Using Indigenous Knowledge to Improve Regional Planning in the Yukon

Neil came to the Yukon in 1989 from rural Ontario. He has mostly resided in rural communities, including Burwash Landing and Haines Junction, where he worked for Kluane Park and also co-founded the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay. He owned and operated Moose Creek Lodge before settling in Mayo, where he was recognized by YG for his work implementing YESAA when he worked for EMR. He moved to Whitehorse in 2010 to work at the Yukon Water Board, and retired as the Manager of Licensing in 2020. Neil's four children are all Yukoners, which gives him "a vested interest in the sustainable development, utilization and conservation of Yukons unique lands, waters and natural resources". 

On June 15^th, 2021, the Dawson Regional Planning Commission released a Draft Land Use Plan for the Dawson region.

 “The Dawson Regional Planning Commission is very pleased to share with the public this Draft Plan, which is the result of the collaboration of many people and our planning partners over the past two years,” said Commission Chair Debbie Nagano. “This Draft Plan reflects our vision and planning philosophy, ‘On the Land We Walk Together’/ ‘Nän käk ndä tr'ädäl’.”

The Draft Plan and a Draft Plan Summary are available for viewing on this website at dawson.planyukon.ca. A backgrounder is also available there.

More information and details about the public engagement process are available on the Engage Dawson website at engagedawson.planyukon.ca.

The Dawson Regional Planning Commission has announced that they will be releasing a Draft Land Use Plan for the Dawson region to the public on June 15. The plan's release will be followed by the next phase of the public engagement steps for the Dawson region. Read full news release here...

Now and Tomorrow!

Over the last year, we have helped with the implementation of approved regional plans, helped the Dawson Commission with their ongoing planning process, and worked towards improving future planning processes. We have also set several goals for the coming year and beyond. Regional planning in the Yukon is happening!

The Council is currently exploring ways to meaningfully weave Indigenous planning concepts and traditional knowledge throughout regional land use planning processes. This work strives to uphold the objectives of Chapter 11 “recognizing and promoting the cultural values of Yukon First Nations” and “Utilizing the knowledge and experience of Yukon First Nations to achieve effective land use planning.”

In support of this effort, the Council contracted Planner Gillian McKee to do a literary review of the use of traditional knowledge in northern regional land use plans. The nine plans examined were:

Tess McLeod was appointed as our newest Council member on December 11, 2020 and is a CYFN nominee.
Tess is a citizen of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun comes to the Council with experience in environmental planning and policy in the Yukon. She holds a BSc degree in Ecology from the University of Queensland, Australia and is currently enrolled in a joint Masters of Governance and Entrepreneurship in Northern and Indigenous Areas at the University of Saskatchewan.
Her experience in fish and wildlife, and special management area planning will be an asset to the Council and we are excited to have her on board.

The Council would like to express its sincerest thanks to Dennis Zimmermann for his contributions to the Yukon Land Use Planning Council since he was appointed in December 2017. All the members (Pearl Callaghan, Hammond Dick and Lois Craig) enjoyed working closely with him throughout this period. Dennis brought passion and experience to his work on the council. He recognized the need for a refreshed planning process under Chapter 11, one that can better reflect Yukon’s evolving resource management environment and that further realizes the role that Indigenous Planning practices should play in the process.

Some highlights of his term include the Supreme Court Ruling for the Peel Watershed Region and the subsequent Plan Approval Ceremony (August 2019), the re-start of the Dawson Planning Commission and working with the Commission and its staff, and work with the Yukon Forum Leads Committee exploring ways to improve implementing regional planning.

We wish Dennis all the best in his future endeavors.

 In April of 2019, the Parties to the Yukon Forum (represented by leaders from the Government of Yukon, Yukon First Nations, and the Council of Yukon First Nations) sent the Council a series of recommendations that stemmed from their review of the implementation Chapter 11- Regional Land Use Planning.  The focus of these recommendations is:

- Setting regional planning commissions up for success

- Supporting several regional planning commissions at the same time

- Legislative review of the First Nation and Government of Yukon regulations

- And reviewing the Adequacy of Funding for Regional Land Use Planning under Chapter 11.

Acknowledging the importance of these recommendations, the Council requested that continued meetings with the Leads of the Yukon Forum on this matter would be essential for the effective review and implementation of the recommendations.  The Yukon Forum Leads accepted this request. Council then recommended that a series of staff level workshops be held to examine in detail the Yukon Forum’s recommendations to determine how best to address them.  These staff workshops are planned for this fall.    

The Council is currently creating a steering committee to assist the Council as it explores ways to meaningfully weave Indigenous planning concepts and traditional knowledge throughout regional land use planning processes.  This work strives to uphold the objectives of Chapter 11 recognizing and promoting the cultural values of Yukon First Nations and utilizing the knowledge and experience of Yukon First nations to achieve effective land use planning. 

One of the committee’s first challenges will be to consider how to engage First Nations and others on these topics given the challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic and to create innovative ways to advance our thinking on these topics.  Stay tuned for further information as the committee begins its work.