A Critical Examination of Sustainability Considerations in Yukon Environmental Assessment—Past and Present

The Northern regions of Canada, as a result of landscape characteristics and political and cultural dynamics, present unique challenges and opportunities for meeting sustainability goals through environmental assessment (EA) processes. In order to understand the significance of the EA process in the North and its applicability to fulfilling sustainability goals, the past and present EA regimes of the Yukon are evaluated adopting a sustainability-focused framework. Unique changes to the Yukon EA process, as a result of land claim agreements and devolution have created innovative structures and processes, reflective of the environmental, socio-economic, cultural and political circumstances of the region. The evaluative framework was derived from EA and sustainability literature and supplemented by northern environmental management and sustainability considerations. Data collection methods included document reviews and 21 semi-structured interviews with informants familiar with past and present EA regimes of the Yukon. The findings highlight improvements to the Yukon's EA regime over time, in terms of increased levels of accountability, greater consideration of northern sociocultural and ecological values, improved opportunities for participation and access to information and a greater recognition of First Nations values and role as decision makers. Yet weaknesses remain, such as the level of transparency at the decision making stage, the duplication of effort and lack of integration with other processes, and the failure to incorporate socio-economic mitigation measures. Considering that the Yukon's EA system is one of the most recent EA processes in the country as well as in the north, its evaluation provides valuable insights into the initiatives and processes required for achieving sustainability within Northern EA regimes. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am greatly indebted to my supervisor, Dr. Scott D. Slocombe for his continued support, unwavering guidance and patience throughout the course of my studies and the writing of this thesis. I would also like to thank my committee member, Dr. Derek Armitage and external readers, Dr. Kevin Hanna and Dr. Brent Doberstein. A special thank you to my fellow colleagues and in particular to Kali Mikulica, who has helped me along the way offering guidance and reassurance throughout these years. To those in the Yukon who have assisted in my research, by taking the time to partake in interviews and linking me to resources and contacts. I truly appreciate your sharing of wisdom and experiences with me, your knowledge has enriched my research immensely and your warmness and hospitality has been just as welcoming as the magnificent sight of the St. Elias Mountains in the horizon for a girl from Southern Ontario. Financial support for this research is acknowledged from the Northern Scientific Training Program, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council through my advisor, Dr. Slocombe. I wish to extend a special thank you to Michael, my-husband, for supporting my research and encouraging me especially when it was needed the most. This thesis is dedicated to my parents, Maria and Manuel, for their continuous support and encouragement. You both have instilled in me a true appreciation for learning, education and the belief that nothing is unattainable. I am truly grateful for having such wonderful, loving and hard-working parents. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Ill LIST OF FIGURES vi LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF ACRONYMS viii