FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                         July 18, 2023

“I continue to hear from rural Yukoners upset at being ignored by this Liberal government.

“Yukon residents continue to express frustration that the plan to close some and make major changes to other Solid Waste Management Facilities has been adopted without adequate public consultation in the communities where people will be most impacted by the decision. In my riding Beaver Creek, Destruction Bay, Silver City, Canyon Creek, and Champagne landfills will be affected, and the landfills in Stewart Crossing and Keno have also been identified for closure.

“Yukon Environment and Socio-Economic Assessment Board (YESAB) submission Project #2023-0059 is currently open for public comment until the end of July, but residents have been requesting government-organized public consultation in these communities for years. The Minister of Community Services continues to refuse to work with residents for a solution that will work for everyone listen. These communities have been clear; this plan will fail them.

“I have written to the Minister of Environment, whose department is the decision body on the landfills submission, to request that the department not issue a decision document on the YESAB recommendation until in-person public consultations have taken place in the affected communities.

“My constituents and the Kluane First Nation believe they should be consulted further and are requesting public meetings before any decisions are made on these solid waste facilities – they want to be heard. They would prefer these consultations are done prior to completion of the YESAB process.

“I would note that this past spring, I attended a community meeting discussing the Champagne solid waste facility; it was informative and attendees had the opportunity to provide input before changes were made. As the Yukon government can provide this meeting for the users of the Champagne facility, it would be unfair to not offer public meetings for the users of the other waste facilities included in the application.

“On behalf of rural Yukoners concerned about cuts to their services, will the government please do the right thing and organize public consultation meetings in the communities facing changes to their landfill services? The Liberal plan should reflect the needs of the community and understand the impacts government decision-making has on residents.”

-30-

Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary
(867) 393-7026