What We Heard report released for new Yukon Public Lands Act

Press Release

May 12, 2025

The Government of Yukon is modernizing the Yukon Public Lands Act to better manage public land in a responsible and sustainable way. Feedback was gathered from the public, stakeholder groups, Yukon First Nations and transboundary Indigenous governments to inform the development of the new legislation. This feedback is now available in the What We Heard report.

The report summarizes feedback received during the engagement period from May and August 2024. Key themes included the management of activities on the land, permits and tenure, compliance, monitoring and enforcement as well as land planning and decision making.

The approaches presented in the engagement were developed by the Steering Committee for New Lands Legislation and reflected the vision for the new public lands legislation. There was a variety of feedback received on all the approaches presented.

Key findings include:

• Most participants supported the vision for developing new public lands legislation, however many noted the importance of finding ways to balance and coordinate all the interests for new legislation.
• Respondents stressed the importance of ensuring public access to public lands while using regulatory tools to appropriately mitigate or eliminate potential negative impacts.
• Many respondents expressed a need for increased land availability for housing through sales, long-term leases and improved options for permitting and tenuring land.
• Many respondents supported more First Nations involvement in decision making, compliance, monitoring, enforcement and the management of public lands.
• Many respondents support more public input into decision making and continued engagement during decision making processes.

Once the new act is in place, it will modernize land management in the territory and uphold Indigenous rights, balance public land interests, promote ecological health and sustainability and provide an efficient framework for authorizing and enforcing land use activities. It will also help to better manage public land activities like backcountry camping, trail-building, permits and leases and sale of land through tenders and lotteries to meet the needs of the Yukon’s growing population.

The development of this legislation is conducted by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from the Government of Yukon, Yukon First Nations, transboundary Indigenous governments and the Council of Yukon First Nations.

To view the What We Heard report, visit Yukon.ca.

Modernizing how we manage Yukon public land will have positive outcomes for all land users. We appreciate all the Yukoners who participated in the summer 2024 public engagement. Your feedback will help us to create a new Yukon Public Lands Act that supports development, sustainability and manages land responsibly into the future.

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker

Quick facts

• The Yukon is over 482,000 square kilometres. Much of this is public land or First Nations settlement land.
• Since devolution in 2003, the Government of Yukon has been responsible for administering two separate legislative regimes for two sets of public lands. The two acts have not been extensively reviewed since the 1980s.
• Modernizing this legislation is necessary to streamline and enhance land management processes and long-term planning through one piece of legislation.
• During the three-month process, there was an online survey which had 105 responses, 11 public meetings in communities across the territory and an invitation for input from 50 stakeholder groups. Yukon First Nations and transboundary Indigenous governments were invited to provide consultation input.
• The development of this legislation is conducted by a Steering Committee consisting of representatives from the Government of Yukon, Yukon First Nations, transboundary Indigenous governments and the Council of Yukon First Nations.
• For more information on the public engagement visit yukon.ca/engagements/new-public-lands-legislation

Media contact

Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
laura.seeley@yukon.ca

Kate Erwin
Communications, Energy, Mines and Resources
867-667-3183
kate.erwin@yukon.ca

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