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Government of Yukon
The Premier online
Council of the Federation 2007 Meeting
The 2007 Council of the Federation (CoF) meeting in Moncton, New Brunswick focused on two main topics:
- Energy Strategy
- Climate Change
Energy Strategy
Yukon was actively involved in developing an energy strategy that was released at the 2007 CoF meeting.
A Shared Vision for Energy in Canada is a seven point plan that highlights the importance of energy conservation, research and technology, supply, demand and infrastructure to meet Canada’s present and future needs.
The strategy complements Yukon's efforts to develop a Cold Climate Innovation Cluster and a Climate Change Research Centre for the North.
A series of energy maps were released with the strategy. The maps illustrate the existing inventory of the country’s energy assets and potential assets and show the economic potential of Canada’s energy sector.
These maps show that Yukon’s resources have not been fully explored and the potential for additional reserves is significant. For example, Yukon has proven reserves of 84 billion cubic feet of natural gas, however, the Yukon has a mean gas play potential of over 17 trillion cubic feet. In other words, Yukon’s resource potential is about 200 times greater than its proven reserves.
Read Yukon's news release on CoF Energy Strategy.
Climate Change
At the 2007 CoF summer meeting, Premier Fentie shared his thoughts on the importance of Canada taking adaptive measures to climate change. Premiers all agree that climate change is impacting the North and that adaptation, as well as mitigation must be considered in a national response to climate change.
Yukon is taking action through its Climate Change Strategy. Actions include improvement of fuel efficiency of government’s fleet vehicles, adaptive management, public education and outreach through Yukon’s Energy Solutions Centre and Northern Climate ExChange, and Yukon’s canola test plots for biofuel production. Yukon is also taking action in the areas of transportation, forestry electricity, construction, and waste management.
These examples are included in a report released at the 2007 CoF meeting, Climate Change: Leading Practices by Provincial and Territorial Governments in Canada.
In recognition of the significance of the climate change issue premiers have agreed to make it a central and ongoing agenda item at future CoF meetings. B.C. will be hosting a conference on adaptation to climate change early in 2008 and all Premiers agreed to participate in this national discussion. Yukon will ensure that the impacts being felt in the North today along with the immediate need for more research will play a central role in the conference.
Northern impacts of climate change include:
- Melting permafrost results in movement of and disturbance to buildings, roads, telecommunications and other infrastructure;
- Receding glaciers with the resulting impact of potential flooding in some areas and a drying out of the land in other areas as ponds and lakes disappear;
- Ground instability resulting in increased erosion and land slides;
- An advancing tree line which disrupts wildlife and traditional ways of life; and
- Beetle infestation with its resulting economic and habitat impact.
Yukon sees opportunity in the commitments made by premiers in the areas of research and technology and energy efficiency and conservation. These commitments mesh with efforts to encourage investment in Northern research and to establish Yukon College as a Climate Change Research Centre of Excellence, including a Cold Climate Innovation Cluster specializing in cold climate technology.
The commitments made at CoF also support the framework for action, A Northern Vision: A Stronger North and a Better Canada, released by Northern Premiers earlier this year where climate change and climate change research are identified as priorities for the North.
Find out more about Yukon's climate change initiatives.
