The Governments of Canada and Yukon Announce Funding to Further Support Flood Mapping Efforts in the Yukon

This is a joint news release between the Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon.

Communities and governments are working together to prepare and adapt to impacts of climate change, to help improve quality of life for Canadians in higher-risk areas and to reduce the costs of disasters. In Canada, flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster, causing damage to households, property and infrastructure.

Today, the Yukon’s Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn, on behalf of Minister of Environment Nils Clarke and Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) Harjit S. Sajjan, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a joint investment of $3.5 million over the next four years to support the advancement of flood hazard mapping in the Yukon. Funding from the Government of Canada comes from the Flood Hazard Identification Mapping Program (FHIMP).

Flood hazard maps provide essential information that enables governments, communities and individuals to recognize flood hazards and employ effective mitigation strategies to reduce the impacts of flooding. The Governments of Canada and Yukon are committed to working together to provide high quality flood mapping that is current and accessible, that informs land use planning, adaptation efforts and reduces flood risks in the future.

As committed in Our Clean Future, the Government of Yukon is already working towards producing flood maps for all the identified flood-prone Yukon communities. Many First Nations in the Yukon hold important insights into flooding history and have traditional knowledge that can strengthen the accuracy of flood maps for their communities. Today’s joint investment will enable the Government of Yukon to continue to work directly with First Nations governments, municipalities and communities to develop flood maps for remaining flood prone Yukon communities.

Draft flood hazard maps and engagement have been completed for the communities of Carmacks, Carcross, Tagish, Marsh Lake, and Lake Laberge; the final maps will be published in the Government of Yukon’s Flood Atlas this summer. Upcoming flood hazard mapping is planned for Old Crow, Dawson City, and the Klondike Valley, with work occurring in 2024 and 2025.

The Government of Canada remains committed to build on current collaborations with provincial and territorial partners to identify priority areas in each jurisdiction. Advancing the FHIMP will continue to help Canadians whose lives and jobs are affected when disasters strike, help communities deal with the realities of increased climate-related hazards and disasters and ultimately, increase the country’s resiliency to the impacts of flooding.