The Yukon government responded to a petition this week asking for the government to develop a campground at the Conrad historic site near Carcross instead of the planned location at Atlin Lake.
The proposed Atlin Lake campground has come under controversy as the local Taku River Tlingit First Nation says it must have a land claims agreement before it can accept more development on its traditional territory.
The possibility for collaborating on a campground at Conrad is outlined in the government’s final agreement with the Carcross/Tagish First Nation.
Environment Minister Currie Dixon said both campgrounds may be eventually developed.
“We are committed to working collaboratively with the Carcross/Tagish First Nation if we do go down the road of developing Conrad. The potential campgrounds at Conrad and Atlin do not have to be mutually exclusive. There is certainly a need for multiple new campgrounds in the southern Yukon. Yukoners and visitors alike would benefit greatly by the development of both of these campgrounds.”
The Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board recently recommended that the Atlin Lake campground go ahead under certain mitigating conditions.
The government is currently reviewing the recommendations, and will soon issue a decision document.
“The Yukon government will take the proposed mitigations suggested by YESAB into account and also consider any additional First Nations input that is provided in the context of the proposed mitigations identified by YESAB as we prepare our decision document,” said Dixon.
Construction is scheduled to begin this spring.