Three Yukon communities have found themselves on the Olympic torch route for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Celebrating today's announcement by the Vancouver Olympic Committee that the torch will visit Whitehorse, Dawson City and Old Crow, acting Mayor Florence Roberts and Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor raised the Olympic flag early this afternoon at city hall.

"It's just marvelous," an obviously excited Roberts said following the flag-raising. "We're so proud."

The three communities are among the more than 1,000 stops on the 45,000-kilometre journey the flame will make across the country.

The torch will be in Whitehorse on Day 3 - next Nov. 3 - of its expected 106-day trek, which is set to start Oct. 30.

According to a map on the Vancouver Olympic site, it will then be flown to Dawson City, then Old Crow the following day before heading to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories.

It's set to be the longest domestic torch relay in Olympic history, travelling to more than 1,000 communities in all provinces and territories.

It will pass within a one-hour drive of 90 per cent of the country's population of 30 million.

"The Olympic Torch Relay is a tremendous opportunity to unite the country and make the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games Canada's Games," Gary Lunn, the federal Minister of Sport, said in a statement.

"This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring together millions of Canadians, in every province and territory, as we celebrate and welcome the passing of the Olympic Flame.

"As it makes its way across Canada, it will touch the soul of this great nation and inspire the world."

The relay will serve as an opportunity to unite the country, Roberts said in a presentation inside city hall's lobby.

In less than a year, Whitehorse residents will be gathered in Shipyards Park waiting for the arrival of the torch, she said.

The community's youth have been fortunate enough to experience a Games environment on many levels, she added.

Roberts said she hopes the torch relay will inspire many youth in the territory to live healthy lives and go after their dreams.

The torch relay is just one way for Yukoners to share in the Olympic event, Taylor said.

It also provides an opportunity to showcase the Yukon as not only a travel destination, but also a place to live and do business, she said.

There will be further announcements coming in the new year about the territory's participation in the 2010 Olympics, the minister said.

In congratulating the capital city on playing host to the torch relay, Taylor extended the same sentiments to Dawson and Old Crow.

"We look forward to working with you," she said.

While the destinations have been announced, the 12,000 torchbearers across the country still have to be selected.

As both Roberts and Taylor stressed, some of those torchbearers will be Yukoners, as they were in the late 1980s when the torch came through Whitehorse on its way to the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

"Everybody's got a chance," Roberts said.

A process for torchbearers to apply, along with the national schedule for the torch relay, is available on-line at www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelay.