The 2024 fall sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly has concluded

During the fall 2024 legislative session, Yukoners saw the advancement of many important priorities that will make life safer and more affordable for Yukoners, including:

• helping to address the urgent need for skilled health care workers in the territory by partnering with the University of New Brunswick to offer a virtual degree program to Yukon licensed practical nurses (LPNs);
• cutting red tape and clearing regulatory hurdles for nurses to come work in the Yukon by allowing them to register directly in the Yukon without having to go through another Canadian jurisdiction;
• addressing the need for affordable housing by continuing construction on the new 45–unit residence being built on the former Ryder Apartment lot, opening a ten-plex in Old Crow, and supporting private sector partners and individual Yukoners as they build new affordable homes across the territory;
• partnering with power utilities and the City of Whitehorse to strengthen emergency protocols;
• working with the Safe at Home Society to open a new supportive housing program at 408 Alexander St. in Whitehorse as part of the Downtown Whitehorse Safety Response Action Plan;
• developing a $10,000 tax credit for fertility and surrogacy treatments and the inclusion of fertility and surrogacy services in medical travel benefits;
• increasing the honourarium for volunteer firefighters from $22 to $30.75 per hour;
• advancing conservation efforts and increasing the amount of protected land for future generations through the Canada–Yukon Nature Agreement;
• providing vulnerable Whitehorse residents, seniors, and youth with free transit tickets and monthly passes;
• launching a live-in Managed Alcohol Program to help individuals with chronic alcohol dependency access health care supports and a stable living environment;
• continuing to advance access to French language services so Francophone Yukoners can receive health care, emergency preparedness, crime prevention and victim services and seniors services in both official languages;
• expanding public health care options by integrating the Summit Health Associates’ psychiatry services into the Government of Yukon’s Mental Wellness and Substance Us Services program; and
• supporting youth by providing funding to 19 community projects through the Youth Investment Fund, among other initiatives.

This fall, the Government of Yukon was also designated as one of Canada’s top 100 employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. and received the highest grade in the country in the C.D. Howe Institute’s 2024 report on fiscal transparency. The Conference Board of Canada published two reports on the Yukon, highlighting the territory’s promising economic and labour market outlook.

During the 2024 Fall Sitting of the Yukon Legislative Assembly, the Government of Yukon passed several pieces of legislation, including the following:

• Bill No. 39, the Act to amend the Forest Resources Act (2024), which streamlines and modernizes Yukon forest resource licensing, permitting and enforcement. These amendments are the result of a review of the Act to make the legislation more effective, provide greater clarity for all parties and continue to allow for responsible use of the Yukon’s forest resources.
• Bill No. 40, the Act to amend the Clean Energy Act (2024) received assent. This will legislate an intensity-based target for reduced greenhouse gas emissions generated by the mining sector. 
• Bill No. 41, amendments to the Environment Act (2002) and the Act to amend the Environment Act (2014), modernizes the regulatory framework for managing contaminants in the Yukon. The amendments will enable the Government of Yukon to implement a more thorough regulatory approach, with updated standards for remediating contaminated sites.
• Bill No. 42, the 2024 Act to Amend the Land Titles Act, 2015 will ensure that purpose-built affordable housing developments remain affordable over the long term through the use of statutory covenants.
• Bill No. 43, Act to Amend the Business Corporations Act (2024), will enhance transparency around the ownership and control of Yukon corporations, supporting investigations into activities like money laundering and tax evasion. 
• Bill No. 44, the Traffic Safety Act, is new legislation that will replace the outdated Motor Vehicles Act, which was drafted in 1977, with a modern, forward-thinking approach to safety on the Yukon’s highways. Developed with feedback from Yukoners at the forefront, this much-needed legislation paves the way for the Government of Yukon to address major concerns like road-user safety and dangerous driving.
• Bill No. 45 the Electoral District Boundaries Act (2024). The Act contains the recommendations from the Electoral District Boundaries Commission and changes to riding boundaries ensure the voices of Yukoners are heard and their interests are represented as the Yukon’s population expands and shifts.
• Bill No. 215, Second Appropriation Act 2024–25, is the First Supplementary Estimates 2024–25. The estimates include a $44 million funding increase for Insured Health and the Yukon Hospital Corporation so that Yukoners can continue to receive high-quality health care. This supplemental budget also includes an additional $22 million in funding for emergency response to wildfires across the Yukon, as well as flooding in the Klondike Valley and Old Crow regions. Through judicious use of the $50 million contingency fund, these estimates still forecast a $75.4 million surplus.