Families who receive disability services are now eligible for additional funding from the Yukon government, as the territory prepares to launch phase two of its reopening plan on July 1.

“One group impacted by closures of schools and services are Yukoners living with disabilities and the loved ones who support these folks,” Premier Sandy Silver said Tuesday afternoon.

“We recognize the strain, mentally and fiscally, that has been caused.”

The premier provided a COVID-19 update alongside Dr. Brendan Hanley, the territory’s chief medical officer.

Eligible families who receive disability services will receive $250 to $400 per month to pay for supports during the pandemic.

This is intended to relieve the financial burden caused by the lack of disability support usually found at schools, day programs and recreation facilities.

The funding can pay for respite care, child care, housekeeping, specialized equipment or other supplies.

The funding will be provided from this month to August.

There are currently 221 families accessing disability services in the Yukon, according to a government news release.

The Yukon is entering phase two of its reopening plan next month.

Campgrounds will open tomorrow, and rural communities have been preparing individual advisories for visitors.

“Each community will determine what they believe will be safe for people to visit their communities,” Silver said.

“We want to make sure communities are informed, comfortable and safe.”

Dawson City Mayor Wayne Potoroka and Chief Roberta Joseph of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation issued a letter to Yukoners last weekend asking that visitors bring all supplies with them and not linger unnecessarily outside shops or in the community (see story).

Silver repeated Tuesday that campers should embark with all of the supplies needed, and should be self-contained while camping within household bubbles.

The territory will open the B.C. border on July 1 as the Yukon moves into phase two of its reopening plan.

Hanley told the Star in an interview Tuesday the border opening was announced a month in advance to give tourism operators and businesses a sense of what traffic to expect this summer.

The opening of the B.C. border was based on the risk of importation, Hanley said.

He conceded that the Yukon will likely see more cases of COVID-19 after the border opens; however, the risk is low and likely to be manageable.

“As we’ve seen Canada in general and specifically B.C. come into a really good place, it’s allowed us to have that conversation even earlier than we had anticipated,” Hanley said.

It makes sense to open the Yukon-B.C. border because of its close proximity and relationship to the Yukon, he explained.

“Recognizing that it’s the obvious place, the one place outside Yukon where many people have family,” Hanley said.

“It’s a place we feel comfortable not only with our present risk, but with our risk analysis, because we’re very deeply partnered with B.C. … we have access to really good information on their risk assessment, rather than relying just on public information.”

Hanley said he doesn’t envision the border opening incrementally.

“It’s too early for me to be clear about it myself, but I don’t see this as a one jurisdiction at a time thing; I see this as a particular advantage because of all I said about our relationship with B.C.,” Hanley said.

“I think a next step would likely be more broadly removing the border restrictions, but it could be that if the epidemiology is really patchy across the country, then we might have to apply some filtering based on where people come from.”

It’s possible, Hanley explained, that visitors will not be allowed from provinces experiencing large outbreaks in the future.

Hanley said he has heard from many Yukoners who feel the territory should reopen sooner, and equally from Yukoners who are concerned the relaxations are happening too quickly.

He said there are unintended consequences of restrictions that must be considered, including increased drug use and overdoses, surges in mental health issues, financial challenges and the potential infringement on civil liberties.

“Our cold reality is we cannot live in this false bubble for long,”  Hanley said.

“The effects of our restrictions have not gone unnoticed; in fact, we know that we are suffering much more from the effects of COVID restrictions than COVID itself.”

See letters.