Photo: CKRW file.
Whitehorse, YT – Klondike business leaders are calling on the Yukon government to address mounting delays in placer mining license renewals, warning the backlog is putting hundreds of jobs and nearly half of Dawson City’s commercial revenue at risk.
Ricky Mawunganidze, Executive Director of the Klondike Visitors Association (KVA), says the delays have a trickle effect on roughly 45 percent of Dawson’s commercial revenue.
“As long as they don’t have guarantees of operating this season, or they do not have those licenses and time to operate, then they’re not going to spend those dollars locally until they have an idea of whether they can function or not,” said Mawunganidze.
The association, along with the Dawson City Chamber of Commerce, is asking the government to issue temporary extensions for operators with active, compliant applications.
Despite a letter to Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker in March, Mawunganidze said little progress has been made.
The Yukon government says it’s working to speed up permitting and recently met with miners in Dawson. Premier Ranj Pillai also raised the issue with Prime Minister Mark Carney, citing delays under the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act.
