The Yukon Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) saw an increase of 20 per cent in the number of proposals it received last year.

In 2011, the board received 311 project proposals, up from 263 the year before.

But according to Stephen Mills, the YESAB chair, that just means the board needs to make sure it's using its resources efficiently and that proposals are as "strong as possible” from the start.

"We're dealing with a high project load, but we're dealing with it quite efficiently,” he told the Star Wednesday from Vancouver, where he's attending the annual Mineral Exploration Roundup.

Mills said this year, the board has requested a five per cent increase — which will mostly go to wages — in its budget from 2011-12, which was around $5 million.

The YESAB has made its submission to the federal government and hasn't heard of any problems with it, he continued.

"We're working on the assumption that we will be adequately funded next year,” Mills said.

The YESAB will not be creating any more positions to deal with the busier workload.

Despite the 20 per cent increase in total proposals received, there were only slight changes to the number of quartz and placer projects that underwent review last year, Mills explained.

What added to the increase was the fact that all 20 or so solid waste facilities in the Yukon were up for renewal, which happens every three years.

There was also several wilderness tourism applications from the Kluane region up for renewal, he said.

In 2011, the Mayo office received 68 proposals, the most out of all of the Yukon's designated offices.

Haines Junction saw 67, while Dawson City received 58 and Whitehorse 57.

There were 37 proposals submitted to the Watson Lake office and just 24 in Teslin.

In Dawson, 32 of the proposals were related to placer mining, while nine were related to quartz.

Twenty-two of Whitehorse's 57 proposals were land development projects.

Another factor increasing the YESAB's workload is the four projects — three hard rock mines and a river cruise— currently at the executive committee level.

That's the highest number of projects that have ever been at this level.

A designated office proposal usually takes about 40 days to go through the board, while an executive committee project can take anywhere from 18 months to two years, or even longer.

The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) issued a release Tuesday reiterating its position that it needs more funding to respond to the higher volume of the Yukon

Environmental Socio-economic Assessment Act (YESAA) applications in a "timely manner”.

The CYFN also stated it wants to have more of a dialogue with the Yukon government after the YESAA recommendations are complete.

"If these key issues are not addressed, the First Nations may be forced to request timeline extensions and seek other remedies to protect their rights, titles and interests, including court action,” CYFN Grand Chief Ruth Massie said in the release.

"We do not want to undermine or threaten the viability of some mining projects in the Yukon, but we may have no other option.”

Massie attended the First Nations summit with Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Tuesday in Ottawa. She was in Vancouver on Wednesday morning for a press conference on those key issues.

Mills said he is aware of the frustration from some First Nations, especially when it comes to funding.

The YESAB wrote letters to both the federal and territorial governments outlining some of the problems.

More government bodies involved always mean a stronger assessment, Mills said.

See related story