News Releases and Advisories
Porcupine caribou threatened by drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
October 30th — Whitehorse, YukonThe birthing grounds of one of North America’s last healthy barren-ground caribou herds are at serious risk. Porcupine caribou are seen as a beacon of hope amidst swift declines of the species across the arctic. With both U.S. Congress and the White House pushing to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [Learn more]
CPAWS National takes federal Minister to court over Boreal Caribou Habitat Protection
April 20, 2017 –Montreal, QC Today, the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) filed a lawsuit against the federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. “One requirement of the federal Species at Risk Act is that once critical habitat for a species has been identified, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change has 180 [Learn more]
First Nations and conservation groups bring Yukon Government to Supreme Court in fight for the Peel
Today, on World Water Day, the Supreme Court of Canada heard from First Nations and conservation groups fighting to ensure the protection of one of the largest intact ecosystems in North America, the Peel Watershed in northeastern Yukon. The landmark case is the culmination of a contentious land dispute in which the previous Government of [Learn more]
CPAWS recommends against all-season access road to Rau property
CPAWS Yukon is requesting that the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board recommend against the proposal for the 65-km all-season access road north of Mayo to the Tiger gold deposit on the Rau property. The road is being proposed by the company ATAC Resources to facilitate further exploration work as part of its Racla Gold [Learn more]
Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers Can Lead the Way on Protected Areas in Canada
Press Release from CPAWS National OTTAWA – The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) launched an important challenge to Canadian decision-makers on the eve of a ministers’ meeting to discuss conservation, wildlife and biodiversity. “Be ambitious, science-based and forward-thinking. You have an incredible opportunity to leave a legacy for future generations,” said Éric Hébert-Daly, CPAWS [Learn more]
Next up, Ottawa: FAQs on next steps in the Peel legal case
Q: Does the Peel Watershed case still need to go to the Supreme Court of Canada? Yes, it is essential the Supreme Court of Canada hear the Peel Watershed case because the outcome will have far-reaching impacts on land use planning in the Yukon and even across Canada where modern-day treaties have been negotiated. The [Learn more]
CPAWS Yukon congratulates Yukon Liberals; looks forward to Peel protection
–November 10th, 2016 CPAWS Yukon congratulates Sandy Silver and the Yukon Liberal Party on being elected to form Yukon’s new government. We are encouraged by statements made by the incoming government during the election regarding the protection of the Peel Watershed. In their platform, the Liberal Party pledged to “[accept] the final report of the [Learn more]
Peel Watershed Case One Step Closer to Ottawa
WHITEHORSE, YT – October 31, 2016 On October 19, 2016, the appellants in the Peel Watershed case (the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, CPAWS Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society) filed their factum (written argument) in the Supreme Court of Canada. Thomas Berger Q.C., legal counsel [Learn more]
This election CPAWS is taking unprecedented action to put Yukon’s environment first
WHITEHORSE, YT – October 12, 2016 With an election slated for November 7th, CPAWS Yukon and the Yukon Conservation Society are making sure that Yukon voters know where the political parties stand on the environment when they cast their votes. The Executive Directors of both organizations held a joint press conference on the waterfront of [Learn more]
CPAWS urges Premiers to protect Canada’s wilderness and confront climate change
As Canada’s thirteen territorial and provincial Premiers meet in Whitehorse this week to collaborate on issues of national importance, CPAWS Yukon is calling on our nation’s leaders to implement strong action on climate change, including emissions reductions and protection of Canada’s wilderness. At their last meetings in Vancouver in March, governments agreed to create a [Learn more]