The Yukon government is appealing court orders in the lawsuit levied against it by the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun (FNNND) over mining exploration in the Beaver River watershed north of Keno City.
The Yukon Supreme Court ruled in favour of FNNND’s challenge of the territorial government’s decision to approve exploration work proposed by Metallic Minerals Inc. on Jan. 31. A major point of contention in the lawsuit first filed in 2021 was that the work was approved while land use planning for the watershed was still underway.
The court’s decision quashed the approval of the project based on the government’s failure to properly consult with the First Nation and failure to act in accordance with the nation’s final agreement among other concerns.
The government is now seeking a reversal of this decision, having filed a notice of appeal on March 1. It wants the matter heard by the Yukon Court of Appeal in hopes of having the Yukon Supreme Court’s decision, orders and declarations made in its judgement set aside. The Yukon government is also seeking to have its legal costs covered.
On March 16, the Yukon government uploaded a two-page update on its workplan for the Beaver River Land Use Plan to a government documents website.
Contact Jim Elliot at jim.elliot@yukon-news.com