Yukon Land Claims and Self-Government Agreements Implementation Report 2017-2022

General

Covid-19 deeply impacted the community and the nation as a whole. The Government had no emergency plan at the scale that was needed. When the pandemic happened, there was a team comprised of a few staff from each department that helped prepare a plan and steps to modify work that the Government does within the community. Services were greatly impacted and government offices were closed for two months. When the doors reopened, there was a return-to-work plan that started with limited numbers of people in the buildings and abiding by the "safe 6" protocols. Realistically, there are still gaps in some areas due to ongoing Covid-19 and its multiple variants. It has taken a long time for people to feel comfortable enough to start coming back together in larger numbers for events, programs, celebrations, funeral services etc.

Other activities during the reporting period included:

• Carcross/Tagish First Nation (C/TFN) assisted the Carcross/Tagish Management Corporation in beginning Wind Power Development
• Agreement signed with BMO and First Nations Bank to create a Citizens a market housing co-op in winter 2017
• Yukon Asset Construction Agreements signed for a new sewage lagoon in spring 2019
• Yukon Asset Construction Agreements signed for a new RCMP detachment in spring 2019
• Clan hiring team established and compromised of clan members that work directly with HR for screening and interviews in summer 2018
• Water declaration and legislation drafting process began in fall 2018

Infrastructure

A traditional camp was established on the Traditional Territory, at Jack Pine Point, for Citizens to have access to on the land programing and for staff to access for locations for meetings or workshops. The goal is to have family and community programs here in summer 2018.

Other infrastructure projects included:

• Construction of the Nares River bridge began its planning phases and a YACA was signed in 2017 with work beginning in 2018. This created many jobs within the community.
• New Government building was built in 2017. Its four offices, common area and small kitchen, houses the HR department.
• Pole rising ceremony was held at Haa Shagoon Hidi in summer 2018
• Construction of 15 single family housing units for Carcross & Tagish began in 2021
• Biomass chip storage was built in fall 2021

Health and Wellness Department

We were successful in establishing the Community Safety program that is modeled after the program that began with Kwanlin Dün First Nation. In addition, we:

• Received funding to have a Chootla Residential School program coordinator, where staff supported citizens in claim processes, did interviews with Indian Residential School survivors and family members, as well as, established a committee for planning around the residential school site within the community and how to move forward in a good way (including ground remediation etc.)
• Hosted the Bachelor of Social Work students from Yukon University. Students participated in a culture camp for a week where they were immersed in our traditional virtue, values and cultural ways of being and doing.
• Signed a funding agreement for a mental health in spring 2017

Governance Department

Teslin Tlingit Council, Taku River Tlingits and Carcross/ Tagish are all inland Tlingit nations (Dahk Ka Nation) and the three nations work hard to ensure that we do things united, as together we are stronger. The Dahk Ka Nations had their Haa Kusteeyi celebration which is a large inland Tlingit celebration that is held over three days. Each day is hosted by one of the Nations. Carcross hosted in 2019 which led to the community seeing over 1,500 people on each of the three days.

During the reporting period, other key activities involving the Governance Department were:

• Held an opening ceremony along with a pole rising ceremony was held June 2017 for the Learning Centre, the building is now called "Haa Shagoon Hidi"
• Hosted the CYFN General Assembly during summer 2017, which was one of the largest initial gatherings at Haa Shagoon Hidi
• Began participating at the Fiscal Negations table which has assisted in securing funding for Infrastructure. (ongoing)
• Held two elections, one for Haa Sha Du Hen and one by-election
• Made amendments to the Constitution and the Finance Policy which were approved by General Council in fall 2021
• Representative Public Service Plan with Yukon Government began its consultation and planning phases with First Nations and presentations were made to the Executive Council and Management Board in early 2017
• Received the Arctic Inspiration Prize for Peacemaking Circle training in February 2018, which was crucial in the development and ensuring that the program is able to continue to this day
• Completed a citizen-based priority report in 2020

Heritage Lands and Natural Resources Department

Carcross/Tagish First Nation, Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Ta'an Kwäch'än Council committed to working together on an Indigenous Land Relationship Plan: How We Walk with the Land and Water. A Regional Land & Water Relationship Planning by creating a unified First Nation vision for the Southern Lakes that is rooted in indigenous story, law, knowledge and affirmed by western science.

The BC Treaty team was established to participate at a negotiation table with our Dahk Ka relatives TTC, Canada and the BC government on our overlapping territory and the Governance of said territory.

Other activities involving the Heritage, Lands and Natural Resources Department were:

• Language immersion camps for each season have been held since 2017
• Indigenous land use planning was established in 2017, this is a joint agreement with two other Yukon First Nations
• Montana Mountain Management & energy plan was approved in fall 2018
• Venus & AGS mine funding proposals were approved
• Chilkoot trail co-management plan began its drafting process with Parks Canada and C/TFN
• Funding ($35,000) for wire removal was received to clean up the traditional territory
• Created a new partnership with a Yukon-based company North Star Agriculture Inc. to build the Yukon's first vertical aquaponics farm. The new farm created new job opportunities along with offering fresh greens and meat for citizens, elders and the community at an accessible cost.
• Andrew Zimmerman was in the Traditional Territory recording for the show Bizarre Foods and staff from Heritage, Lands and Natural Resources Department took him and his staff out on the land
• Renewable resource council revived the Caribou in School programs for students to learn about the animal and how to live with and respect them on our Traditional Territory
• C/TFN signed an agreement for the management of the Conrad historical site in 2018

Review of the Yukon First Nation Final and Self-Government Agreement

A comprehensive review of the Yukon First Nation Final and Self-Government Agreement was last completed in 2007. The Review contained a number of recommendations which were co-developed by all the Parties to the Agreements. It is unfortunate that these recommendations have yet to be fully implemented. Since that time, there hasn't been another review conducted.

Fiscal relationship

Implementation of Sections 14-18 of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Self Government Agreement provides the basis for the fiscal relationship with the Government of Canada. This includes our own revenue generation and the financial transfer arrangements. During this period, we saw some progress in how this relationship operates and how the First Nation Government can be funded to provide levels of service comparable to those prevailing in Yukon. We have also seen greater recognition of the required 'catch up' element whereby investments are needed to address historical deficits and gaps created by colonial policies and programs and chronic underfunding over many decades.

Combined with the moratorium on revenue 'offset' that penalized the First Nation in earlier times and was truly regressive policy. The 2017-2022 period saw Champagne and Aishihik First Nations able to invest 100% of its own revenues in needed social and community development, management of lands and resources and furthering its culture and language. However, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations has not realized any further access to a wider basket of tax revenue or resource revenue sharing over this five-year period and this remains a challenge.

With regards to financial transfers from Canada, the completion of the Collaborative Fiscal Policy in 2018 was a step forward; along with the Governance annex to the Policy, and through bilateral negotiation, the inclusion of appropriate Governance funding in the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations 2019-24 Financial Transfer Agreement in line with this Policy. The Governance funding was based on a Gross Expenditure calculation rather than transfer of existing Federal spend on Governance. This Agreement also saw addition of the Interim Lands funding increase and implementation of 'gap filling' funding in three budget years - 2018, 2021 and 2022 – and Champagne and Aishihik First Nations was able to use this funding to partially address long standing gaps in housing, infrastructure and to support critical programs such as Champagne and Aishihik First Nations languages.

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations continue to work with Canada to build the financial transfers in line with costs based on comparability in several critical areas, based on years of work that has occurred in recent years and a strong bilateral fiscal relationship.

Dän Ts'änānän program

The Dän Ts'änānän program provided new skill development, training and employment opportunities for our citizens over four years. It was funded by Employment and Social Development Canada.

Heritage, Lands, and Resources Department

Since 2017, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations have built up a team in the Heritage, Lands, and Resources Department to 16 staff. We have a full complement of Champagne and Aishihik First Nations citizens in our game guardian program (1 crew leader, 4 guardians) to monitor activities on the land. The information gathered informs a database for cumulative effects, changes in climate, animal behaviors, and human-caused disturbances. They also assist other Champagne and Aishihik First Nations departments with their culture camps and individual citizens (especially elders) in the preservation and exercise of subsistence rights. One of the challenges is addressing capacity shortfalls within our department to meet current workload. This is reactive management, dealing with external files, and not enough time to be proactive and build our own legislation or spend more time managing our own Settlement Land.

Our staff sit on a number of Committees and Boards (both internal and external) that are mandated to address the following (but not limited to): Fish & Wildlife, Heritage, Land Use Planning, Environmental Assessment, Park Management, Climate Change, Successor Legislation, Housing, Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Constitution and Emergency Planning.

Successor Legislation work

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations participated in the Successor Legislation work with Yukon Government and all other Yukon First Nation Governments (including Northwest Territories transboundary nations) to modernize the Yukon legislation as per the Yukon's Devolution Transfer Agreement.

Land-use planning

We need to work to complete land-use planning for Settlement Lands and the regional land-use plan for our Traditional Territory.

Traditional knowledge

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations would like to expand on programs to facilitate the transfer of knowledge, skills, and landscape awareness from our elders to our young future leaders. This is best done through opportunities on the land during trips, culture camps, harvest and other initiatives.

We would like to meet regularly with our Citizens to learn more about their traditional knowledge, identify important areas to them, hear their concerns on the land, and also use this forum as an opportunity to seek their guidance on our work files. Again, other third-party interests often get in the way of these important conversations.

Representative Public Service Plans

One of the challenges is regarding the Representative Public Service Plans (RPSPs). As noted in Chapter 22 of Champagne and Aishihik First Nation's Final Agreement, the Government of Canada and the Yukon Government are to develop and implement a representative public service plan. The goal is for their workforces to have a percentage of their employees that reflects the aboriginal and gender make-up of the Yukon population. There is also a need to increase the number of Yukon Indigenous people in technical, managerial and professional positions. The Yukon Government approved their Plan in 2019 with a 10-year time horizon. As of March 31, 2020, Indigenous employees represent 15% of the Yukon Government's workforce but only 7% of this number are Yukon First Nation citizens which is a concern. A hiring preference that allows first priority to be given to qualified Yukon First Nation candidates with a second priority to qualified individuals with aboriginal ancestry was undertaken. Despite these efforts the percentage of Yukon First Nation citizens in their workforce remains the same. The Government of Canada has not yet developed and implemented a Representative Public Service Plan.

Implementation Working Group inefficiencies

The Implementation Working Group consists of representatives from the Self-Governing Yukon First Nations, Yukon Government, the Government of Canada and the Council of Yukon First Nations. This Working Group has not been as effective as it could be. A work plan has been developed.

COVID-19

Champagne and Aishihik First Nations was proactive in its COVID-19 response. We received funding to assist with our efforts during the pandemic which has allowed us to place the funds where they were most needed. We had a strong coordinator who was supported by a Coordinating Committee. We created the Kwätsi Dän plan as a guiding document. During the pandemic we had a high vaccination rate among our citizens. Champagne and Aishihik First Nations established a wastewater monitoring program for respiratory viruses with the Village of Haines Junction which has provided us with vital information.

Aishihik Dam Agreements

We ratified and implemented the Aishihik Dam Agreements with Yukon Energy Corporation and the Yukon Government. We developed a sub-regional land-use plan with the Yukon Government to guide development activities along a portion of the Alaska Highway corridor.

Consultation concerns

We are challenged to spend more time to implement the Final Agreement provisions that protect the rights and interests of our citizens. We need to better understand what role Champagne and Aishihik First Nations can play in consultation engagements with other governments. At times, these consultations are viewed by Champagne and Aishihik First Nations as notifications rather than actually listening and understanding our concerns with proposed developments. This is a major shortfall and more time would allow our staff to educate other Governments how to work with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.

Adult Language Immersion program

We have an Adult Language Immersion program with the first cohort of 9 students graduating in 2021.

The second cohort started in the Fall of 2021. We are encouraged by the interest of our citizens to learn the Southern Tutchone language. Language revitalization is a key priority for Champagne and Aishihik First Nations since we have very few fluent speakers. It is a vital part of our culture which cannot be lost. We have found that healing occurs along with language learning. Our program has become grounded in ceremony, healing, culture and on the land experience. We want to see this important work continue, but we have been hampered by the lack of dedicated funding. We want to be able to expand into other language programming that could be offered to all our citizens.

Renewable energy

Kluane First Nation continues to make progress toward energy self-sufficiency through a transition towards renewable energy. 2017-2022 saw a groundbreaking ceremony for the Kluane First Nation wind turbine project and the finalization of all contracts for the development of a power-generating wind turbine on the shores of Kluane Lake. Initial discussions on the possibility of geothermal energy in Kluane First Nation Traditional Territory are underway.

Language

Kluane First Nation continues to prioritize the teaching and speaking of the Kluane dialect of Southern Tutchone. From 2017-2022, Kluane First Nation expanded the language nest programs, held a series of literacy workshops, developed a Southern Tutchone language guide, completed the traditional Burwash songs project with Kluane First Nation Elders and created a standalone Language department within the Kluane First Nation government.

Infrastructure

Community development and infrastructure projects continued to advance from 2017-2022. The Burwash Landing Water Treatment Facility came online, replacing the outdated facility that no longer met community needs. In addition, the Copper Joe Subdivision has expanded, with a number of new energy-efficient homes built for Kluane First Nation citizens. Planning is underway for future infrastructure needs as Kluane First Nation continues to prioritize 'bringing citizens home' to Burwash Landing.

Planning for the construction of the Kêts'ádań Ku ̨̀ (Burwash Landing School) has advanced significantly. 2017-2022 saw the successful negotiation of a Yukon Asset Construction Agreement between Kluane First Nation and YG; confirmed funding for the project from both the Government of Canada and Yukon Government; as well as a design for a building that will meet community needs for years to come.

Finance

Kluane First Nation participated in the Federal Fiscal Process over the last five years, working to establish a new funding relationship with the Government of Canada that will more adequately meet the needs of the Kluane First Nation government and its citizens.

From an economic development perspective, 2017-2022 saw a number of important achievements including the establishment of the Kluane Energy café, store and gas station serving the community of Burwash Landing and travellers on the Alaska Highway. In addition, Kluane First Nation successfully purchased 'Nana Je' (a commercial lodge on the Alaska Highway) that will serve both as a site for Kluane First Nation cultural gatherings, as well as a commercial opportunity for Kluane First Nation through rentals and special event hosting in the years ahead. Ongoing critical mineral exploration and associated agreements continue in Kluane First Nation Traditional Territory.

Many of the economic development initiatives were carried out by the Kluane Dana Shäw Limited Partnership and/or the Kluane Community Development Corporation. The former organization focuses on wealth generation by means of cooperative ventures such as limited partnerships. The mandate of the second corporation is to enhance community growth by providing local economic opportunities, community builds and infrastructure in the community.

2017-2022 marked Kluane First Nation's first 5-Year Constitution Review Cycle, where Kluane First Nation implemented a systematic 5-year approach to review and amend the Kluane First Nation's Constitution, with thorough citizen engagement as a hallmark of the new process.

Housing

Kluane First Nation has an interest, like other Yukon First Nations, in exploring approaches to allow registration of title in First Nation Lands for the purposes of allowing citizens to acquire mortgages for new homes. In 2017, Kluane First Nation commissioned a legal risk analysis of the registration of Settlement Land in the Yukon Land Titles Office.

This was followed by the establishment of a joint First Nations/Yukon Government working group to further explore the issue. The working group identified amendments to the Yukon Land Titles Act and regulations to mitigate identified risks, and amendments to the Kluane First Nation Self-Government Agreement. All three parties have approved the Self-Government Agreement amendments, and the Yukon Government has amended its Land Title Act, paving the way for Kluane First Nation to raise title to settlement land in the Yukon land titles office.

There remain additional amendments to clarify Yukon Government legislation with respect to the standard reservations and exceptions that apply to settlement land lease titles and other subsidiary titles. Discussion on this second round of amendments is expected to commence in late 2022.

Traditional Territory overlap

Kluane First Nation's Traditional Territory overlaps 100 percent with that of the White River First Nation, which has not negotiated a Final Agreement or Self-Government Agreement. This overlap causes ongoing difficulties with Kluane First Nation's implementation efforts, as many provisions within Kluane First Nation's Final Agreement do not currently apply in a large portion of Kluane First Nation's Traditional Territory, until the overlap is resolved.

Kluane First Nation is striving to work with the Government of Canada to resolve these overlap matters as soon as possible, so that Kluane First Nation can move forward with implementing many of the provisions in Kluane First Nation's constitutionally protected Final Agreement that currently do not apply.

House of learning

The new public school in Burwash Landing or Kêts'ádań Ku ̨̀, which means "house of learning" in the Southern Tutchone language of Kluane First Nation, will replace the aging Kluane Lake School located in Destruction Bay. For more than 60 years the existing school has been populated primarily by students residing in or near Burwash Landing who have had to rely on buses to get to and from school.

Kluane First Nation has been advocating for a school in Burwash Landing for decades, and 2017-2022 saw significant progress on this initiative. In July 2022, Kluane First Nation and the Yukon government signed a Yukon Asset Construction Agreement (YACA) conferring many benefits to Kluane First Nation and Kluane First Nation citizens during the construction phase of the school project. A Yukon Asset Construction Agreement is an important economic development provision within Chapter 22 of Kluane First Nation's Final Agreement, and the successful signing marks the first negotiated YACA in the almost 20 years since Kluane First Nation's Final Agreement came into effect. Implementation of the YACA agreement is underway, with many anticipated economic benefits for Kluane First Nation.

The Government of Yukon and Government of Canada have formally announced funding commitments to the or Kêts'ádań Ku ̨̀project, and design is underway with a planned completion date of 2026. A school in Burwash Landing will mean citizens no longer have to move away so children can attend school, which supports Kluane First Nation's broader implementation and self-government goals of demonstrating greater self-sufficiency, strengthening our community well-being and continuing to champion our education.

In collaboration with the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon, the construction of this new Kêts'ádań Kù will better serve children and families in the community for years to come.

The next steps include ongoing consultation with Kluane First Nation citizens, continued design and planning with the Kluane First Nation and YG project team, and work beginning on the site in the summer of 2023.

Education

Sufficient and ongoing resources are crucial as Kwanlin Dün First Nation is dedicated to lifelong learning with a holistic approach to wellness to support our citizens in meeting their goals and dreams for education, employment and increased self-determination. Reawakening our languages will have significant socioeconomic benefits. The Language and Culture support services continue to grow strong roots and build foundations of empowerment. In Education, the fully licensed early childhood education program has an emphasises on kindergarten readiness, health promotion, nutrition, parental and community involvement. The K-12 Education Support services for school age children includes community liaisons, tutoring and after school reading programs. The Pathways and Income Support and Post-Secondary Support services focus' on adult education and employment services.

Health

Kwanlin Dün First Nation also takes responsibility for the management and administration of health services. It is the sole Yukon First Nation with its own health centre. The Natsékhi Kų Health Centre provides Health promotion including comprehensive education, disease prevention and harm reduction. The scope of the programs benefits individuals from pre-conception into adulthood and includes immunisation, walk-in clinics and holistic health programming and community outreach. Home nursing care is available for Elders and qualified individuals that require additional care for periods of time. Counselling services provide culturally appropriate care for individuals and families with addictions, mental health concerns and family violence. They follow Kwanlin Dün standards and values.

Justice

Kwanlin Dün First Nation Justice has a mandate to provide a comprehensive range of community safety, restorative justice, family and child supports, enforcement, outreach and capacity building programs and services to families, children, youth, adults and elders. Initiatives are culturally founded and land-based in promoting social justice and responding to the needs and priorities of KDFN citizens. KDFN Justice is committed to building further capacity for the implementation of self-government, the laws of KDFN and Administration of Justice agreements focussed on building an inclusive society founded on protection of equality and human rights.

COVID relief

During COVID-19 citizens received relief cheques, access to emergency food allowances and rent relief. Food baskets were provided for individuals requiring support during isolation. Between 2021 and 2022 Kwanlin Dün First Nation provided COVID-19 relief in direct payments to citizens. Vaccines were provided to the community when available and proper precautions to prevent the spread of the virus were adopted and maintained. During this time Elders were supported by home and community care.

Education

During this time, 47 students graduated high school, 14 graduated university and 9 graduated from post secondary studies. Additionally, the Pathways Program, that was developed with community involvement, assisted 132 individuals. The Pathways Program mainly supports citizens receiving Income Support to participate in timely implementation of case management through Pathways Plans with support from the KDFN Circle of Care. The Circle of Care is based on the principles of the Medicine Wheel, which acknowledges that a journey toward healing and wellness must address a person's physical, emotional, and spiritual and mental needs.

Energy savings

Kwanlin Dün First Nation used Gas Tax funds to upgrade key buildings to keep communities brighter while also saving money. Old furnaces were replaced with energy efficient furnaces that use 25-30% less energy. Exterior lights have also been replaced with LED lighting that turn on automatically when it gets dark, helping to improve community safety. These new energy efficient lights contribute an additional 200% energy savings while keeping communities brighter.

Lands

KDFN is responsible to protect and promote KDFN cultural heritage by conserving areas of high heritage value; maintaining and creating opportunities for continued traditional use of the land; collecting and recording cultural data, artifacts, oral history.

KDFN must also protect its citizens' interests for current and future generations by administering settlement land in a responsible and sustainable manner; participating in the development of KDFN and other governments legislation and policies; providing opportunities and services to citizens to access settlement land for residential and traditional purpose; participating, through various roles, in the development assessment process for all activities proposed to occur within the KDFN traditional territory.

KDFN is participating in and developing a land use planning process to ensure settlement land development is well planned and reflective of KDFN interests, needs and values through meaningful, fair and transparent community engagement; participating in regional and local land use planning exercises.

Finally, KDFN, as a steward of the land, needs to protect fish and wildlife species and their habitat, including land, air and water, by being active on the land; monitoring or restoring areas of concern; reporting harmful activities; providing education aligned with KDFN cultural values.

Elder - Community Care Program

Kwanlin Dün First Nation is proud of our commitment to our Elders. Kwanlin Dün First Nation celebrates, supports and rewards them for their lifetime commitment to their nation. Municipal services provide garbage removal, water delivery, snow removal and pest control for Elders. Dozens of Elders are supported every year by the Community Care Program. They collaborate with other services to provide advocacy and support for Elders, especially those that require advanced care. During COVID-19, when Elders were particularly vulnerable, the community ensured that their Elders were provided for and kept as safe as possible.

Additionally, their lifetime of wisdom is utilised to educate the youth and ensure that they pass on their culture and experience to future generations. There is even an Elder's Day Program to prevent isolations and interact with the community. The program occurs 3 times a week and has over 1400 contacts year after year.

Staff

The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation has 133 permanent, casual, and seasonal employees in eight departments: Council Office (Dan yatthi yetth'i), Executive (Nakhwan nak'i hu e do), Governance, Finance (Dane dan do K'anete), Capital (Dan kezhi k'anete), Health and Social (Dan sothan nutl' et do), Lands, Resources, & Heritage (Nan nena Dan do k'anete), and Education.

The Youth Council is also active in having meetings on a regular basis.

Financial Transfer Agreement (FTA)

The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation continues to negotiate the Financial Transfer Agreements (FTA) with Canada. There remain several areas of the expenditure base that have not yet been aligned with the scope of LSCFN's treaty responsibilities. These include community infrastructure, education, justice, and housing.

Infrastructure/Capital

During this time period, the following is the Capital Infrastructure summary:

2017-2022

• Residential:
  • 4 duplexes
  • 7 Single detached
  • 2 Mobile homes
• Community buildings:
  • 2 Water storage buildings
  • Atco portable trailer
  • Major upgrades to the water treatment plant
  • Retrofit – Main administration building
• Water & septic
  • 10 water wells
  • 4 Septic holding tanks
  • 8 Septic fields
  • 1 New water truck
  • 1 New septic truck

Governance Department

The Governance Department, developed in October 2022, includes one Governance Director, Implementation Clerk, Traditional Law program, and the Enrollment program were added to this department. An Implementation Manager managed the department from the start of Self-Government.

The Governance Department is responsible for a sound framework of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation governance.

This department assists with policies and Acts/Laws within the First Nation government. The Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation created its Constitution in 1997; however, in June 2023, a Consolidated Edition (June 10, 2023) was made. Also, in June 2023, Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Election Act (Dan Nats Elaw) was passed at the General Assembly (GA). The Election Act will be available for the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation citizens on their November 2024 election.

Once we passed the law, the Governance Department began the work on the Governance Act. This Act is not complete at this time, but it is currently undergoing consultation and review. Another vital Act that is being reviewed is the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Lands and Resources Stewardship Law. To date, this law had several community consultations including elders, citizens, and youths. This draft law will be presented at the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation GA in June 2024, for additional consultation.

Lands and Resources

The lands, Resources & Heritage department (Nan Nena Dan do ki anete) continues to grow to provide a strong stewardship over the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Traditional Territory. The department includes: one director, Office Assistance, Fish & Wildlife, Manager, Game Gradians, River Rangers, Land Manager, GIS, Land Use Planner, Field Workers, Environmental Monitors, Mt. Nansen Coordinator, Environmental Coordinator, Policy Analysis, and a Mine Coordinator.

The Nan nena Dan do k'anete, continues to exercise jurisdiction over Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Traditional Territory and stewardship responsibilities relating to: land, water, mining, trapping, hunting (large/small games), fish, plantation, and forestry.

The Lands department continues to work on its Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Lands and Resources Stewardship Law. "The Lands and Resources Stewardship Law sets a framework for the exercise of Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation jurisdiction and stewardship responsibilities relating to lands and resources throughout Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation territory and settlement lands. Regulations made by Council will add detail to and will implement the framework, and allow phased implementation of the Law" (Drafted Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Lands and Resources Stewardship Law, October 6, 2023, p. 3).

Finance

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Finance continues to ensure that all financial audits are completed and is ready for presentation at our General Assembly annually.

Heritage

The Heritage department developed a plan to build a cultural building. The plan is a multi - year one; hence, the building will be completed in the future.

The Heritage department also offers Traditional way of life activities, which include: moose hide cleaning, moose hide tanning, sewing moccasins, traditional gloves, traditional mitts, learning to bead, hunting, preparing large/small game meat, learn to cut and dry moose/caribou meat, berry picking, and when there are salmon in the Yukon River, the citizens have an opportunity to learn to harvest and prepare the salmon.

Health and Social Department

The Health and Social Department continues to provide support to the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation citizens through seeking innovative ways in providing healthy living for the people's wellness through culturally appropriate physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental care.

In 2022, the department began researching and compiling information from the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation citizens on the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation Community Wellness Plan. In 2023, the team completed the plan. The following is the goal taken from the Community Wellness plan:

A key goal into this process was to develop a community Wellness Plan that builds on the community's priority, strengths, and resources. It was also intended to address resource gaps, issues and barriers by recommending new, effective programs and/or strategies

Education

In 2019, the Life Long Learning Department was implemented. The new department included the Daycare, Education, Language and Heritage, Dän'ki, Justice and Youth. More recently, Life Long Learning has become the Education Department, which will be more education focused. The structural shuffle removed Heritage, Dän'ki, Justice and Youth from the department and added Recreation. With additional staff both within the department as well as at Tantalus School, such as: Traditional Knowledge Advisor, Education Support, Cultural Education Coordinator, Language Manager, Language Immersion Coordinator and additional Language Instructors; the hope is to continue Life Long Learning from childhood to adulthood, with a large focus on teaching and learning the Northern Tutchone Language and culture though full-time immersion programming and newly developed curriculum in our community school.

Covid 2019-2020

On March 22, 2020, Yukon had its first case of COVID-19. Before the virus arrived in the Yukon, the First Nation government staff educated themselves on the Coronavirus. A COVID – 19 restriction plan was in place and introduced. All staff and visitors must use their personal protective equipment (PPE). All of the First Nation government offices provided hand sanitizers, face masks, and information on the virus at its entrance doors.

The restrictions included, limit people in the offices, no face to face gathering for meetings (Zoom computer software was introduced), wash hands and use hand sanitizer often, remain two meters from each other, and do not touch eyes, mouth, or nose.

Citizens and elders were required to remain at their homes; hence Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation government staff brought them their essential needs including: food, toiletries, COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment, and found ways to communicate with people without being close to one another. For example, all homes had a red sign, a green sign, and a yellow sign. They were placed in the windows of each of the citizens' homes. The green sign meant that they were Okay, while the yellow sign meant that they may need assistance, and finally, the red sign meant that they immediately needed help.

Although COVID-19 continues to be amongst the people, the First Nation government resumed its operation.

Traditional Structure

Ta'an Kwäch'än Council (TKC) has a strong traditional structure with cultural beliefs and values unique to its people. The First Nation's government comprises the General Assembly, Council, Elders Council, Youth Council, and the Judicial Council. The Council is composed of the Chief and Family Directors, which consist of 9 citizens from the six traditional family groups. All councils remained active over the five years. 2018 and 2021 marked a leadership election for Chief and Deputy Chief, resulting in a change in leadership. A by-election was subsequently held in January 2022 for Deputy Chief.

Housing

Ta'an Kwäch'än Council addressed key priorities and activities within its strategic plan (2018-2023). After conducting a comprehensive socioeconomic gap analysis, we began the process of undertaking three housing developments to address the housing crisis for our citizens. This is in addition to three affordable housing complexes that were completed by our development corporation, Da Daghay, within and for the community of Whitehorse to use.

Education and Culture

TKC continued to focus on education and training opportunities for citizens through apprenticeships, job preparation and life skill programming, and industry partnerships.

Ta'an Kwäch'än Council maintained and strengthened programs and services including cultural, community building, language, wellness, and education programs. Ta'an Kwäch'än Council undertook projects relating to environmental monitoring and restoration, including cultural and heritage sites, and salmon and caribou populations. Preparation for land use planning within our traditional territory was also and continues to be a priority. Ta'an Kwäch'än Council leadership and staff continued to participate in numerous regional and national committees that influence the First Nation's health, education, culture and heritage, economy, and environment.

Leadership

TKC's leadership focused on strengthening intergovernmental relationships with the territorial government, City of Whitehorse, and other Yukon First Nation governments. We developed, revised, and implemented multiple policies and continue to work on improving our legislation which is ongoing. During the reporting period Ta'an Kwäch'än Council held its General Assemblies once a year.

20th anniversary of Self Government

2022 marked the 20th anniversary of the signing of Ta'an Kwäch'än Council 's Self Government Agreement! This was an important milestone, which we celebrated at TKC's Fish Camp in July 2022 and acknowledged throughout the year.

COVID-19

A key challenge during this time period was managing the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020-2022. It was a difficult time on staff and citizens, as we tried to navigate and develop policies and procedures for an ever-changing situation. Ta'an Kwäch'än Council is very proud of our success with managing through this tough time. We were able to safely offer support and services throughout the pandemic. Assisted with providing information and resources, encouraged vaccine uptake, and maintained Elder care. Fortunately, TKC did not suffer any losses due to this virus.

Opioid Crisis

The Yukon territory is struggling with an opioid crisis, of which Ta'an Kwäch'än Council has not been immune. In addition to the loss of some key Elders over the past five years, our community has also suffered losses of our young ones to substance abuse. This has been incredibly challenging for our Nation as we struggle through our grief, compounded by the pandemic.

Turnover and retention

Another challenge we faced is staff turnover and retention, including at the management level where for several years TKC did not have an Executive Director. Particularly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have had challenges with filling vacant positions with qualified people, and many of our staff moved on to other organizations. We continue to prioritize the hiring and support of our citizens within our Administration.

Yukon First Nation Arts three-month intensive program

Ta'an Kwäch'än Council partnered with Yukon University and Kwanlin Dün First Nation to offer a special Yukon First Nation Arts three-month intensive program in 2021 and 2022. The purpose of this initiative is to support artists in learning new skills in their traditional crafts, as well as gain marketing tools to develop their businesses. Citizens who participated in the first year, were brought back as facilitators in 2022.

The program included six two-week modules that taught beadwork, sewing, fine craftwork, drawing and carving, and small crafts and product development. Graduates are prepared for work as independent artisans, producing original arts and crafts for the expanding local and international markets, or to help gain employment opportunities at community-based art production centres.

Students receive credits for each of the courses and all credits can be applied to the broader First Nations Art Certificate Program at Yukon University. This was a key highlight for Ta'an Kwäch'än Council, as we support and promote our citizens to continue traditional cultural activities, while also investing in a local business. Ta'an Kwäch'än Council offered multiple other sewing and crafting workshops over the past five years, which have gained increased participation and enthusiasm by participants. One of the most popular events was a parka making workshop, which was offered several times due to the long waitlist.

Elections Act

A new Elections Act was reviewed and approved by the General Assembly. This is the second election held under the Act. TH developed electronic voting regulations that have been approved and are currently in effect.

Governance Act

TH passed the Governance Act and have held two General Assemblies held under it. Researched and outlined associated policy and processes, which are currently in the drafting phase.

Administrative Appeals Act

The Administrative Appeals Act was Passed by the General Assembly. TH created the associated Tribunal, and its nominees are in place.

Justice

TH Implementation and Justice departments collaborated with UVic and ReLaw program to develop a Dënezhu-based legal framework and review Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in treaties through this lens.

TH has renewed negotiations on Administration of Justice with Canada and Yukon, and are currently working with the courts and Royal Canadian Mounted Police to implement Restorative Justice programs.

Fiscal Negotiations

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in is extending its existing Financial Transfer Agreement with Canada for a further 5 years, while continuing regional discussions on under-funded areas of the transfer base (e.g. education, infrastructure, Lands & Resources). Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in continues to participate in the federal fiscal policy process to co-develop new expenditure need methodologies to support good fiscal negotiations.

Education 17.7 renewal

TH has reinvigorated the Education Oversight Committee (EOC) with Yukon Education, including revised work plan and start of a renewed agreement on implementing s.17.7 of the Self Governance agreement.

Lands Act & Protected Areas

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in is participating in processes on Indigenous Protected & Conserved Areas, and aligning this work with a review of its current Lands Act.

Child & Family Services

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in established a new department called Ni'ehłyat Nidähjì ("Our children, our future") and signed a memorandum of understanding with the Yukon Government that includes work towards new legislation. We are currently working on a prevention model through community engagement.

Sustainability & Climate Change

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in developed its own strategy, and Implementation. We are actively working with other Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in departments to communicate and implement, to ensure Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in activities align with the strategy.

Dawson Land Use Plan

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in participated in the renewed Regional Land Use Planning Process under Chapter 11 of its treaty. It is currently reviewing the recommended plan from the planning commission.

Strong staff & relationships

The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Implementation department built strong capacity and established good relations with the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in community. It has successfully steered several pieces of new legislation through development. Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's Justice department has built a strong foundation for breaking new trails in implementing our jurisdiction in this area.

Improved Legislative Framework

The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Council, community and staff have successfully created or revised several key pieces of legislation that strengthen Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's governance foundations.

Fiscal Resources

Despite some welcome gains, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's on-going transfer agreement with Canada remains well below (~50%) of what is required to implement Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in's treaty responsibilities. Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in continues to rely on a very large amount of proposal-based funding to make up the gap.

Development Impacts

Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in continues to struggle with managing the huge level of industrial development underway and proposed in its Traditional Territory. This is primarily mining (both hard rock and placer) and includes tourism. Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in is actively participating in the process to update Yukon's laws on mining, and related legislation.

Housing

Recruitment and retention are always challenging due to limited housing in Dawson. TH continues to build new housing, but much of this is taken up by demand from citizens already on a waiting list.

Natural resource management and implementation

• Inter-Governmental Collaboration: Involvement in over 50 inter-governmental forums, working groups, caucuses, and technical tables supports the implementation of the Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA) and post-land claims mandates.
• Legislation Development: Established Steering Committees to develop new Yukon legislation for lands and minerals, ensuring respect for Aboriginal and treaty rights and promoting reconciliation.
• Yukon First Nations Procurement Policy: Adopted by the Yukon government and Yukon First Nations Chiefs in December 2020, with ongoing work to implement and support the success of this policy.
• Climate Vision and Action Plan: Partnered with the Assembly of First Nations Yukon Region, Yukon University, and RIVER to launch the Yukon First Nations Reconnection Vision and Action Plan.
• Yukon First Nation Salmon Stewardship Alliance: Established to work on stock restoration, traditional knowledge, indigenous worldview, technical research, capacity development, data sovereignty, and communications.

This work aligns with the UFA's goals for responsible land and resource management, ensuring the protection and sustainable use of natural resources.

Education and Culture

Housing

• Homelessness Initiatives: Developed Whitehorse's first-ever Point-in-Time Homeless Count (PiT Count) in collaboration with the Yukon Planning Group to address homelessness in the territory.

Initiatives like this contribute to the UFA's objectives of improving living conditions for First Nations, addressing homelessness, and informing policies to reduce it.

Justice

• Gladue Report Writing Program: Transferred to CYFN in August 2019 from Yukon Legal Services Society. The program aims to submit 35 Gladue Reports annually and ensure fair treatment of First Nations individuals in the criminal justice system. CYFN coordinates training for Gladue Report Writers and secured support for post-sentencing considerations.
• Justice Act and Rehabilitation: New Justice Act includes principles of rehabilitation, healing, and reintegration.

This work supports the UFA's goals for justice system reform, ensuring fair treatment and promoting rehabilitation and healing for First Nations individuals.

COVID-19 Relief

• Infant Care Supplies: Delivered approximately $15,000 in infant care supplies to 12 communities amid pandemic shortages.
• COVID Coordination Team: Established to manage communication and logistics, improving outcomes for communities by ensuring timely delivery of information and supplies.

This work aligns with the UFA's provisions for health and community support during emergencies, ensuring effective pandemic response and community resilience.

Health

• Treatment Funding and Counselling: CYFN has facilitated access to funding for treatment and counselling services for First Nations individuals. This includes mental health support, substance abuse treatment, and other therapeutic services, ensuring comprehensive care and support for the health and well-being of the community.
• Women's and Children's Shelter: Secured a land transfer for a new shelter to provide person-centered and culturally appropriate care.
• Yukon First Nations Birth Worker Program: Developed to share and reclaim traditional birthing practices, support prenatal resources, and provide culturally relevant support.

Programs like this support the UFA's health objectives, providing culturally appropriate care and improving health outcomes.

Food Security

• New Food Program: Secured funding for a program providing two meals a day, five days a week to Yukon First Nations rural communities. The initiative addresses food insecurity and involves multiple First Nations.

The New Food Program addresses food insecurity, aligning with the UFA's goals for enhancing the economic and social well-being of First Nations by ensuring access to nutritious food.

Successes

• Language Revitalization: Significant progress in preserving and promoting Yukon First Nations languages through digital initiatives, translation projects and the provision of training and resources.
• Education and Training: Successful establishment of the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate and training programs for family support workers.
• Justice Reform: Effective implementation of the Gladue Report Writing Program and progress in justice system reforms.
• COVID-19 Response: Timely and effective distribution of essential supplies and coordination during the pandemic.
• Food Security: Launch of a comprehensive food program addressing the needs of rural communities.

Challenges

• Systemic Issues: Ongoing challenges in addressing systemic issues within the justice and child welfare systems.
• Pandemic Impact: Navigating the complexities and unforeseen ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Funding and Resources: Ensuring sustained funding and resources for new initiatives and programs.

Honouring Connections Initiative

What is it? The Honouring Connections initiative addresses the systemic over-representation of First Nations in the child-welfare system by working to reunite children with their families, communities, and cultures.

Why was it undertaken? To support the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Call to Action #1 and to fulfill CYFN's goal of reducing the number of First Nations children in care.

Who was involved? CYFN partnered with Indigenous Services Canada, Yukon First Nations, and Camosun College.

When/where did it take place? The initiative has been ongoing from 2017 to 2022 across Yukon First Nations communities.

Outcomes or next steps? The initiative has fostered better cultural connections for children in care, and CYFN continues to implement methods to track and evaluate the program's efficacy.

Community based fish and wildlife plan

As directed by the community, ARRC is working to implement a Community Based Fish And Wildlife Plan for the Champagne and Aishihik Traditional Territory (CATT). This plan seeks to prioritize population recovery for freshwater fish and moose, harvest and population management of sheep, and revitalize the trapping industry in the Champagne and Aishihik Traditional Territory.

Outfitters

Ensuring that community members have proper equipment to harvest for themselves is important to ARRC. We meet with local outfitters for concessions when needed. Meryn's Yukon Outfitting and Kusawa Lake Outfitters donates locally harvested meat for seniors and low-income families that may not have the capabilities to harvest for themselves. The community and ARRC appreciate the continued and generous contributions from outfitters.

Forestry

Maintaining communications and providing input on local timber harvest management within Champagne Aishihik Traditional Territory is essential to ARRC's goals of sustainable renewable resources. The Strategic Forest Management Plan Indicators Committee was formed in 2019 to narrow down the 104 indicators listed in the 2004 Strategic Forest Management Plan for the Champagne and Aishihik Traditional Territory. Committee representatives include members from the Forest Management Branch, Alsek Renewable Resource Council and the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. The committee meets on a monthly basis.

Bison and Elk Management

ARRC continues to share the community's perspective to Bison and Elk Technical Team meetings. We also regularly provide input toward surveys, harvests and their role in bison and elk management.

Alsek Integrated Moose Management (AIMM) Project/Trapping

Moose harvesting is a concern for locals due to the hunting permit authorization system. Whitehorse has a greater population which makes harvesting opportunities for Champagne and Aishihik First Nations difficult.

The main vector to maintaining moose populations is through wolf trapping. While years 4 and 5 are not being funded by the YG. As this is a priority for ARRC, it intends to facilitate trapping by purchasing supplies and incentivizing the wild fur trade with training and supporting activities. The Wolf Trapping Program has a proven track record of success but requires additional support to have the desired impact on moose populations.

Wildlife Act Regulation Changes

There are currently delays in the approval process for Wildlife Act Regulation summary. Admissions that have been approved can take years to be implemented.

Challenges

The Alsek RRC, like many other organizations, struggled to fulfill its mandate and actively complete projects during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years because of Covid-19 restrictions. The ARRC planned a meat cutting workshop, a public outreach project for the Kathleen River and several other projects that were ultimately shut down because of restrictions on public gatherings.

Aishihik Advisory Committee

ARRC maintains council member participation on the Aishihik Advisory Committee for the Aishihik Water Use Licence and Fisheries Act Authorization Renewal. The committee provided a list of alternate actions for the hydroelectric dam to protect the health and maintain longevity of Aishihik Lake.

This contained an 800-page report detailing the environmental impact. The third license on the dam requires the Yukon Energy Corporation to work with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations to manage environmental and heritage concerns. This allows the community to have greater agency in how this resource is used.

5-year plans

Developed and implemented a five-year work plan to complete key objectives with partners Carcross/Tagish First Nation and Yukon Territorial Government. We're on track to complete the objectives set out in the five-year Community Based Fish and Wildlife Work Plan.

Social media awareness

The Carcross Tagish Renewable Resources Council Facebook page informed the public with educational and awareness campaigns for fish, wildlife, and fish and wildlife habitat concerns. Increased community engagement, awareness, and support by effectively using social media and image-based advertising campaigns.

Wildlife management

Assisted in funding aerial surveys of moose population and conducted first person surveys with longtime residents. This combination of science based and community-based Caribou management helps maintain sustainable populations. We sponsored and provided information for the Caribou in the Schools program.

Attended various conferences and events virtually and in the territory related to fish, wildlife, and fish and wildlife habitats. These include the Caribou Steering and Yukon Salmon Sub Committee meetings.

Successfully started a new multi-year local knowledge survey to track changes to the landscape. We supported the Yukon Government and Carcross/Tagish First Nation in erecting new educational signage for various wildlife habitats.

Community outreach

As part of a recurring project to observe changes to the landscape, CTRRC conducted a local knowledge survey with longtime residents to conduct general first-person accounts of the land.

We engaged the community respondents with an online survey to determine support for additional special habitat protection. There was a similar angler education survey and campaign at Southern Lakes fisheries.

Although we were limited by COVID restrictions, we hosted an annual On the Land Gathering, supported local trappers with programs and incentives, and participated in the Caribou in the School.

Pandemic concerns

Were challenged by pandemic related restrictions to host regular gatherings and events and to meet and engage with the public. The council was resilient in being able to adapt to using virtual communication for meetings and events and to share relevant information with the community that would normally be hosted in-person in workshops and events.

Quorum

Meeting quorum was challenging due to the Yukon Government's member appointment process. This caused delays with implementing programs and projects.

Yukon land use applications

As part of its ongoing activities the Mayo District Renewable Resources Council reviews land use applications for mining, forestry, farming and residential purposes. This involves discussions with the community as well as governmental delegates. In addition we constantly review new and revised territorial regulatory documents to make recommendations and keep communities informed.

Community meetings

The Mayo District Renewable Resources Council frequently hosts community events and meetings to obtain feedback and recommendations from local citizens. This includes meetings regarding mandates involving the territory. Annually we collaborate with other RRC's to compare common interests and collaborate on how to address concerns.

Habitat protection areas

The work plan for local Habitat Protection with the collaboration with the community and First Nations to ensure that their needs are met.

Fish and wildlife workplan

2019 was the start of the 5-year review of the Mayo Community-based Fish and Wildlife workplan. Covid quickly had council turn to flyers, questionnaires in the mail, interviews at Markets and on the phone to collect comments and concerns the community was seeing. This has extended the completion time from an average of 1 year to now into the 3rd year of work.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic limited what we could accomplish due to restrictions and limitations with in-person meetings. Travel to communities, which is essential to ensuring that their opinions are heard, was diminished. The territory is vast and communicating with communities with technology isn't always sufficient.

Hunting Regulation Change

Building on the 2017 moose survey of the North Klondike and Mayo Moose Management Units, Council continued to support more work to understand the populations. As a result, with the support and cooperation of the community, we were able to achieve a Hunting Regulation Change for the Mayo Unit to a Threshold of 11 moose. This is a direct result of sustained surveys and monitoring. North Klondike is still being closely monitored, as its population is dwindling also and is heavily hunted.

Funding referrals

Funding Referrals are additional opportunities for Yukon Indian People's Training Trust applicants to find sources of funding and training projects. For example: TPC successfully referred Liard First Nation to the Yukon Government's Policy and Partnership department for a larger portion of the funding for a Mill Training Project to provide on-the-job training for citizens. Due to the efforts of Liard First Nation's application, and the viability of the project, TPC knew this was an important training opportunity.

New TPC Website

In order to achieve our strategic goals, we built our new website. The new website allows us to better manage and update our content while making it mobile friendly. Crucially, we added a section to formally acknowledge TPC's commitment to reconciliation and encourage others to assist in reconciliation. All Canadians have an obligation to participate in reconciliation to rebuild relationships with Indigenous peoples.

Communication Strategy

To ensure TPC's message is properly conveyed to its intended audience, we developed a Communication Strategy. This champions both internal and external relationships with our audience by including key informant interviews (KII's) with Yukon First Nations as well as a Strengths/Weakness/Opportunities/Threats (S.W.O.T) analysis and appraisal of our crucial services. The Communication Strategy provides us with a way to implement our strategic goals while also providing communication and awareness of TPC. It's essential that Yukon First Nations Individuals are aware of the training, support and services we have available.

Summer Student Mentorship

As part of the coaching and membership approach to reigning, TPC hired a summer student for a 16-week work placement. She provided valuable firsthand insight as a first nations youth with an education background and proficiency with social media and Yukon First Nation language revitalization. This was a mutually beneficial arrangement as the student developed firsthand work experience while TPC benefited from her skills with minimal external funding.

Yukon Indian People Training Trust (YIPTT)

Created in 1995, the YIPTT is managed and administered by TPC to help beneficiaries obtain the necessary training to implement their land claims and self-governing agreements. Currently, all 14 Yukon First nations are eligible to apply for funds and the TPC manages applications for capacity building projects. TPC members are Trustees of the YIPTT and have a legal obligation to manage it in accordance with the Trusts Indenture Agreement.

Project funding

Funding programs and training for beneficial uses is one of TPC's primary functions. These programs provide training and job opportunities for Yukon's First Nations. TPC's goal is to find and fund projects that will have the most beneficial impact on the socio-economic development of Beneficiaries. Ultimately, TPC utilizes YIPTT funds to respond to the needs of Yukon First Nations. These projects include:

• Language Immersion Training, Vuntut Gwitchin Government
• Records & Information Management (RIM) Training (Part 1 & 2), Kwanlin Dün First Nation & Teslin Tlingit Council. RIM Symposiums open to all YFNs.
• Land Registry Training, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in (Open to all Self-Governing First Nations)
• Cultural Orientation Workshop Development, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in
• 'Our Voices' Emerging Leaders Training, Kluane First Nation (Open to all Self-Governing First Nations)
• Indigenous Leadership and Management Development, Ta'an Kwäch'än Council (TKC) & Kwanlin Dün First Nation
• Teaching and Working Farm School, Tr'ondëk Hwëwch'in (Open to all YFNs)
• Transitional Employment Training Program, Carcross Tagish First Nation
• Finance Training, Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation
• Microsoft Office Computer Training, Carcross Tagish First Nation
• Communication and Media Training, Council of Yukon First Nations & Kwanlin Dün First Nation (Open to all Self-Governing First Nations)
• Mental Health Training, Vuntut Gwitchin Government
• Learning Series YFN, Government of Carcross Tagish First Nation
• Home Renovations And Life Skills Training Yukon First Nation, First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun

Strategic Plan

TPC's Strategic Plan includes helping Yukon First Nations and partners access our training approaches that work for first nations, and improving support for Yukon First nations to access services relevant to their training needs. We achieved this by implementing Yukon First Nation specific tools and providing a membership and coaching approach to learning. This momentum led to completion of goals of increasing efficiency and effectiveness as well as utilizing YIPTT for beneficial uses. Additional strategic plans are being developed as we continue achieving our goals.

Wayfinder

Wayfinder is a comprehensive web-based tool with training opportunities, employment links, capacity development research and information on local funders. This allows for up-to-date information that is easily accessible. The TPC leads the way in providing and transferring training information in its database. Throughout 2017-2018, TPC was able to populate the site with relevant information and launch it to the public. The site is community populated based on outreach from content providers including trainers, employers and Yukon First Nations.

Working Groups

The board utilizes working groups to respond to urgent or emergent concerns that affect the Yukon's fish, wildlife and their habitats. This can include regulations, policy, legislation, research and program initiatives. Examples include angling, which explores regulatory options to address fish populations, fishing regulations and the ethics of catch and release fishing. Trapping, which is concerned with revitalizing Yukon's trapping industry and working with Renewable Resources Councils, trappers unions, and the department of economic development. There are numerous working groups that engage with the government to ensure that our mandate is implemented. Additional working groups are developed dynamically as our capabilities evolve and situations change.

Changes to Regulations under the Yukon Wildlife Act

The Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board reviews proposed regulation changes to the Yukon Wildlife Act. This is a public review involving an online survey with 250 responses and meetings with the public. The board subsequently advances recommendations to the Minister of Environment.

Outreach with Yukon First Nations Governments

YFWMB has a commitment to meet and reconnect with both settled and unsettled First Nations Governments. It is essential to understand the needs and priorities of each First Nations Government with Fish and Wildlife Management. These governments are conservation minded and share the guiding principles behind decision-making. With the feedback from these meetings we hope to facilitate a Yukon-wide strategy for community based fish and wildlife management while protecting indigenous harvesting rights.

The Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee

Pursuant to the Umbrella Final Agreement 16.7.17 the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board established the Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee. It functions independently and is the main tool of Salmon management. It focuses on conservation management and makes recommendations to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on every matter related to salmon in the Yukon.

Wildlife Management Plans

In collaboration with the Yukon Government, the Grizzly Bear Conservation and Management Plan Working Group drafted a plan with a 25 year vision to preserve grizzly populations throughout the Yukon. Public engagement was solicited through online forms and public meetings with over 200 participants. The Yukon Government will consult with Yukon First Nations Governments to develop the final plan. Similar plans for Wolves and Bison are currently underway.

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic affected daily operations as well as limiting our ability to meet with the public and represent their interests in our work. Staff worked from home to limit the spread of the virus and prepared for meetings via phone and video. Luckily we managed to maintain our momentum despite these changes. We pivoted to working digitally and increased the frequency of meetings. In-person meetings within Working Groups occurred outdoors, masked and socially distanced. In person meetings and community outreach gatherings resumed as the threat of the virus subsided and it was deemed safe to do so.

Eurasian Wild Boar

The Board, and the Renewable Resources Councils and First Nations communities wrote letters of recommendations to the Minister of the Environment to ban wild boar in the Yukon. They are an invasive species that threaten fish and wildlife populations. Our recommendations were set aside; however, we will bring the matter up in subsequent conservation proposals.

Alex VanBibber Sharing the Land Scholarship

The late Alex VanBibber was a Yukoner with the quintessential respect for the land, fish and wildlife that the board wishes to honor. The YFWMB and the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Trust awards two $1000 scholarships to post-secondary students who demonstrate how their education goals align with respectful relations between people and animals that share the Yukon. This scholarship hopes to continue his legacy and encourage his knowledge and respect.

Reviews, Recommendations, and Activities

The Yukon Heritage Resources Board reviews and makes recommendations to Governments, performs its decision-making function, and participates in a variety of heritage initiatives. The Board undertook the following mandate-related activities during the reporting period:

• Made recommendations to Yukon Government related to museums and cultural centres policy, strategies, and funding and participated in the Yukon's annual Museums and Cultural Centres Roundtables
• Made recommendations to Yukon and Yukon First Nations with heritage legislation regarding development of paleontological regulations
• Reviewed nominations and made recommendations on Historic Site designation for and management of the Watson Lake Air Terminal Building and Archdeacon McDonald Memorial Church and St. Luke's Church sites and participated in site designation ceremonies
• Reviewed and made recommendations on new or revised management plans for Lansing Heritage Site, Fort Selkirk Historic Site, and Tsei Zhełle Ani/Kadagáaxi Te/Conrad Historic Site and attended plan signing ceremonies
• Reviewed and made recommendations on updating of public documents related to nominating sites for Historic Site designation
• Made recommendations to Yukon about issues and resourcing related to archives
• Made recommendations to the Parties on cooperative management of heritage under the Final Agreements and participated in observer capacity in the intergovernmental Heritage Working Group
• Provided input to the Yukon Mineral Development Strategy, Beaver River land use planning, and Yukon's Off-Road Vehicle regulations planning processes
• Worked with legal counsel to develop an implementation handbook for the Board's decision-making responsibilities set out in sections 13.3.2.1 and 13.3.6 of the Final Agreements
• Reviewed and provided feedback to Canada on the 2020 Minister's Round Table on Parks Canada
• Provided input to Parks Canada's Cultural Heritage Legislation and Policy Review Team on a variety of legislation, policy, and procedures issues
• Made recommendations on development of federal regulations for the protection of heritage wrecks, updating of the Cultural Property Import and Export Act, and Indigenous language legislation
• Reviewed and made recommendations on draft management plan for the S.S. Klondike National Historic Site
• Made recommendations to Canada and Yukon about provision of assistance and resources related to residential school records and burials
• Participated on the Klondike National Historic Sites advisory committee and provided relevant input and recommendations to Canada
• Reviewed and made recommendations on the draft heritage management plan for the Keno Hill mining district
• Annually, reviewed and made recommendations regarding allocation of funding through the Yukon Historic Resources Fund (YHRF) program, as well as YHRF program documents, administration, public engagement, and fund enhancement
• Provided input to the process of nominating Tr'ondëk-Klondike for World Heritage Site designation
• Participated in an observer capacity in the annual Provincial and Territorial Museum Associations meetings
• Reviewed and provided input to the process for developing the Yukon's new cultural industries strategy
• Participated on a Government of Yukon committee to identify and plan for climate change impacts

Outreach activities

Between 2017 and 2022, the Board conducted a variety of outreach and public engagement activities. The Board undertook the following outreach activities during the reporting period:

• Worked with partners to facilitate the Heritage Fairs program as a way to foster appreciation for Yukon history and heritage among youth
• Conducted numerous outreach and public engagement activities in a variety of venues
• Updated and distributed Board informational resources
• Provided training for the Yukon College Heritage and Culture Certificate program

Board operations

Between 2017 and 2022, the Board undertook a variety of activities related to its internal operations. The Board undertook the following activities related to operations:

• Continued discussions with the Parties to clarify its decision-making mandate and responsibilities and access to related funding
• Continued to update policies, procedures, and training plans to streamline internal operations, provide guidance for Board members and staff, facilitate communications, and align activities with the Board's mandate
• Initiated and continued discussions with the Parties on issues related to Board training access and honoraria rates
• Initiated and completed development and implementation of a new strategic plan
• Developed and instituted new operational practices in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Training

Between 2017 and 2022, the Board undertook a variety of training activities, including the following:

• Participating in a variety of training, conferences, and events to further Board members' understanding of the Board's mandate and enable them to continue providing informed and relevant recommendations to the Parties
• Working with legal counsel to develop specialized training related to the Board's decision-making responsibilities set out in sections 13.3.2.1 and 13.3.6 of the Final Agreements
• Developing and undertaking training related to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

YSSC Strategic Plan 2020-2025

In 2017, we began developing a Strategic Plan. This was undertaken as a means to clearly state what our priorities would be during this time period and to convey those to Government, Yukon First Nations, and our partner boards and committees and non-government organizations.

In March 2017 we held a two-day engagement workshop in Whitehorse, involving the Parties of the Yukon First Nations Final Agreements and facilitated by ESSA Technologies from Vancouver. Additional stakeholder interviews were conducted, including past YSSC members who were interviewed to highlight successes and challenges.

A draft plan was prepared by YSSC and ESSA and sent to members for review. A plan update was provided in November 2017 at a regular YSSC meeting in Haines Junction, and the YSSC held a further session to review the strategic priorities (facilitated by Dennis Zimmermann of Big Fish Little Fish Consultants). Throughout the following two years, we reviewed several drafts and requested additional feedback when required. We faced some challenges related to staff capacity and turnover, and faced with a time challenge related to the ESSA contract, the YSSC internally undertook to finish the Strategic Plan created by ESSA in partnership with Big Fish Little Fish Consultants.

This process was a long one that resulted in the creation of one strategic objective and seven strategic activities to guide the YSSC over the years 2020-2025. The Plan was completed and published in 2019. Our Strategic Objective highlights the importance of Traditional Knowledge to the YSSC, and our efforts to incorporate it into all of our activities including long term planning, decisions, and recommendations.

We continue to work on all of these activities and have made significant progress on some, such as increasing Alsek River drainage engagement.

Meetings, Councils and Assemblies

The Yukon Land Use Planning Council held 24 regular Council meetings, 19 working sessions, and attended/hosted many conferences, events, General Assemblies, and gatherings during the reporting period. COVID-19 caused a disruption of normal office functions and Council activities beginning in the spring of 2020 continuing to the spring of 2022. Many of the communications and engagement opportunities normally available were negatively affected.

Outreach

In November 2021, the Council hosted an online Land Relationship Gathering with the intent of embracing Yukon First Nations Indigenous Planning and Traditional Knowledge in regional planning.

Other Key Activities

• Developing mechanisms for engagement and dialogue with Government of Yukon, First Nations, stakeholders and the public
• Undertaking analysis and providing feedback related to the Adequacy of Land Claims Implementation Funding Review. This included preparing funding estimates for future resource needs of regional planning by the Council and Commission
• Linking and integrating Chapter 11 planning with other resource management work occurring in the territory, with a focus on other land claims bodies (e.g. YESAB and YFWMB)

Planning

In collaboration with the regional planning commissions, we developed a solid foundation to begin their work. This includes clear roles, responsibilities, and relationships. Thus, clarifying the future of regional commissions beyond plan production and developing agreement amongst the Parties as to approved plan implementation processes.

The regional land use planning process is frequently assessed and continues to affect positive changes to relationships, products and outcomes. This is achieved with collaborative work with partners, exploration of indigenous planning and traditional knowledge approaches.

Assistance

We helped implement the North Yukon and Peel Watershed Plans and assisted the Dawson Regional Planning Commission by contributing the technical, financial, administrative, and human resources support.

Additional Resources

• A Yukon Regional Land Use Strategy: A Jurisdictional Analysis and Proposed Framework for Planning and Sub-regional Planning in the Yukon
• A Frequently Asked Questions document regarding the role of Yukon First Nations in regional planning in the Yukon
• A Pilot Study of Surface Disturbance in Eagle Plains, August, 2021: an important milestone in the cumulative effects assessment aspects of the implementations of the North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan as it provides a benchmark to measure future change
• A video of Yukon First Nations' relationship with the land for the introduction of the 2021 gathering
• Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow; tracking progress on regional land use planning annually
• The Council developed a new logo, the theme being "Planning for a brighter future", released summer 2022.

Collaboration with Yukon Forum Regional Planning Leads

The Council developed working relationships with Yukon Forum Regional Planning Leads, building on the instruction from the Yukon and First Nation Government, in 2019. Following interviews with the Leads, a series of workshops aimed at advancing regional planning in the territory were convened in 2020-21 and a report was prepared for YLUPC and Leads. This work is expected to improve planning processes and outcomes.

Working Groups

YLUPC formed an Indigenous Planning and Traditional Knowledge (IPTK) working group. Related work included a review of the strength of IPTK in approved regional plans and facilitating a gathering with FNs and YG on this topic.

Recommendations

Under Section 11.3.3 of the Umbrella Final Agreement, the Council made the following Recommendations:

• The Council submitted recommendations to the Yukon Mineral Development Strategy Panel in September 2020. Many of these recommendations were addressed in the Panel's final report
• The Council submitted cumulative effects recommendations arising from the Total Impact Workshop in 2019. Recommendations were to establish a monitoring network, establish benchmarks and thresholds, improve data sharing, prioritize effective regional land use planning, update legislation, provide funding, establish interim measures while waiting for land use planning, integrate management for cumulative effects, prioritize relationships, and focus on the future

Planning Delays

The Supreme Court of Yukon and Supreme Court of Canada cases related to the Peel Watershed land use plan paused the advancement of regional plans between 2014 and 2018, since the signatories to the First Nation Final Agreements did not want to proceed with planning while the approval process was uncertain.

Regional planning processes are hindered by the uncertain role of Yukon First Nations without settlement agreements, and of transboundary First Nations without settlement agreements and with traditional territories in the Yukon.

Other challenges include the lack of response and ratification procedures for Yukon Land Use Planning Council recommendations; uncertainty with respect to the long-term existence of regional commissions; and funding uncertainty to complete plans. COVID-19 had impacts on planning processes.

Undertaking YESAA reviews of proposed projects with approved land use plans has been a significant challenge, the uncertainty of the Council's role in such responsibilities and the additional burden on staff and Council.

Determining how to integrate indigenous planning and traditional knowledge into regional planning, which has a tendency to rely on western science methods and approaches, has been a challenge.

Dawson Regional Land Use Plan

On June 1, 2021, the Draft Dawson Regional Land Use Plan was provided to the parties and publicly released on June 15, 2021. After undergoing an extensive public engagement process, the Recommended Plan was nearing completion as of the end of 2021- 22. (The Recommended Plan was delivered to the Parties June 10, 2022)

Events

The Yukon Land Use Planning Council hosted the following events:

• Peel Decision and Beyond, March 21, 2018.
• Total Impact: Our Collective Footprint (cumulative effects) workshop, March 12-13, 2019.
• Land Relationship Planning Gathering, (indigenous planning and traditional knowledge workshop) online on November 24-25, 2021.

Settlement land

In relation to settlement land, the responsibilities of the Board include:

• resolving access disputes between a Yukon First Nation and a person with a right to enter and use, cross, or stay on that Yukon First Nation's settlement land
• resolving access disputes between a Yukon First Nation and a person with right to access settlement land
• resolving disputes between Government and a Yukon First Nation relating to Government's use or restoration of gravel quarries located on settlement land
• determining the compensation to be provided to a Yukon First Nation for the expropriation of settlement land

Non-settlement land

In relation to non-settlement land the primary responsibility of the Board is to resolve disputes between a person with a right or interest in the surface of the land, for example a landowner, and a person who has a right of access to that land under a mineral right. The Board has specific responsibilities under the Placer Mining Act (Yukon) and the Quartz Mining Act (Yukon) to hear and determine disputes about compensation to be paid under those Acts for loss or damages, and about the adequacy of security required by the mining recorder. The Board also hears interpretation disputes of certain provisions of the Laws of the Legislature of Yukon that have been identified in regulations and which confer rights of access to exercise a mineral right.

Additional responsibilities of the Board are set out in other laws and agreements including the (Yukon), the Expropriation Act (Canada), the Radiocommunications Act (Canada), and individual Yukon First Nation Final Agreements.

The Board's process starts when the parties are unable to reach an agreement and a party applies to the Board.

Communications

Pursuant to section 38 (a) of the Yukon Surface Rights Board Act:

'The Board shall keep a public record of all applications made to the Board and orders and other decisions made by the Board in respect of applications'.

Listings of the Board's public record, summary of access to information requests, governance and procedure documents, and publications can be accessed from the Board's office or website (www.yukonsurfacerights.ca). The Board's office, located in Whitehorse, is equipped with a reading room for the viewing of the Board's public records and reference material.

Public relations

During the past 5 years, the Board maintained an office in Whitehorse, updated the Board's web site, produced and distributed the Board's annual report, and attended public functions and meetings.

Industry relations

The Board kept industry informed by:

• attending and/or hosting a booth at industry functions such as the Yukon Geoscience Forum and the Dawson City Gold Show
• including industry associations on the Board's consultation mail-out list

First nations relations

The Board was available to meet First Nations whom requested and to provide information and guidance respecting the Board's legislation and procedures. Annually, the Board provides each Yukon First Nation and all UFA boards and councils with a copy of the Board's annual report. All Yukon First Nations and UFA boards and councils are included on the Board's consultation mail-out list.

Government relations

The Board keeps in contact with First Nations', territorial, federal and municipal governments. This often requires attending workshops with the various governments when invited. The Board submitted funding reports to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development and activity reports to the federal Access to Information and Privacy Commissions.

Participation in related initiatives

During the five years the Board has:

• provided information when requested, for Federal Government updates;
• updated its communications material;
• marketed the Board's role and process;
• participated in Board member development initiatives; and
• developed and implemented in-house training opportunities.

Training

Due to Board member turn-over the training requirements of the Board are on going to meet new member capacity needs. The issues that come before the Board are complex in nature and require Board members to have a broad understanding of a wide range of issues. Some of these include:

• the Umbrella Final Agreement and First Nation Final Agreements and their respective Implementation Plans;
• administrative law and the principles of natural justice;
• dispute resolution;
• mining and land use legislation;
• mining and land use best practices;
• a variety of legislation governing the Board and its administration, and
• land use and legal issues.

Board members and staff participate in relevant training and conferences to maintain and develop capacity. The Board retains legal counsel and is regularly briefed on legal decisions that are directly or indirectly related to its jurisdiction or process. The Board has been developing a dynamic in-house training manual for new and existing Board members.

Licensing

Between 2017 and 2022, the Board issued 476 licences and advertised 499 applications for public comment. Licences for placer undertakings account for the majority of these licences (78%), with miscellaneous (8%), municipal (7%), quartz (3%), and hydro (2%) comprising the remainder. Agricultural, industrial, and recreational licences make up a small portion (<1% each) of the number of licences that the Board administered from 2017 to 2022.

Public Hearings

The Board held public hearings for the following water licence applications:

• QZ18-044, Alexco Keno Hill Mining Corp.
• QZ14-041-1, Strata Gold Corporation (now Victoria Gold Corp.)
• MN20-008, City of Whitehorse
• HY22-016, Yukon Energy Corporation, Aishihik Generating Station

The Board also held a public interest hearing that sought input about Placer Mining in wetlands. This was the first public interest hearing that the Board had held of this type in over 10 years.

Rules of Procedure Update

Updates to the Board's Rules of Procedure came into effect in June 2021. The update contributes to a modernization of the Board's rules, policies, and guidance to align with current practices. Updates to the Rules last happened in 2010. The Rules now provide more detail about how the Board operates regarding its statutory obligations and responsibilities under the Yukon First Nation Final Agreements. The updates are also part of a larger Board initiative to improve and consolidate many of the Board's rules, policies, and guidelines and done under the authority of the Waters Act.

Other Key Activities

Other notable key activities by the Board between 2017-2022 include:

• Development of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Yukon and Yukon Water Board, promoting greater clarity and understanding between the parties regarding Yukon's regulatory process and respective roles for Secretariat staffing and administration. The MOU was signed in November 2018.
• Joint initiative with the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board for an initiative on process alignment.
• Endorsement of the Government of Yukon's Guide for developing Water Quality Objectives and Effluent Quality Standards for Quartz Mining Projects
• Endorsement of the Government of Yukon's Guidelines for Developing Adaptive Management Plans in Yukon
• Reclamation and Closure Plan Review and Security Determination Pilot Project with Yukon Government.
• Participation and presentations at Yukon Geoscience Forum.

Successes

The Board held a public interest hearing on October 27-29, 2020, the first to occur in the last decade. The hearing was not about any specific licence application, but rather advanced the discussion about placer mining activities in wetlands. It culminated in a What We Heard report and recommendations to the Minister to form a technical advisory working group to tackle many of the issues that the Board heard during the hearing.

Completion of updates to the Board's Rules of Procedure came into effect in June 2021. These updates reflect a modernization of the Board's operations that is consistent with its statutory and common-law obligations as an administrative tribunal. In addition to the Rules, the Board published its Operations and Administration Manual in 2020, which advances the broader initiative of rules, policies and guidelines consolidation.

The Board published its compensation guidelines in May 2018. The guidelines address compensation issues the Board considers during the licensing process. The compensation guidelines provide a framework for making compensation claims to the Board consistent with both the Waters Act and Chapter 14 of the Yukon First Nation Final Agreements.

Challenges

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act (YESAA) requires that the Board implement a Decision Document during the licensing process. YESAA also prohibits the Board from licensing or setting licence conditions that conflict with a project's Decision Document. These requirements present a challenge when Decision Document terms and conditions constrain the Board's licensing options or are unclear in their intent or effect respecting water licensing. The Board is challenged in implementing Decision Document terms and conditions and in making sound, evidence-based licensing decisions as the result of a public process.Another challenge that the Board has faced is an increase in the complexity of applications. New, renewal and amendment applications for several complex major mines, hydro projects, and Class 4 placer operations increase the demand for the administrative and technical support that the Secretariat provides to the Board. These types of applications also demand more time and effort by the Board during deliberations to complete the decision-making process.

Finally, during 2023 the Board faced challenges with the Government of Yukon regarding staffing actions of the Director position, which had a direct impact on the Board and Board staff operations. While the Government of Yukon provides the Board with staff from the Yukon public service, the Board and Board staff function as one institution, dependent on each other, with the Board staff owing a duty of loyalty to the Board. Consequently, the Board and Government of Yukon revisited the existing 2018 memorandum of understanding (MOU) to improve and clarify our understanding of the independence of the Board, and a revised MOU was approved by both parties in December 2023. Further, the Director job description was also revised to also clarify this independence in 2023. The Board is looking forward to a more positive relationship with the Government of Yukon with respect to the duties and mandate of the Board.

Executive Council Office

The Government of Yukon and Yukon First Nations jointly meet with federal ministers annually for Yukon Days. Building off their work through the Yukon Forum, the Government of Yukon and Yukon First Nations leaders bring a shared voice at Yukon Days to advocate for federal policies and investments that respond to Yukon priorities.

Accomplishments through the Yukon Forum and Yukon Days that support the advancement of implementation activities include:

• Signing the Working Together Declaration (2017);
• Completing an agreement on joint priority areas including justice, heritage, education, health, land claim agreement implementation, fiscal relations, and fish and wildlife;
• Approving a joint priority action plan; and
• Working together to advance plans to investigate all former residential school grounds in the territory.

The Implementation Working Group brings territorial, federal and Yukon First Nations with Final and Self-Government Agreements together to discuss implementation issues and act on shared priorities. From 2017 to 2022, participants collaborated to finalize Section 17 Amendments, advance the Chapter 22 review process, raise the profile of land use planning, and discuss an equitable path forward for board and council honorarium.

The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act gives effect to provisions of the Final Agreements. In 2017, a Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act Reset Memorandum of Understanding was established. In 2018, an Oversight Group was formed to improve policy processes and legislation.

In 2021, the Executive Council Office launched an annual magazine called Pathways. The magazine highlights stories from the public service on collaboration, partnership, and reconciliation. The first edition published in 2021 focused on implementation actions and projects.

Department of Community Services

On June 21, 2017, National Aboriginal Day became a statutory holiday in the Yukon. In 2021, it was officially renamed National Indigenous Peoples Day, to reflect modern language.

The Department of Community services worked with several First Nations on land-planning and subdivision-development projects, including the Frances Avenue Development in Watson Lake and Range Point in Whitehorse.

Under Chapter 17, Initial Attack Fire Crew Agreements were developed between Wildland Fire Management and all 14 Yukon First Nations. These agreements were expanded to include additional crew services agreements with Yukon First Nations Wildfire.

Department of Economic Development

In 2019, the Government of Yukon provided $2 million to the Yukon First Nation Investment Corporation to support their overall investment of $5 million in Panache Ventures, a Canadian venture capital fund. This helped diversify their investments and return benefits to Yukon First Nations.

Department of Education

From 2017 to 2022, the Department of Education established nine Education Agreements with Yukon First Nations.

Ongoing funding was provided to the Yukon First Nations Education Directorate, the Yukon Native Language Centre, and Yukon First Nations governments to support community specific education priorities and the implementation of the Joint Education Action Plan 2014-2024.

The Yukon First Nations Education Collaboration Framework was finalized in 2022. This framework outlines how the Department of Education and Yukon First Nations will collaborate to address joint priorities. The framework complements the priorities of the Joint Education Action Plan.

Following a referendum in January 2022 where eight Yukon schools voted to join the school board, the First Nation School Board was established. This was a result of years of work between the Government of Yukon and the Chiefs Committee on Education. Under the First Nation School Board, First Nations governments have more authority and control over education within their Traditional Territory. The school board oversees Yukon First Nations pedagogy delivered through a student-centered public-school education.

Department of Energy, Mines and Resources

Efforts to advance regional land use planning as envisioned in the Final and Self-Government Agreements continued to be a priority for the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources and Yukon First Nations.

Several key accomplishments and highlights include:

• Ongoing implementation of the 2009 North Yukon Regional Land Use Plan;
• Working with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun on a land use plan for Beaver River Watershed near the community of Keno (since 2018);
• Resuming regional land use planning for the Dawson region (2018) and issuing a Recommended Plan (2022);
• Approval of the Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan (2019) and the establishment of the Peel Plan Implementation Committee (2020);
• Working with Champagne Aishihik First Nations to prepare a local area plan to better manage development along Alaska Highway near Haines Junction (2019);
• Starting a local area planning process with Kwanlin Dün First Nation for the Łu Zil Män (Fish Lake) area (2020), which included a public engagement process and the release of What We Heard report (2022);
• Signing an agreement with Kwanlin Dün First Nation and Carcross/Tagish First Nation to work together to update and complete the 2016 draft Marsh Lake local area plan;
• Initiating preliminary discussions with First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun to begin a regional land use plan under Chapter 11 of the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun Final Agreement (2021); and
• Completing a land development suitability study for land along Alaska Highway near Teslin with the Teslin Tlingit Council (2022).

Department of Environment

The Department of Environment's Water Resources Branch co-hosted water forums with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations in 2017 and with Carcross/Tagish First Nation in 2019. A community water quality monitoring program was developed in partnership with four First Nations. A Yukon Observation Well Network was developed to monitor groundwater and water quality objectives for Et'o Nyäk Tagé/South Mcquesten River (2019-2022) based on the values identified by the First Nation of Nacho Nyäk Dun.

Through the Yukon Hunter Education and Ethics Development program, the department collaboratively engaged with Yukon First Nations to cultivate mutually beneficial training and programming opportunities such as bear safety training for First Nations Game Guardians and First Nation Hunter Education Training.

Department of Highways and Public Works

Growing Together: The Yukon First Nations Procurement Policy was approved in 2020. The policy provides opportunities for Yukon First Nations and businesses to be active partners in the economy. The policy was developed in partnership with 14 Yukon First Nations. This level of collaboration on a policy was a first for the Government of Yukon and is a key feature of this policy.

Since 2019, the Department of Highways and Public Works has invited Yukon First Nations to engage on the five-year capital plan and community contract forecast. This engagement is an opportunity for First Nations to discuss upcoming projects and tenders within their Traditional Territories and flag their interest in exploring benefits available through the Yukon First Nations Procurement Policy. The yearly engagement is a provision of the Yukon First Nations Procurement Policy and represents a step toward joint capital planning as described in section 22.6.6 of Chapter 22.

Yukon Asset Construction Agreements provide Yukon First Nations with training and employment, sole source contracting opportunities, financial investment, and other community specific benefits. Yukon Asset Construction Agreements were signed in 2017 with Kwanlin Dün First Nation for the construction of a new French secondary school and community centre and with Carcross/Tagish First Nation for the construction of a new bridge. In 2022, an agreement was signed with Kluane First Nation to plan the design and construction of the new Kêts'ádań Kų̀ (house of learning) school in Burwash Landing.

The Department of Highways and Public Works launched a pilot Indigenous Training Program in 2022. The pilot aims to advance the goals of the 10-year strategic plan called Breaking trail together: an inclusive Yukon public service. The Indigenous Training Program is designed to help Indigenous youth enter the Government of Yukon workforce by providing suitable on-the-job training and facilitating mentorship and skill development opportunities.

Department of Tourism and Culture

Tséi Zhéłe / Sinwaa Éex'i Yé / Conrad Historic Site is located on the Traditional Territory of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. Established in 2014, the Conrad Historic Site Steering Committee is composed of equal representatives from Carcross/Tagish First Nation and the Government of Yukon. The steering committee was formed under Chapter 13, Schedule B of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation Final Agreement.

Highlights of the Conrad Management Planning process from 2017 to 2022 include:

• Community engagement at all milestones for the development of the Conrad Management Plan;
• A newsletter developed to keep all informed in Carcross and Tagish;
• Carcross/Tagish First Nation citizens and businesses contracted to provide logs, build new amenities, and provide maintenance and care for the site;
• Learning opportunities provided and an administrative coordinator for the historic site hired; and
• A logo created by a Carcross/Tagish First Nation artist.

Public service commission

In 2019, the Breaking trail together: an inclusive Yukon public service was released. This 10-year strategic plan focuses on the actions required to create an inclusive Yukon public service, representative of Yukon First Nation Peoples.

Women and Gender Equity Directorate

In 2022, Changing the Story to Upholding Dignity and Justice: Yukon's MMIWG2S+ Strategy was released. The strategy is the Yukon's response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls' Final Report. The strategy was developed through a community-led approach by the Yukon Advisory Committee co-chaired by representatives from Yukon First Nations, the Government of Yukon, and Indigenous women's organizations.

Yukon Housing Corporation

In 2017, Ta'an Kwäch'än Council's Da Daghay Development Corporation, with support from Yukon Housing Corporation, began operating a large-scale affordable rental project. The project provides 70 units of housing to Yukon housing clients and Ta'an Kwäch'än Council citizens. This project promotes economic development for Ta'an Kwäch'än Council citizens and fills a critical gap for social housing in the Yukon.

Through the Housing Initiatives Fund, over $9 million was committed to support 10 Self-Governing Yukon First Nations to develop new housing for their citizens.

Through the First Nation Energy Efficiency Program, further investment was committed to support Yukon First Nations in retrofitting their existing housing stock.

Working with First Nations Communities

Canada Border Services Agency has a somewhat limited role in relation to the implementation of Yukon Land Claims and Self-Government Agreements due to the nature of its mandate.

However, the agency has carried out the following activities:

• The agency has held discussions with various First Nations to address border-related issues and to identify solutions to community needs.

Aboriginal Peoples' Television Network (APTN)

APTN provides a general interest television service which airs programming predominantly produced by Aboriginal peoples in French, English and Aboriginal languages. Its programming aims at reflecting Aboriginal peoples' concerns and the diversity within their cultures. APTN receives funding from PCH via direct funding streams through the Celebrate Canada program, which funds celebrations for national holidays and annual funding for National Indigenous Peoples' Day. The Aboriginal Program of the Canadian Media Fund (CMF) has an agreement with PCH to fund Aboriginal programming. The APTN receives annual funding from the CMF in addition to performance envelopes. Through its various programs and events, Yukon First Nations have the opportunity to participate in, benefit from, and be represented by the APTN.

Museums Assistance Program

The Museums Assistance Program (MAP) supports heritage institutions and workers in the preservation and presentation of heritage collections in Canada. MAP provides financial assistance to Canadian museums and related institutions for activities that:

• Facilitate Canadians' access to our heritage;
• Foster the preservation of Canada's cultural heritage, including the preservation of representative collections of Aboriginal cultural heritage; and
• Foster professional knowledge, skills and practices related to key museum functions.

Canada arts presentation fund

The objective of the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) is to give Canadians access to a variety of professional artistic experiences in their communities. The CAPF provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series, as well as their support organizations. The long-term results of the CAPF will allow Canadians to experience and value professional artistic experiences.

Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program (MARP)

The Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program supports the mandate of the Department of Canadian Heritage by building on Canada's strength as a diverse and inclusive society. The Program's objectives are to support communities to:

• advance anti-racism; foster ethnocultural diversity and inclusion; promote intercultural and interfaith understanding
• provide equitable opportunities for equity-deserving populations and community organizations to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian society
• promote dialogue on multiculturalism, anti-racism, racial equity, diversity, and inclusion to advance institutional and systemic change so that Canada becomes a more inclusive society, free from racism and hate-motivated actions
• support research and evidence to build understanding of the disparities and challenges faced by equity-deserving populations

Library and Archives Canada – Documentary Heritage Communities Program

The Documentary Heritage Communities Program ensures that Canada's continuing memory is documented and accessible to current and future generations by contributing funding to support the development of Canada's local archival and library communities by increasing their capacity to preserve, provide access to and promote local documentary heritage. The following Yukon First Nations projects took place with the Documentary Heritage Community Program during the reporting period:

Canadian Conservation Institute

The Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), a Special Operating Agency within the Department of Canadian Heritage, advances and promotes the conservation of Canada's heritage collections through its expertise in conservation science, treatment and preventive conservation. CCI works with heritage institutions and professionals to ensure these heritage collections are preserved and accessible to Canadians now and in the future.

Indigenous Language Initiatives

The Government has committed to fully implementing the Indigenous Languages Act in order to preserve, promote and revitalize Indigenous languages in Canada, with long-term predictable and sufficient funding.

Canada, through PCH, provides funding for Indigenous Languages to the self-governing First Nations in Yukon through Program and Service Transfer Agreements. These are the main mechanisms to support the Self-Governing First Nations in implementing their Indigenous languages strategies and priorities under the Indigenous Languages and Cultures Program.

Budget 2019 provided $333.7 million in Indigenous languages funding over five years and $115.7 million ongoing to support the implementation of the Indigenous Languages Act.

Budget 2021 provided an additional $275 million over five years and $2 million in ongoing funding.

With these new investments from both Budget 2019 and Budget 2021, Self-Governing Yukon First Nations (SGYFNs) have seen an increase in Program service transfer agreements corresponding to the increase in available program dollars.

The level of funding transferred from Canadian Heritage to CIRNAC to the 11 SGYFNs may be revised in future years, based on factors such as the outcome of the Collaborative Fiscal Policy work in the priority area of Culture, Language and Heritage.

Key Successes

This approach provides the 11 Self-Governing Yukon First Nations with the autonomy they desire to set priorities and implement programming according to their needs, while also enabling a data sharing arrangement on the outcomes of the funding to ensure the story of their labour market and training programming is included when reporting back to Parliament on the outcomes of the ISET program.

Key Challenges

Atmospheric Monitoring Service—Whitehorse

The activities of Atmospheric Monitoring Service primarily address obligations under agreements with the World Meteorological Organization; other governments, such as the Government of Yukon; and other parties such as Nav Canada. The Atmospheric Monitoring Service provides weather data, forecasts and warnings that are publicly available on the weather website and assists in providing broadcast weather radio data at several locations in the territory.

The Atmospheric Monitoring Service maintains an upper-air program and a network of 30 climatological observing stations throughout the territory. These stations collect and record climate information. The data is publicly accessible and can be used for various practical applications.

The Atmospheric Monitoring Service also supports the collection of weather information at nine airport weather stations in the Yukon. Accurate weather information is a critical function for supporting the Air Ambulance Service and for the transportation of basic goods and services into remote communities, including Yukon First Nations communities.

The service maintains a network of nine lightning detection sensors, which help support the prevention and control of wildfires across the territory. This data can also play a critical role in maintaining the electrical infrastructure for all Yukon communities.

The service also assists in the maintenance of a weather radio transmission network, ensuring a reliable broadcast of weather data, forecasts, and warnings to isolated users, including Yukon First Nations.

Canadian Wildlife Service

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is responsible for the management and conservation of migratory birds (as defined under the federal Migratory Birds Convention Act) and for implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act with regard to all listed non-aquatic species except those found on federal lands within a national park, national historic site or other protected heritage area. Canadian Wildlife Service also implements the Canada Wildlife Act, which governs the management of the Nisutlin River Delta National Wildlife Area in the Yukon. CWS also participates in environmental assessments conducted under the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and the Impact Assessment Act within the Yukon; regional land-use and resource management planning processes; and protected area management and planning processes. Finally, CWS also leads on certain international conservation issues.

During the reporting period, Canadian Wildlife Service worked collaboratively with Parks Canada, Gwich'in Tribal Council, First Nation of Nacho Nyäk Dun, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, Inuvialuit Game Council, the Governments of Northwest Territories and Yukon, and the Porcupine Caribou Management Board (PCMB) to cooperatively manage the Porcupine Caribou Herd (PCH).

Significant activities include collaborating with Indigenous and territorial governments on responses to the oil and gas leasing process in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and providing support to the PCMB to mobilize existing Indigenous Knowledge and develop a Conservation Plan for the PCH.

CWS worked with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations, Kluane First Nation, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in, Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Little Salmon/Carmacks and Ta'an Kwäch'än Council on various species-at-risk field projects aimed at critical habitat description, inventory work and measuring impacts of climate change on a number of at-risk species in the southern and central Yukon. In partnership with the Government of Yukon, the Service supported the Yukon Conservation Data Centre and participated in the annual Bioblitz event that focuses on education and inventory of species at risk.

Under the Canada Nature Fund, Habitat Stewardship Program and other initiatives, Environment Canada provides funding to conduct various projects to benefit species at risk. Recipients include the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation, Porcupine Caribou Management Board, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Yukon Conservation Society, and the Government of Yukon Department of Environment.

The Tagish River is a key wetland area used by migratory waterfowl during spring migration and hosts continentally significant numbers of Trumpeter Swans. As set out in Chapter 10 of the C/TFN Final Agreement, the Canadian Wildlife Service is a member of the Tagish River Habitat Protected Area Steering Committee. The Final Management Plan and Recommendations for the Tagish River HPA were completed in 2022.

The Canada Nature Fund supports the protection of Canada's biodiversity through the creation of protected and conserved areas and through initiatives that help to recover species at risk. The Spaces stream of the Fund provided over $3.2 million to six different Yukon recipients towards resources to enable partners to help achieve Canada's biodiversity commitments.

CWS is co-leading the Yukon South Beringia Priority Place initiative with a diverse collective of partners collaboratively working towards conservation of species at risk and species of interest. Conservation actions in the area are being funded by the federal government under the Canada Nature Fund and Enhanced Nature Legacy, with matched funding by partners.

Enforcement Branch

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Enforcement Branch is responsible for enforcing federal environmental and wildlife acts and regulations. These include the Canada Wildlife Act, Migratory Birds Convention Act, Species at Risk Act, the Wild Animal and Plan Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act, Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 and the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act. The branch works collaboratively with federal and territorial partners to consistently enforce its legislation and regulations with the Yukon.

Environmental Protection Operations Directorate

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Environmental Protection Operations Directorate worked with Yukon First Nations and representative boards and councils created under the Umbrella Final Agreement on environmental assessment and contaminated sites. Specifically, the Directorate worked with the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) and Yukon First Nations to implement the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act (YESAA), and participated in various multilateral discussions and analyses of topics and issues related to the YESAA.

During the reporting period, the Directorate participated in several environmental assessments led by the YESAB, and provided technical and expert advice on numerous project proposals spanning various sectors.

The Directorate, along with other federal departments, participated in Indigenous consultation activities led by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency's Northern Project Management Office for projects undergoing environmental assessment review.

Water Survey of Canada

The Water Survey of Canada (WSC) is the national authority responsible for the collection, interpretation and dissemination of standardized water resource data and information in Canada. In partnership with the provinces, territories and other agencies, WSC operates over 2800 active hydrometric gauges across the country. National Hydrologic Service maintains and operates the Yukon hydrometric network in partnership with the Yukon Government and commercial clients. The Yukon hydrometric network consists of approximately 75 gauges which support effective water management decisions (i.e. flood forecasting) throughout the Territory.

The Atmospheric Monitoring Service provides weather data, forecasts and warnings that are publicly available on the weather website and assists in providing broadcast weather radio data at several locations in the territory.

Canadian Wildlife Service

As a member of the Tagish River Habitat Protected Area Steering Committee, the Canadian Wildlife Service effectively contributed to the completion of the Management Plan for the Tagish River Habitat Protected Area. The plan makes land use recommendations for an ecologically and culturally important area in the Yukon, and includes Traditional Knowledge, local knowledge, and western science. The service will continue as a member of the Implementation Committee for the Tagish River Habitat Protection Area Management Plan.

The Yukon South Beringia Priority Place initiative is a group of diverse partners including First Nations governments, the Government of Yukon, the federal government, and non-government organizations, collectively working towards conservation gains. Open collaboration has facilitated the creation of a unique vision for this priority place "Respect and uphold our sacred relationship with the natural world that maintains Yukon South Beringia's unique bio-cultural diversity". The partners are embarking on a values-based planning process aimed at developing conservation actions for species at risk and species of interest.

Water survey of Canada

The Yukon network increased by five gauges, with three additional gauges added to the Peel basin to support the Peel watershed management plan.

During the southern lakes high water events in 2021 and 2022 data monitoring activities helped support emergency management decisions for impacted communities.

The river piracy event on the Slims river prompted the re-activation of the Kluane River gauge to support research and understand downstream impacts. The event was of significant concern to the Kluane First Nation and impacts to their community was presented by one of their members at the National Hydrometric Program Coordinating Committee (NHPCC) in Whitehorse in 2019.

The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges in maintaining Environment and Climate Change Canada's programs across the Yukon. Considerable effort was made to ensure staff and public safety, while maintaining operational activities.

Relationships with Inuit and First Nations

The First Nations and Inuit Health Branch maintained strong relationships with all self-governing Yukon First Nations and the Council of Yukon First Nations. This is part of collaborating with First Nations partners to deliver services that better serve the cultural and personal needs of First Nations individuals. Health Programs TRANSFERS and enhancements.

Effective in the 2016–17 fiscal year, following the renewal of federal community-based health programs on an ongoing basis, new assumptions of the responsibility and associated funding for several First Nations and Inuit Health Branch programs were permanently transferred to the self-governing Yukon First Nations. These included Children's Oral Health Initiative, Mental Wellness, Palliative Care, and Tobacco, while enhancements to existing agreements were made for the Maternal Child Health, Home and Community Care, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and National Aboriginal Youth Suicide Prevention. Following this and until 2022-23, no additional First Nations and Inuit Health Branch programs were permanently transferred.

Successes

Through the Yukon First Nation Health and Social Development Commission, the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch continues to collaborate with First Nations in identifying high-priority areas for federal investment. This includes determining how new federal resources should be allocated, and which organizations should receive them. This collaborative approach, which also includes First Nations without self-government agreements, is consistent with the principles associated with the inherent right to self-government and with the Government of Canada's commitment to renewing the relationship with Indigenous peoples.

Vuntut National Park

Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site

S.S. Klondike National Historic Site

Kluane National Park and Reserve

Klondike National Historic Sites

Key Successes and Challenges 2017-2022

Parks Canada strives to meet Final Agreement implementation obligations. Despite strong commitment, certain specific and systemic challenges exist.

Key examples include:

• Staff can result in corporate memory loss and make it more difficult to establish and maintain long term, trust-based, relationships between Parks Canada and Yukon First Nations.
• In an increasingly competitive job market, it can be difficult for the agency to recruit and retain qualified citizens for positions.
• The inability to meet in person caused some disconnection with the communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Many competing demands on First Nation Governments can sometimes make it difficult to engage on issues of priority to Parks Canada.

Yukon Field Unit

Parks Canada's Yukon Field Unit reached out to those First Nations in this region with National Parks & Historic Sites in their traditional territories about convening a workshop to discuss Indigenous stories and knowledge in this context. Over two days in 2020, participants reflected on the difficult histories that Indigenous peoples have had with National Parks & Historic Sites, and where the relationship with Parks Canada is going today.

2017

• Renewables in Remote Communities Presentations
• YTG Reverse Tradeshow - SBIE Lite
• Meetings with other organizations and government departments, including Justice Institute and Parks Canada

2018

• YTG Industry Conference
• Meetings with other organizations and government departments, including RCMP-White horse
• Opportunities North Yukon
• Presentations to YTG on CCPI
• Presentation at CPPC
• YTG-Procurement Support Center
• YTG-Reverse Trade Show Presentation
• YTG-Procurement Support Center
• Reverse Trade Show Booth

2019

• YTG Conference Presentation on the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises
• Yukon Reverse Trade Show

2020

• Outcrop Yukon, EcDev
• Yukon 6th Annual Industry Conference
• Yukonstruct 1 on 1 meeting

2021

• BC-Yukon AFI Group meetings and engagement
• Yukon Reverse Trade Show

2022

• BC-Yukon AFI meetings and engagement
• Yukon Virtual Industry Conference
• Yukon Industrial Trade show, Presentation on Indigenous Mentorship in Partnership with Cando

PSPC Pacific's outreach activities reflect a well-coordinated strategy that is shifting toward a supplier-driven approach that includes quality meetings, seminars, conferences, and engagement platforms.

Successes

One of the key successes during this time was the collaboration between PSPC, CIRNAC and the Selkirk First Nation through participation in Oversight and Technical Committee meetings regarding the Faro Mine Remediation Project. These meetings began in 2021 and are ongoing.

Challenges

The COVID-19 Pandemic was a challenge to PSPC during this reporting period, including respecting Yukon's request for people not to visit during this time. As travel started to open up, government travel approval was a transitional challenge.