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The Yukon government announced this week it is splitting the mines part of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources into two new branches: major mines and mineral exploration.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It said the goal is to make the territory more \u201ccompetitive, predictable and attractive\u201d for mining investors.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A new major mines and technical services division will focus on guiding mining companies \u2013 especially those with large projects \u2013 through the permitting process.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis can help guide them through what sometimes seems like a myriad of red tape for either Government of Yukon or federal processes or the environmental assessment process,\u201d said Mines Minister Ted Laking. \u201cThis is really just about improving our services, ensuring that our clients have support and understand what the steps are and what they\u2019re required to do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The second division will focus on permitting quartz and placer exploration, \u201cwhile respecting consultation obligations with Yukon First Nations.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The government is also establishing a deputy minister\u2019s oversight committee, which will hold meetings with deputy ministers from all departments that have a role in large development projects.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be regular meetings for folks to stay on top of these files and say, ‘OK, where are we at on this, what\u2019s the stall here, who are we waiting to hear back from?’ \u2026 and continue to shepherd those things through the system,\u201d said Laking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laking would not rule out new hires, but he said the intention is to restructure, not grow, the department.<\/p>\n
What does industry think? <\/p>\n
Tim Warman, CEO of Fuerte Metals which owns the Coffee Gold project<\/a> south of Dawson City, said this and other Yukon government announcements were \u201cencouraging.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cFor this project in particular, it\u2019s been in permitting since 2017, and we\u2019re coming up on the 10 year anniversary of that,\u201d said Warman. \u201cAnd that\u2019s a long time for companies to continue investing in projects without the certainty that permitting creates.\u201d<\/p>\n Warman said other obstacles for mineral investment in the Yukon are the lack of infrastructure and potential energy shortages. He expressed enthusiasm about the potential Yukon-BC grid connect<\/a> project.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think that would help a lot of projects because obviously generating your own power at site is not the optimal way to do it,\u201d said Warman. \u201cIt\u2019s much better to be connected to the local grid.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"aerial](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772852111_930_default.jpg\")
The Coffee Gold project is a proposed heap leach gold mine located around 130 kilometres south of Dawson City. (Newmont Corporation)<\/p>\n