The territory’s delay in receiving details on the federal carbon price policy less than year leading up to its implementation could have a string of other repercussions, one mining executive warns.

Speaking to the Star earlier this month, Stewart Muir commended the Yukon government for developing an economy he said is intertwined with and encouraging of mining developments.

Muir was in Whitehorse for the Yukon Chamber of Mines’ conference during Mining and Geology Week, which stretched from May 7 to 11.

He serves as the executive director of Vancouver-based Resource Works, an organization that aims to promote responsible and clean mining developments.

He warned that the delay in consultations and plans – or the revealing of these plans, at least – may do more harm than good.

“The issue is that if we don’t have a well-structured carbon pricing policy that has got political support from provinces and territories, it’s going to compound some other problems we have,” he noted.

Muir admitted that the looming carbon taxes, which are expected to take effect in 2019, will see the mining sector in particular become more competitive – making responsible and environmentally-cautious operations all the more important.

In addition to potentially straining relations between jurisdictions, the delay could also have a trickle-down effect, he continued.

Just this month, for instance, reports emerged showing some Yukon mayors were frustrated with the lack of detail, making it more difficult to plan for their respective municipal budgets.

That’s despite Premier Sandy Silver sending a letter to municipalities earlier in the month, promising to rebate “levies paid by First Nations government and municipal governments back.”

During the spring sitting of the legislative assembly, the government had committed to returning rebates to Yukoners and businesses in the territory.

The premier also noted in the letter that updates from Ottawa would be provided at the Yukon Forum Fiscal Working Group and meetings through the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC).

Muir added that he admires the territory for its mining developments.

He even cited a Conference of Board of Canada report from earlier this month that showed the Yukon’s economic outlook in the North as a fairly positive one.

But he noted that “these numbers can be quite variable.

“You can see why the attraction is certainly there, and this is the modern diversified Yukon economy,” Muir said, continuing that “mining is still a good size component of it.”

Meanwhile, Silver did say over the May 12-13 weekend at the AYC’s annual general meeting that he is proud of his government’s commitment.

He noted that carbon tax details are an issue on that has been on people’s radar for quite some time now.

The premier cited the Yukon Liberals’ 2016 election campaign promise to return all revenue from the federal tax back to the Yukoners and Yukon businesses through a rebate.

Silver also met with federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna in Ottawa less than a month ago. He said he told her the territory cannot afford to wait later than the end of the summer for details.

Waiting longer could cut into the fall sitting of the legislative assembly, offering very little time for the territorial government to see how the rebate would look.

Until details emerge and develop on practices involving mining, including carbon tax pricing, Muir continued that the industry would still be a relatively low-key one.

“The big story about Yukon is that people are looking for minerals elsewhere in the world, but the industry here is almost invisible,” he said.

Likening mining activities and the involvement of local businesses in the sector as “wallpaper” largely overlooked by long-time residents, Muir continued that he admired the territory’s approach to innovation.

“There’s a powerful, quiet economy here,” he added.