Members Present:

Secretariat:

Regrets:

Guests:

Yukon Environmental Socio-Economic Act Presentations:

State of the Environment Presentation:

Economic Direction Presentation:

The chair welcomed new member Joella Hogan, from Mayo, representing the Council of Yukon First Nations.

Stephen Dunbar from the Yukon Chamber of Commerce has been officially appointed.

Michael Phillips has been nominated to fill the vacant Member at Large position. It is expected the appointment will be made shortly.

Members suggested that Malcolm Taggart fill the position of Vice Chair for YCEE. Council discussed the importance of having a vice chair representative from Whitehorse or the Whitehorse area as the chair is located in Dawson City.

Bill Mann moved and Charlotte Hrenchuck seconded the motion to nominate Malcolm Taggart as Vice Chair. The motion carried.

ACTION: Letter to be drafted to Executive Council Office to appoint Malcolm Taggart as Vice Chair.

Elaine Shorty requested a discussion on the appointment of Chairs be added to the agenda. Malcolm Taggart moved and Charlotte Hrenchuck seconded the motion to approve the modified agenda. The motion carried.

Charlotte Hrenchuck moved and Bill Mann seconded the motion to approve the November 21, 2003 minutes as modified (spelling mistake pg. 4). The motion carried.

1. Appointment of Chair

   The legislation that guides YCEE states that the Commissioner in Executive Council appoints the Chair for Council. Any changes would require a change in the legislation.

2. Secretariat Support

   Nina Sutherland, Policy Analyst with the Department of Environment will provide interim policy support to YCEE.

3. Yukon Health Status Survey

   Chair discussed and reviewed the recently released Yukon Health Status Survey.

4. Yukon Conservation Strategy

   The public review of YCS was to take place in the fall of 2002 but was delayed due to the election. Council is interested in receiving an update from government on the status of the Yukon Conservation Strategy Revision.

   ACTION: Draft letter to Minister of Environment providing an overview of YCEE's mandated responsibilities and actions on YCS & seek status of Strategy revision.

5. Captive Wildlife Consultation

   No further correspondence has been received from the Minister of Environment on this issue. It was a proposed interest identified by Yukon Environment that did not proceed to project proposal for YCEE consideration. The public consultation process is now closed.

6. Yukon Fish & Wildlife Management Board Survey on Off Road Vehicle Use

   Member Joella Hogan provided brief background on YFWMB's Off Road Vehicle Use survey. Questionnaire is on YFWMB's website and has been sent out to communities, RRC's and is available at public meetings.

Representatives from the YESAA working group presented an overview of the Legislation and proposed Regulations. The presentation included information on:

• Transition of assessment regimes in Yukon
• Current environmental assessment context
• Development of DAP
• DAP framework & roles
• DAP Process
• Key features of assessments
• Activities subject to assessment
• YESAA project list regulation
• Current issues & next steps

The legislation has been approved but the regulations haven't gone through the federal regulatory review process. The regulations hope to address information requirements. The three areas of focus are on development of legislation, regulations and board rules.

Mr. Gary Lee presented an overview to Council of the Yukon Chamber Mines on YESAA to the federal Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources in April 2003. YCM attempted to advocate parity with Quebec & Ontario Mining Land Use Regulations (MLUR).

Under the existing MLUR:

• No notification is required for Class I exploration activities.
• Class II activities require that a notification be posted with the Land Use Office and this notification is sent to the local community(s), First Nation(s) and other interested parties
• Class III activities require a Mining Land Use Application be filed and that the project be screened under EAA.

Under the proposed YESAA regulations Class II and III activities will require full screening. The YCM considers this too low a minimum threshold and proposes to have many of the Class II activities removed from YESAA screening. They are recommending:

• Class II activities should require a notification only be filed as per MLUR.
• Class III activities require an application be filed as per MLUR and screened under the new YESAA regulations

Without changes to the proposed YESAA regulations, YCM views the permitting bureaucracy will be unaffordable and unworkable for individuals and small companies and a disincentive to the mineral industry. The YESAA regulations must be reasonable and achieve the goal of protecting the environment while allowing all industries to be able to compete on a fair and level playing field with other jurisdictions across Canada.

As the consultation period has already come to an end, YCEE will not comment on the YESAA regulations. Council membership will continue to educate themselves on the YESAA Legislation and Regulations. Further information and clarification will be sought on the screening, timelines and the assessment processes. Council will then be prepared to make comments on the YESAA rules and implementation process.

Council will seek clarification from the DAP Working Group on:

• The rational behind Class II activities requiring full EAA screening.
• The timelines and the consultation process for the development of the YESAA rules.

Council will make the following recommendation to the three levels governments on YESAA:

• YCEE recommends the review period for the YESAA regulations be shortened from 5 years to 3 years to allow early detection of any associated problems with the regulations.

ACTION: YCEE will request further information and clarification on YESAA screening, timelines and the assessment processes to aid in council's review at the next meeting.

ACTION: Draft letter seeking clarification and information on the rational behind Class II activities requiring full EAA screening.

ACTION: Draft letter seeking clarification and information on the timelines and the consultation process for the development of the YESAA rules.

ACTION: Draft letter to YESAA working Group recommending the review period for the YESAA regulations be shortened from 5 years to 3 years to allow early detection of any associated problems with the regulations.

Laura Prentice, SOER contractor, provided council with an update on the 2003 State of the Environment Interim Report. Items discussed were the approach to the report, inclusion of traditional knowledge, possible indicators and analysis, and timelines for release of the report.

Council reviewed the proposed 2003 SOER Indicators and provided feedback to the contractor.

YCEE completed a review of the 1999 SOE Report and is awaiting the release of the 2002 Report to make further recommendations. One of Council's key recommendations in 1999 was to include economic conditions in the SOER to provide a more integrated approach to the definition of "Environment". The focus needs to be shifted to look at what the environment is providing for us, and our impact on the land; as the human element is missing from the report. Links need to be made between the State of the Environment Report, Economic Strategy and the Health Status Report. An all-encompassing report is required to link these all together. YCEE has tried to push the use Sustainable Progress Indicators to monitor these linkages. Attitudes on how land use issues are changing need to be included in the SOER.

Scott Milton from the Department of Economic Development provided Council with an update on the Sustainable Progress Indicators Project. The project is now completed and will be brought to senior government officials for discussion of use. A website will be developed and it is anticipated that the indicators will be multi-functional, useful and in high demand.

ACTION: Draft Letter to request the finalized Sustainable Progress Indicators. Council will review the SPI's in the fall and will provide recommendations to government on their possible use.

Scott Milton from the Department of Economic Development presented an overview of the Yukon Government's New Economic Direction. Council reviewed the summary document titled "A New Economic Direction: Building a Sustainable & Competitive Yukon Economy". The presentation included information on:

• Consultation Process
• Economic Framework
• Progress on Next Steps
• Performance Measurements

Council discussed the importance of including gender-based analysis and links to Sustainable Progress Indictors as outcome measurements.

ACTION: Distribute Economic Direction document to Membership. Council to review Economic Direction (in place of Yukon Economic Strategy) at next meeting and provide recommendations to government.

Council reviewed the draft work plan and budget for the 2004/05 period.

ACTION: 2004/05 work plan and budget will be forwarded to Executive Council Office.

Council discussed possible options for hosting a fall speaker series on sustainable development, progress indicators and links between the economy and the environment. Six speakers were reviewed and three were chosen as possible candidates. Speakers will be researched for affordability and availability. The aim is to host a public and council speaker series in mid October to mid November with a possible trip to a community. A possible partnership with the Yukon Health & Social Service Board was discussed as an option for bringing up Dr. Ronald Coleman from GPI Atlantic, as his focus is on developing progress indicators for healthy communities.

ACTION: Contact speakers to research affordability and availability for a YCEE fall speaker series.

The draft report was presented to council for their review. Upon revision, the report will be printed and tabled in the fall sitting of the legislature.

ACTION: YCEE annual report to printed and forwarded to the Premier for tabling in the legislature.

Yukon Status of Women Council: YSWC released a report titled "Strong Women's Voices Rural Choices", a Report on the Northern Women's Issues - Through a Rural Lens Project. The report identifies the priorities for rural women in Yukon communities. Women felt that the Environment was okay but the Economy was of concern. The report has been distributed to government and NGO's.

Yukon Aboriginal Woman Association: Nothing to report at this time.

Yukon Chamber of Mines: Nothing to report at this time.

Yukon Federation of Labour: Nothing to report at this time.

Council of Yukon First Nations: CYFN has expressed concern with the level of YCEE meetings and lack of mandated government strategies to review. Views YCEE as a valuable mandated Council. New member is looking forward to working on sustainable development issues in the Yukon.

Yukon Conservation Society: YCS views YCEE as an important forum for sustainability issues. Council's responsibilities to provide input to government are mandated through legislation. YCEE should continue to fulfill their legislated responsibilities.

September 10/11 - Mayo

Council discussed hosting a public forum on mine reclamation in Mayo. Items to review include; Sustainable Progress Indicator's, Economic Direction Document, YESAA and Yukon Conservation follow up information and finalization of the fall speaker series.

Mid-October to Mid-November - Whitehorse

YCEE plans to host a speaker series on the links between the Economy & the Environment and Sustainable Progress Indicators. The speaker series target audience will be the public, senior government officials & council membership.

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Chair