The Dawson Regional Planning Commission released a Draft Land Use Plan for the Dawson region today!
“The Dawson Regional Planning Commission is very pleased to share with the public this Draft Plan, which is the result of the collaboration of many people and our planning partners over the past two years,” said Commission Chair Debbie Nagano. “This Draft Plan reflects our vision and planning philosophy, ‘On the Land We Walk Together’/ ‘Nän käk ndä tr’ädäl’.”
The Commission is celebrating the release of the Draft Plan with an event in Dawson City today at 12:30pm on the grounds of the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre.
“This Draft Plan is guided by the principles of sustainable development and stewardship and is designed to enable the people of this region to build a diverse economy while maintaining a rich cultural legacy and a healthy environment,” said Nagano. “We hope that it will help chart our collective future, prosperity, and our connection to the land we all love.”
The plan includes recommendations for research, mitigations for proponents, government policy, and government actions to be undertaken that provide guidance on topics such as access, caribou, water, wetlands, and mineral development.
The Plan also recommends the creation of a new land use designation called Integrated Stewardship Areas, where varying levels of industrial and other development can occur.
This Draft Plan is the starting point for the next phase of the Commission’s planning process, which will be to develop a Recommended Plan as set out in Chapter 11 of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Final Agreement.
The release of the Draft Plan will be followed by public engagement, from June to November 1st. Public and plan partner feedback will be considered by the Commission when it produces a Recommended Plan, which is expected to be completed in 2022.
The Commission plans to implement both in-person and online options to allow people to provide feedback in a safe and meaningful way.
Over the summer, the Commission will gather input from technical experts and key planning partners. In the fall, it will host public engagement events to include everyone interested in the Dawson Region.
“This Draft Plan is the Commission’s best attempt at balancing cultural, economic and environmental values for the Dawson Region,” said Nagano. “We anticipate that substantive changes will be made to this the Draft Plan, and we look forward to hearing from everyone as we move closer to completion of a Recommended Plan.”
The Draft Plan and a Draft Plan Summary are available for viewing on the Commission’s website at www.dawson.planyukon.ca. A backgrounder is also available there.
More information and details about the public engagement process are available on the Engage Dawson website at www.engagedawson.planyukon.ca.