Whitehorse Daily Star

January 16, 2023

• Housing still planned for Macaulay Lodge site When the Macaulay Lodge was demolished in the fall of 2022, the Yukon government said it planned to redevelop the site to build homes for Yukoners.
• Leave part of Stevens area for gravel: officials In what is being described as a saw-off, city administration is recommending a portion of the Stevens area be left as a potential gravel quarry.
• YEU, government have reached a stalemate Just over a year after the contract between the Yukon government and the union representing most of its employees expired, collective bargaining between the two parties is at another impasse.
• Chief of staff appointed Premier Ranj Pillai has announced the appointment of Jason Cunning as his new chief of staff.
• Pillai to look to ministers, staff for guidance No need for a general election to back his mandate; new Premier Ranj Pillai says he’s focused on stability and continuing the work already underway as he becomes the new leader of his party and the territory.
• Shuffles are limited in the new cabinet Ranj Pillai was sworn in as the 10th premier of the Yukon Territory at a public ceremony in Whitehorse on Saturday afternoon.

January 13, 2023

• Keno receives truck, firefighting equipment The Yukon government has delivered a Wildland Fire Management truck and firefighting equipment to Keno City for use this winter.
• Conversing On The Arts Scene Jacob Zimmer, the artistic director of Nakai Theatre,
• City plans town hall for Wednesday Brad Cathers, the Yukon Party’s critic for the Departments of Finance and Health and Social Services, has some concerns about the major shuffles in the public service Sandy Silver has announced in his waning days as premier.
• Housing minister defends what he’s built Before Ranj Pillai is sworn is as premier on Saturday afternoon, the minister, who heads Economic Development and is responsible for the Yukon Housing Corp. (YHC), wants to defend his record on housing from criticisms levied by the official Opposition.
• Seasonal Socializing Bohemian Waxwings
• YG participated in national roundtable The Yukon government was honoured to participate in Tuesday’s National Roundtable on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ People, says Jeanie McLean, the minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate.
• Thrift store society is accepting applications The Whitehorse Community Thrift Store’s (WCTS’s) Sharing Our Success program is ready for another round of applications.
• Snowmobile bylaw must change: advocate If city council wants to make non-motorized trails truly non-motorized, it needs to change the snowmobile bylaw, says a longtime trail advocate.
• Yukon labour force expanded The Yukon’s labour force grew by two per cent last year, according to statistics published last week by Statistic Canada’s Labour Force Survey.
• Parties cross swords over bridge project The Yukon Party official Opposition is asking the Liberal government to provide an update on the estimated timelines and budget for the Nisutlin Bay Bridge project.
• Tourism can rebound with proper support: YP The Yukon Party is providing suggestions to the territorial government to ensure that tourism operators are able to fully benefit from returning travellers.
• Police want to hear from victims of trouble from online dating Whitehorse RCMP are investigating multiple files involving victims targeted from online dating profiles such as Tinder, or other similar online platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
• City is assessing 40-below power failure The city is doing a post-incident assessment of the response to the Dec. 19 power blackout that lasted for some four hours in parts of Whistle Bend and points north, city council heard at its meeting Monday.
• Dental plan’s preventative care aspect praised Reaction to the Yukon dental plan that rolled out last week differs depending which party you talk to: the Yukon Dental Association’s president, who’s in favour of the new benefits, says he’s more concerned about timely access to dental care in the territory than coverage.

January 12, 2023

• Pedestrian-only section of Main Street proposed City councillor Ted Laking is proposing a one-year pilot project to convert Main Street between Front Street and Second Avenue into a pedestrian town square in June, July, and August.
• Crime spree ends with several youth arrested Whitehorse RCMP continues to investigate after the theft of a vehicle and a number of related theft, mischief, and traffic offences occurred the night of Dec. 29-30.
• An official ice bridge is open for use A light vehicle ice bridge across the Yukon River was officially opened in Dawson earlier this week.
• Significant shuffles are concern to YP critic Brad Cathers, the Yukon Party’s critic for the Departments of Finance and Health and Social Services,
• New deputy minister appointed to Executive Council Office Michael Hale has been named deputy minister for the Executive Council Office (ECO) and cabinet secretary, Premier Sandy Silver announced Wednesday.