Photo by Whitehorse Star

Environment Minister Nils Clarke

Feedback sought on the development of new parks regulations

The Government of Yukon is launching a public engagement to modernize parks regulations in the territory.

By Whitehorse Star on May 5, 2022

The Government of Yukon is launching a public engagement to modernize parks regulations in the territory.

Feedback is being sought from Yukoners on noise, domestic animals, liquor, smoking, on-road and off-road vehicles, aircraft use (including drones), park zoning, permitting and other regulations related to parks.

Yukoners can submit their feedback through a survey until July 4.

Following the engagement with the public, the government expects to have modernized regulations for the 2023 camping season.

The extended 2022 camping season officially began April 29.

Many campgrounds across the Yukon are now serviced and accessible. Remaining campgrounds will open in the coming weeks as conditions allow, the government said.

“As the camping season in our territory begins, it is important that we are all mindful of one another as we enjoy our beautiful parks and campgrounds,” said Environment Minister Nils Clarke.

“I encourage all Yukoners to submit their feedback on how we can continue to improve our regulations in parks across the Yukon and help ensure that everyone has a great experience camping in the territory.”

The campgrounds which are serviced and accessible are: Congdon Creek, Conrad, Five Mile Lake, Fox Lake, Klondike River, Kusawa Lake, Lake Laberge, Marsh Lake, Pine Lake, Takhini River, Tombstone Mountain, Watson Lake and Wolf Creek.

Extending the serviced camping season and modernizing park regulations were both commitments in the Yukon Parks Strategy.

The strategy, launched in 2020, outlines a number of commitments to guide management and development of parks and campgrounds for the next 10 years.

Comments (18)

Up 1 Down 0

Mitch Holder on May 12, 2022 at 10:23 am

@ Stop Shooting your own foot - Yeah, I already regret sharing it for just that reason. Just took a Conservative post debate survey this morning and it was about the same limitations. 2021 may have been Canada's last election.

Up 6 Down 2

Stop shooting your own foot. on May 11, 2022 at 10:06 am

Seriously, stop taking their surveys. They are simply tools to manufacture consent. Their limitations and constraints whether intentional are not take the commons farther away from its own best interests because of their manufacturing of this consent through the homogenizing effect of survey interpretation.

Up 2 Down 3

Mitch Holder on May 10, 2022 at 4:50 pm

@ Mitch Holder getting at Mitch Holder - really trying to verify this for a long time, are you sure? Never stopped me from rando camping in the past, but would be nice to know.

Up 1 Down 5

Mitch Holder on May 10, 2022 at 4:49 pm

Only a Liberal liability would dislike and shared petition relevant to the article - hahahahahaha.

Up 2 Down 4

Mitch Holder on May 10, 2022 at 4:48 pm

@ Charles Meyer - I would love to see that, meet the colourful 5% while you camp in our campgrounds. Honest tourism and beneficial to all. Well said.

Up 2 Down 3

Mitch Holder on May 10, 2022 at 4:47 pm

@ MAX MACK - I guess that is what we get for being good hosts. We should probably stop being good hosts. Easy enough to rid the Yukon of the chaff, we do so with every shut down proposal the municipal and territorial government tries to waste our time and money on.

Up 12 Down 5

Max Mack on May 10, 2022 at 4:00 pm

I am very disappointed the mods decided to cull my comment on this so-called "consultation".

The Liberals already have decided on the changes they seek to introduce, changes pushed by their supporters. Now, they are simply looking for their kin to confirm by "survey" that is what they want. I have a strong hunch the goose is already well cooked.

It is an unfortunate reality that certain classes and groups of people are determined to turn the Yukon into a giant shrine, one where the "rabble" and the "basket of deplorables" is not welcome.

Up 8 Down 12

Find a liberal today and give them the “Trudeau Salute” on May 10, 2022 at 10:42 am

Dear Olav on May 5, 2022 at 11:13 pm:

Please do not burn firewood! It is extremely bad for Climate Change and also a much greater health hazard than fossil fuels on human physiology.

Instead, bring your own propane/natural gas fire pit. Be kind to the environment. Do not burn trees, even if they are already fire-killed. The ecological destruction of this activity alone is highly concerning without considering the intellectual deficits involved in the unintended hypocrisy…

But, as the Liberals have instituted hypocrisy as a form of governance it’s just the way of it for the time being… Don’t use fossil fuels but burn down and deforest the planet which is what often causes the intensification of the so-called climate change catastrophes.

Climate change (hysteria) is now a psychological construct warranting specific psychological interventions. Great job Liberals and other Extinction Rebellion supporters. I wonder how much longer it will be before the number of people who commit suicide and other acts of violence associated with climate change hysteria will over take the number of deaths due to weather/climate related phenomenon.

Up 9 Down 0

Bandit on May 9, 2022 at 4:55 pm

@Groucho d'North
We used to have Campground hosts here in the past, I am not sure why they suspended the program. Maybe a Parks Employee could shed some light on this, it would be a great opportunity for a semi-retired person/couple or even Snowbirds that come home for the summer months.

Up 11 Down 6

Groucho d'North on May 7, 2022 at 4:11 pm

I believe the Yukon is ready for a campground host program as in BC and Alaska. Having somebody on site to enforce the rules, collect the fees and be available to answer any questions our visitors might have would be welcomed I'm sure.

Up 15 Down 3

Charlie's Aunt on May 6, 2022 at 7:42 pm

I filled out the survey but only at the end does it specifically address what most of us are interested in and that is YT campsites. Although issues such as excessive drinking, rowdy partying are covered in general, most of it reads as though it relates to a National Park like Banff. Unless YT is going to have regular park wardens on site, many of the proposals won't be monitored. I am so glad they addressed people wanting to take their pet LLama for a weekend of camping - lol.

Up 0 Down 8

melba on May 6, 2022 at 3:58 pm

This survey did not load for me. Said it wasn't there or something.

Up 16 Down 0

@mitch on May 6, 2022 at 3:22 pm

@mitchholder
#4 - You can camp anywhere you want as long as it's not private property or some kind of secured facility. Nothing stopping you.

Up 2 Down 3

Mitch Holder on May 6, 2022 at 12:46 pm

FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SURVEY HERE IT IS:

https://ygsurvey.yukon.ca/surveys/2022-yukon-parks-regulations-engagement-survey

Up 14 Down 14

Mitch Holder on May 6, 2022 at 9:53 am

1) Free camping (with reservations) for senior citizens, 1 free trip per annum at minimum, with reservations allotted for seniors so they don't miss out on the university course sign up that is our campground booking system.

2) Build camping facilities and areas that give preference to locals over tourists. Build more RV parks and services catered to tourism and give us back the recreation rurally that we pay taxes for.

3) Licensed camprounds. Privatized campgrounds. Give people options because camping is very different depending on who is doing it and people should have the right to camp and drink if they choose. Same with marijuana.

4) Instead of closing us out of the wilderness, you should be incentivizing us to explore it. We need more lax regulation for free range camping. I live in the Yukon, I should be able to walk out my door, hike somewhere and camp if I chose without utilizing your limited amenities. If I wanted to sit quietly in a campground waiting for Monday at a premium, I would camp in BC.

5) More first nations campgrounds, I cannot stress that enough. I would love to learn from locals on a camping trip, but I can't afford their tourism packages. What I suggest might be a happy medium wherein local indigenous groups could find an opportunity to more direct land stewardship and connection to tourists and locals interested in their practices and cultures.

Gunałchéesh

PS - not a lot of room (or any really) on their survey for input, so not really a survey. They got a piece of my mind.

Up 14 Down 15

Olav on May 5, 2022 at 11:13 pm

The Liberal mantra of “Tax and spend” will be very evident.
The rate increases are already taking effect, with more increases coming next year.
They will spend this money on anything but increased camping services.
In fact, get ready to pay for firewood.
The Lib’s will create whole new department to police all these proposed rules, but there never will be effective enforcement because there is on site presence.
A once a night patrol is a joke.

Up 22 Down 7

charles meyer on May 5, 2022 at 5:16 pm

Why not offer a oppurtunity to Seniors with a RV to camp in some Campground for the Summer? Let them feel appreciated to be Ambassadors to the Yukon for the Tourists while making sure the Fees are paid and general order is maintained.
I for one would sign up yesterday.

Up 24 Down 6

JULES on May 5, 2022 at 4:17 pm

Interesting but on what site do you get to complete the survey. Have gone too yukon.ca but can’t seem to find the surveys. This seems to be a common thing for this government, ask for input but don’t direct people to the site.