Yukon minister defends mining amendments blasted by First Nations

Yukon’s mines minister says the territory’s decision to temporarily extend some placer mining licences is about ensuring assessors “have the time to do their work” in reviewing licence applications and renewals.

And Minister John Streicker says his government will work with First Nations to try to get their support for the move.

“We’ll do our best to work through these differences of understanding and make sure that they know what it is we’re trying to do and why we’re doing it,” said Streicker.

In May, the territorial government 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.

The move came 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.

Council of Yukon First Nations suggests possible legal action 

Yukon First Nations, however, blasted the amendments, saying they were made without engagement or consultation with them. They have called for them to be repealed, and the Council of Yukon First Nations has suggested possible legal action if they’re not. Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation Hähkè (Chief) Darren Taylor called the amendments a “betrayal” of the government’s commitment to collaborate on mining legislation.

Streicker calls it a “complicated thing,” and says that his government will meet with Indigenous leaders, like Taylor, to talk it through.

“I want to make sure that we’re working respectfully together. We totally believe in the final agreements, and the systems that we have in place,” Streicker said.

He said the permitting backlog is happening now in part because dozens of 10-year licences were up for renewal this year. The extension allows Yukon’s assessment bodies to stagger their workload over a longer period.

Only some of those licences are being temporarily extended, according to the minister. He said those are ones for which an extension would still fall within the scope of the original assessments done years ago.

“We’re not extending all of the applications. We’re extending those ones which had … gone through all of that work,” he said.

“Like they might have had a licence which got terminated, for example, say this spring, but that the scope that was in the decision [document] was already there saying that it could go to this fall.”

Striecker said that adds up to “about two dozen” placer mining licences.