Yukon neighbourhood at stake as miners mull new project near Dawson City

DAWSON CITY, Yukon – A First Nation in Yukon is caught between development of a neighbourhood and development of a mine and the dispute has the potential to leave more than three dozen families homeless.

Officials with the Tr’ondek Hwech’in First Nation say it has been asked to remove families, homes, and infrastructure from a Dawson City subdivision so mining can begin in an area that has been staked since the 1970s.

Chief Roberta Joseph is optimistic about saving the neighbourhood, roughly 500 kilometres northwest of Whitehorse, and says she believes the case presents a strong argument for renewal of mining regulation in Yukon.

The Yukon Surface Rights Board, which hears disputes related to accessing or using First Nation settlement land in the territory, is considering an application from two miners that, if successful, could raze the neighbourhood.

Miners Michael Heydorf and Michel Vincent have already issued a vacate notice, demanding all surface and subsurface items be removed from the property on the southern edge of Dawson City.

The Surface Rights Board has delayed any decision and posted a note on its website on Sept. 9, sending the matter back to Heydorf and Vincent for further details.

The parcel sits on Tr’ondek Hwech’in settlement lands and was mined in the 1990s.

The First Nation has invested millions over the last 15 years in planning, development, and construction of the new subdivision, which is home to about 40 families, Joseph says. (CKRW)