Energy, Mines and Resources
Oil and Gas Resources
Amendments to oil and gas legislation
Public participation Background Contact
On December 10, 2015, the Yukon Legislature passed amendments to Yukon’s Oil and Gas Act [
1.1 MB]. Changes to the Act include extending the term of a permit, and clarifying well abandonment requirements and procedures.
The Yukon government held a 60-day public consultation that ended on September 14, 2015.
In July to September 2015, the Yukon government sought public feedback on proposed amendments to Yukon's Oil and Gas Act and related regulations. Changes to the Oil and Gas Act propose extending the term of a permit, and clarifying well abandonment requirements and procedures. The Yukon government has tabled amendments to the Oil and Gas Act in the Legislature in October 2015.
The amendments are part of the Yukon government's commitment to modernize and streamline the regulatory processes for resource management in the territory. The changes support a clear and competitive oil and gas regime while allowing the Yukon government to continue to responsibly develop our oil and gas resources as identified in the Energy Strategy for Yukon.
There are four main goals to be achieved by these proposed amendments:
- To ensure Yukon remains able to attract and retain industry interest;
- To strengthen the ability to protect people and the environment;
- To improve transparency and clarity of information and processes; and
- To make administrative updates to the legislation.
Following meetings with affected First Nations, two additional changes were incorporated into the amendments and susequently passed by the Legislature:
- The first change places some restrictions on licence extensions; and,
- The second change requires that Yukon First Nations be consulted about any permit extension requests on their traditional territories.
All of these amendments will ensure that the oil and gas legislation and regulations are modern and competitive with other jurisdictions.
Consultation Contact
If you have any questions, please contact:
Oil and Gas Branch
Phone: 867-393-7042
Toll free: 1-800-661-0408 ext. 7042
E-mail: oilandgasact@gov.yk.ca
