In response to earthquakes that struck areas of Türkiye and Syria on February 6, the Government of Yukon is announcing support for people affected by this devastating natural disaster.

The Government of Yukon is donating $25,000 to Yukon Cares to support the resettlement of Turkish and Syrian nationals displaced by these events. Yukon Cares, established in 2015, is a community organization that works to bring refugee families to the Yukon.

Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:

“On behalf of the Government of Yukon, I would like to congratulate Sharon Nelson on her recent election as Chief for the Selkirk First Nation. 

“I would also like to extend my congratulations to the new Crow Councillors Samantha Dawson and Ashley Edzerza, Wolf Councillors Cody Sims and Patrick McGinty, Elder Councillor Amy Johnson and Youth Councillor Keyshawn Sawyer.

Premier Pillai has released the following statement: 

“Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

“April is recognized internationally as Sikh Heritage Month, and on April 14, Vaisakhi – one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar – is celebrated.

 “Vaisakhi commemorates the 1699 establishment of the Khalsa – the collective name given to baptised Sikhs – by Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is celebrated through community gatherings, baptisms into the Khalsa, and prayers for a good year to come.

A boil water advisory has been lifted for residents of the Village of Carmacks and Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation who use private wells.

The initial advisory was a precautionary measure to protect public health. There was a concern that some private wells may have been impacted by a raw sewage release entering the Yukon River from the Carmacks lift station. This outfall was due to a malfunction caused by weather. It was quickly resolved and Environmental Health Services will continue to work with the Village of Carmacks to monitor this situation.

The Government of Yukon is committed to commemorating the territory’s shared cultural heritage and helping tell the Yukon story from all perspectives. In keeping with this priority, the Yukon government is announcing the Yukon 125 Fund of $400,000 to support community-driven initiatives that mark the territory’s 125th anniversary.

The following types of activities are expected to be eligible for funding:

The deadline to submit an application to the Daisy Mason Wellness Fund is Friday, May 12, 2023. The Commissioner of Yukon, the Bishop of the Anglican Church and the Daisy Mason Wellness Fund Advisory Committee launched the fund in 2020. The fund provides financial assistance to First Nations citizens or groups organizing initiatives for their communities focused on well-being, healing and personal development training and activities.

Following new recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Yukoners at high-risk of severe illness due to COVID-19 are encouraged to get a booster this spring. This includes:

Today, Minister of Health and Social Services, Tracy-Anne McPhee, tabled the 2020-2022 Family and Children’s Services Annual Report, highlighting a positive shift in child welfare practices. This annual report is a requirement of the Child and Family Services Act, which aims to improve outcomes for children, youth and families who are involved with the child welfare system.

As part of the Yukon government’s ongoing commitment to support low-income households, this fiscal year, recipients of the Yukon Seniors Income Supplement (YSIS) will receive a monthly inflation relief payment, which will amount to 39 per cent of their YSIS payment. The increase will provide financial relief to support seniors to address the costs associated with higher inflation and higher interest rates.

The Government of Yukon Water Resources Branch has released the April 1 Yukon Snow Survey Bulletin and Water Supply Forecast. The snow survey found that the southern and eastern parts of the territory have close to average snowpack levels while the central and northern portions of the territory have above-average snowpack.