Government of Yukon advancing conservation efforts under the Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement

Through the Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement, the Government of Yukon is advancing efforts to protect and conserve the Yukon’s natural landscapes while supporting Indigenous leadership in conservation, protecting species at risk and monitoring cumulative effects on the environment.

The Yukon’s total protected area has increased to 21.1 per cent under the Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement, the highest percentage of any province or territory in Canada. The Yukon now has 101,710 square kilometres of protected land, which is comparable to the size of the country of Iceland.

To support Indigenous-led conservation in the Yukon, the Government of Yukon established the Indigenous-led Conservation Capacity Fund. Through the fund, the government has directed $2.1 million to date to support seven Indigenous-led projects that promote conservation, climate change adaptation, habitat and species protection and transfer of Indigenous knowledge.

The Canada-Yukon Nature Agreement is also enhancing the government’s fish and wildlife surveying and monitoring efforts to increase background knowledge that will support upcoming regional land use planning and environmental assessment processes. In 2023–24, the government studied the winter recreation effects on southern lakes caribou, completed surface disturbance maps for the Southern Lakes and Teslin areas and advanced work on a cumulative effects decision support tool for caribou.

Looking forward through to 2026, the Government of Yukon is focusing efforts on co-developing an approach to species at risk and an ecological cumulative effects framework with Yukon First Nations and transboundary Indigenous governments and groups. This work is supported by a $343,000 funding agreement with the Council of Yukon First Nations, which will provide advisory support on these efforts.

The Government of Yukon will also continue efforts to protect and conserve areas of the Yukon to support Canada’s goal of protecting 30 per cent of lands and waters across the country by 2030. Key initiatives include advancing protection of the Chasàn Chùa (McIntyre Creek) area of Whitehorse, exploring a national park in the Peel Watershed, continuing planning work for the Pickhandle Lakes Habitat Protection Area and implementing the Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan.