The Dawson Regional Planning Commission is close to being appointed and we expect that the Yukon Government and Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in  will announce the members by early November. We are looking forward having a Commission again!

We will work with the Parties to train and orient the new members over the next few months. Depending on the Commission's schedules and directions, we can anticipate some public events or engagement early in 2019. We anticipate that the Commission board meetings will most often be in Dawson City.

Tim Van Hinte was recently hired as the Senior Planner for the Commission. He can be reached at his Whitehorse office at 867-667-7397.

This Commission will be given a Terms of Reference that was developed by the Council in collaboration with the Parties, who have now approved it. This document provides the Commission with their mandate, general expectations, and relationships with the Parties and others. It builds on, and is consistent with, the Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in Final Agreement.

Some key points include:

• A new region boundary that reflects a recent agreement between Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in and Vuntut Gwitchin Government regarding their overlapping Traditional Territories. This new region is a bit smaller, and has two non-contiguous (not touching) portions. See the adjacent map.
• The Commission should consider potential future land uses and their implications. The time horizon for these considerations should be no less than 20 years.
• A Technical Working Group, with members from the Parties, commission staff and the Yukon Land Use Planning Council, with help provide information to the Commission from the Parties and other sources.
• The Senior Liaison Committee, with members from the Parties, will clarify policies and directions.
• The Commission will be provided updated information reports. Their first major planning product from them will likely be a Draft Plan.
• The Commission should have completed their planning process by the first half of 2020.