Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act (YESAA)?
YESAA is a single assessment process for considering the potential effects a proposed development may have on the Yukon’s environment, people, communities and economy.

YESAA was established after Chapter 12 of the Umbrella Final Agreement called for an assessment process that would apply to all Yukon lands: federal, territorial, First Nation and private. YESAA is federal legislation and was developed by the Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN), the Government of Yukon and the Government of Canada. (The Umbrella Final Agreement is a common template for negotiating First Nation Final Agreements.)

Why is the review happening?
Chapter 12 of the Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA) and Yukon First Nations’ Agreements stipulate a requirement to review YESAA within five years of it becoming law.

Who is conducting the review?
The review is a joint initiative by the Parties to the Umbrella Final Agreement: the Government of Canada, the Council of Yukon First Nations and the Government of Yukon.

What will be the outcome of the review?
A final Review Report will be available to the public and will include an implementation and follow-up schedule.

How can I become involved in the review?
The Final Observations and Conclusion Report (2.1Mb PDF) is now available. This was the last opportunity for public input into the Five-year Review, as outlined in the process chart (56KB PDF).

What are the Terms of Reference?
The Terms of Reference (TOR) is a document that describes the purpose and scope of the five-year review, including principles, the review process, roles and responsibilities and what will be covered in the review report. You can see the Terms of Reference here.