FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 18, 2021

Whitehorse, Yukon

The Yukon Chamber of Mines (YCM) held its Annual General Meeting virtually on Wednesday, November 17th from the boardroom of the Yukon Chamber of Mines. An election of officers (see attached list) was held, and 7 directors vied for 6 seats, while the Executive was acclaimed.

Incoming President Loralee Johnstone, of Minto Mine Explorations Ltd. was acclaimed to her first term. “Congratulations to the new board members, it is exciting to be able to work with you over the next year and I am honored to take on the new role as president,” Mrs. Johnstone said. “In the year ahead Yukon’s mining industry will be facing many challenges which will bring opportunities to work with our Yukon partner organizations, Yukon Chamber of Commerce, Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce, First Nation Chamber of Commerce, Klondike Placer Miners Association, Yukon Producers Group, Yukon Prospectors Association and Yukon Women in Mining, to collaborate and work for Yukon’s highly regulated and responsible mining industry.”

Brianne Warner, Executive Director of YCM added “Our members have stood by us, supported our efforts with legislative and regulatory changes and land use planning the last 6 months. Over the next year YCM will be working hard to ensure the exploration and mining industry has a promising future here in the territory.”

Mrs. Johnstone further noted “I’d like to thank the former board of directors for their volunteerism over the course of the last year and welcome new and returning members to the board to serve through 2022.”

Founded in 1943, the Yukon Chamber of Mines is a non-profit organization representing 700 members which includes exploration, mining and service and supply companies, contractors and individuals that have a direct or indirect interest in the mining industry.

As the trusted voice of mining, the Yukon Chamber of Mines thrives on the First Nation, government, community, and individual partnerships it forges to help facilitate an environment of responsible development - one in which Yukoners can continue to contribute and prosper.

2021/22 Yukon Chamber of Mines Board of Directors

President – Loralee Johnstone, Minto Mine Explorations Ltd.

Vice President – Andrew Carne, ATAC Resources Ltd.

2nd Vice President – Allan Nixon, BMC Minerals Ltd.

Past President – Ed Peart, Air North

Director – Mike Burke

Director – Tracy Dormer, Minto Mine Explorations Ltd.

Director – Brandon MacDonald, Fireweed Zinc Ltd.

Director – Stuart Murray, Smalls Expediting Ltd.

Director – Jerry Asp, Gray Wolf Solutions Ltd.

Director – Christian Roldan, Newmont Corporation

For more information, please visit www.yukonminers.org or contact:

Brianne Warner

Executive Director

Yukon Chamber of Mines

867.667.2090

ed@yukonminers.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 10, 2021

Whitehorse, Yukon

The Yukon Chamber of Mines (YCM) has made the difficult decision to cancel the 49^th Annual Geoscience Forum & Trade Show to be held on November 20^th to 23^rd, due to the Yukon Government’s (YG) recently declared State of Emergency and limits on organized gatherings, including conferences. YCM understands and respects Yukon Government’s decision to declare a state of emergency in response to the increase in COVID-19 cases across the Yukon. 

YCM has been working hard to deliver a hybrid event with the support of industry, delegates, sponsors and keynotes and we are extremely disappointed to have to come to this decision. The geoscience forum is the largest annual conference held in Whitehorse, and we are saddened to be unable to bring the positive benefits to local businesses and the Yukon economy that we have in previous years. 

It is extremely important to the Chamber to ensure we continue to offer opportunities for industry to network and communicate their achievements and attract investments to the territory. This decision is being taken primarily due to the new restrictions on gatherings, but the YCM also wants to ensure the reputation built up by industry over the past year and a half for effectively managing the challenges of COVID is not jeopardized by our event. We ask for your understanding of our decision and hope that we can count on your support as we move forward in the coming weeks.

We recognize cancelling the event means missed opportunities for our members, contractors, speakers, and our industry as a whole and we respectfully request your patience as we develop plans to deliver the 2021 technical program in the new year. We will have more details available in the coming weeks and will be in a position to start processing refunds as of December 1st. 

“This is not the outcome we wanted however this is the responsible thing to do given the position that the Yukon is in right now. The Board of Directors and staff are now working hard to determine what the next steps will be and our focus is to ensure that we’re bringing real benefits to the Yukon through our Geoscience Forum that we’ve enjoyed for so many years.  It’s important to us that we keep promoting the Yukon as a modern and responsible mining jurisdiction, and to inform Yukoners through this venue about the benefits that mining brings to the Territory, and to the lives of Yukoners.” Ed Peart, President Yukon Chamber of Mines.

Brianne Warner

Executive Director

Yukon Chamber of Mines

ed@yukonminers.ca

The Yukon Chamber of Mines (YCM) is proud to welcome Brianne Warner as it's new Executive Director, effective September 20th. Brianne joined the Chamber in April 2021 as the Executive Policy Analyst and has been acting Executive Director for the last six weeks.

Brianne comes to the YCM with enthusiasm and experience supporting our industry. The Board of Directors welcomes Brianne's initiative on several key projects already in her short time with the Chamber so far. Brianne has vision for her role going into the future and the Board supports her in leading the organization day to day.

Please join the Board of Directors in welcoming Brianne to the team and please feel free to give her a call and introduce yourself.

Welcome, Brianne.

Thanks,



Ed Peart
YCM President
 

Editorial for the Yukon Chamber of Mines

For July 2021 Submission to the Yukon News and Whitehorse Star

On June 15, the Dawson Regional Planning Commission released its Draft Land Use Plan (LUP) - Onthe Land We Walk Together"/ "Nän käk ndä tr'ädäl for an area encompassing 39,854 squarekilometres or approximately 10 per cent of the Yukon.

The Yukon Chamber of Mines (YCM) extends its appreciation to the Commission for its hard work inbringing the plan to this stage. Our valued membership of over 700 also appreciates theopportunity to comment on the Draft LUP through the Commission’s public engagement processcurrently underway until November 1, 2021.

The YCM fully supports land use planning in the territory and believes the process is a valuable toolin providing certainty and encouraging understanding and appreciation of the value differentsectors bring to the territory. The Yukon Mineral Development Strategy set some very aggressivetimelines for completion of remaining land use plans in the Yukon and the Chamber has alreadyreached out to Yukon Government, First Nations and the Council of Yukon First Nations to pledgeour organization’s support for the process and to confirm our commitment to being part of the process in bringing the remaining land use plans to fruition.