projects that have been through the First Nations consultation process and are within the temporal, spatial and activity scope of the decision documents already in place." "The way we're looking at this is because those mines have already been operating, already did consultation and engagement on them, we can allow them to continue in a temporary way while we work through the backlog," Streicker told CBC News. Streicker said this doesn't change the licence renewal or permitting approval process, but it's a temporary way to keep people working while still following regulations. He added that his department has already begun contacting placer miners to notify them of the extension. Will Fellers is the president of the Klondike Placer Miners Association. He said he was very glad to hear about new changes, but he wants to speak with the Minister before he gets too excited about anything just yet. "We know the government's been working on this behind the scenes and I'm glad to see something finally has came out of it," Fellers told CBC News. "I haven't been briefed on it yet. This is just new, so it will be interesting to hear from John [Streicker] exactly what the specifics are of this but if its the case it's a great step in getting the operators back being able to go out on the land and back to work again. "That makes me happy to hear."
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
TfL licence delays 'a matter of life and death'
The family of an Uber driver has said they fear the stress caused by a delay in the renewal of his private hire licence may have contributed to his death. Robert Dale was left unable to work because of the delay - which was due to software problems caused by a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) last September. Mr Dale died aged 65 after a heart attack in November, three months after he applied for his licence renewal and a month after it expired. His son believes the day-to-day pressure of the situation reduced his father's quality of life and badly affected his health. The problems caused by the cyber attack meant some drivers were unable to work for months. Some took out loans, and others missed payments on their mortgages. In a recent letter to TfL and the mayor of London, Mr Dale's son Ben Dale said his father wrote numerous emails urging TfL to renew his licence, as its expiry date approached. These emails became increasingly desperate, he said. In his letter, he said it was "a matter of livelihoods, mental health, and in our case, life and death." He said his father had been "happy, popular and dedicated" but there had been a noticeable change in him when he was left unable to work. "Every single day. That is all he talked about. "We started to really feel like we were losing our dad and my mum, her partner, mainly because of the complete stress that he was just consistently under. "It was relentless". TfL is now able to issue temporary licences "where it is appropriate to do so" but private hire drivers are still protesting and want compensation for their financial losses. One driver, Kambiz Hemati, said he was still "up to his neck in debt". He waited four months for his renewal, and described that time as "like hell". "I wasn't working and the costs were piling up." He said he had bought an electric car, as requested by TfL, and was beginning to default on the monthly payments for it as well as his mortgage, and he was worried about his young son. "I had to borrow from banks and use credit cards. "I have to pay that all back and that means more hours and tiredness. This is not the way drivers should be treated." The Dale family believes the "failings of TfL" and the "complete lack of communication and acknowledgement of any wrongdoing" led to Mr Dale's mental health deteriorating. His son said it was difficult to say if the stress Mr Dale was under "was the exact reason" his dad died, but he was "certain the quality of life he had up until his death was significantly worse" because of it. "He was great. Everybody loved him. Always making jokes, trying to make people laugh. He loved people. "He was very inquisitive, always wanted to know how people were doing and just wanted the best for people. "Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of drivers are going through exactly what my dad went through." Helen Chapman from TfL said they were "carrying out a comprehensive review" and would respond to the Dale family's concerns in full. She added they "were aware some drivers have been further impacted due to the introduction of a new licensing system. "We have taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays by recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences." A spokesperson for the mayor of London said his "deepest sympathies and thoughts" were with the Dale family and the concerns raised in their letter "would be looked into". Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to TfL faces 'ongoing cyber security incident' Private-hire drivers granted temporary TfL licences Private-hire drivers struggling over TfL glitch TfL licence delays leaving drivers in debt - union Transport for London
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
TfL licencing delays a 'matter of life and death', family says
The family of an Uber driver has said they fear the stress caused by a delay in the renewal of his private hire licence may have contributed to his Dale was left unable to work because of the delay - which was due to software problems caused by a cyber attack on Transport for London (TfL) last Dale died aged 65 after a heart attack in November, three months after he applied for his licence renewal and a month after it son believes the day-to-day pressure of the situation reduced his father's quality of life and badly affected his health. The problems caused by the cyber attack meant some drivers were unable to work for took out loans, and others missed payments on their a recent letter to TfL and the mayor of London, Mr Dale's son Ben Dale said his father wrote numerous emails urging TfL to renew his licence, as its expiry date emails became increasingly desperate, he said. In his letter, he said it was "a matter of livelihoods, mental health, and in our case, life and death." He said his father had been "happy, popular and dedicated" but there had been a noticeable change in him when he was left unable to work. "Every single day. That is all he talked about. "We started to really feel like we were losing our dad and my mum, her partner, mainly because of the complete stress that he was just consistently under. "It was relentless". TfL is now able to issue temporary licences "where it is appropriate to do so" but private hire drivers are still protesting and want compensation for their financial driver, Kambiz Hemati, said he was still "up to his neck in debt".He waited four months for his renewal, and described that time as "like hell"."I wasn't working and the costs were piling up."He said he had bought an electric car, as requested by TfL, and was beginning to default on the monthly payments for it as well as his mortgage, and he was worried about his young son."I had to borrow from banks and use credit cards. "I have to pay that all back and that means more hours and tiredness. This is not the way drivers should be treated." The Dale family believes the "failings of TfL" and the "complete lack of communication and acknowledgement of any wrongdoing" led to Mr Dale's mental health son said it was difficult to say if the stress Mr Dale was under "was the exact reason" his dad died, but he was "certain the quality of life he had up until his death was significantly worse" because of it. "He was great. Everybody loved him. Always making jokes, trying to make people laugh. He loved people. "He was very inquisitive, always wanted to know how people were doing and just wanted the best for people."Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of drivers are going through exactly what my dad went through." Helen Chapman from TfL said they were "carrying out a comprehensive review" and would respond to the Dale family's concerns in added they "were aware some drivers have been further impacted due to the introduction of a new licensing system. "We have taken a number of steps to mitigate the impact of these delays by recruiting and training additional staff and granting short-term private hire vehicle driver licences."A spokesperson for the mayor of London said his "deepest sympathies and thoughts" were with the Dale family and the concerns raised in their letter "would be looked into".
