Yukon ombudsman calls waste transfer stations consultations 'an unfairness'

Yukon's ombudsman has described consultations on a plan to close unsupervised landfill sites in four communities as unfair to the communities affected, but the government plans to go ahead and close them anyway. 

In a March 4 reply to a complaint about the closure of the waste transfer stations, an investigator from the Office of the Yukon Ombudsman wrote that the four communities — Keno City, Destruction Bay, Silver City and Johnson's Crossings — did not have "an avenue available to present their views" to a government committee that was looking at waste management, and that it was an "unfairness."

The government worked on the plan with the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC), but some residents in the four communities say the AYC doesn't speak for their communities, which are unincorporated.

Suzanne Tremblay, who lives in Destruction Bay and was one of three people who signed the complaint to the ombudsman, said the finding came too late because the government has already moved to close the facilities.

Once the waste transfer sites are removed, residents in Keno City will have to drive an hour-and-a-half to Mayo to dump their garbage.

And community members have expressed concerns the closures will lead to more illegal dumping and wildlife interactions.

Tremblay said the government doesn't care about communities like hers.

"They're making all these decisions for us without considering the impact on anyone's life or business or nothing so there needs to be consultation and they need to back off and start from scratch," she said. 

But Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn said the government did consult with those communities before closing the waste transfer stations.

"I have been to those communities many times," he said. "I have heard the concerns. I have heard what people are worried about and concerned about, and I have committed to working with them."

Gov't was asked to help with waste management

Mostyn said the territorial government was asked by several communities, through the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC),  to help with waste management because it was costing too much.

Mostyn said the government established a ministerial committee in 2018 and developed a plan to control, maintain and supervise all rural Yukon landfills.

"And so we are creating landfills that are controlled with gates and scales and have power that are protected from bears, and from people just dumping their waste with no oversight," he said. "We're improving community waste management and protecting the environment. And municipalities asked us to do this."

He said part of the plan, which is happening now, is that landfills that are not supervised are being removed.

Mostyn said, while the move is unsettling to some people, the government is making the change to improve waste management and protect the environment.

"Not a lot of people, but a few people in the community want to continue to throw their trash into a bin without supervision and without paying a tipping fee," he said.

"And frankly, the territory is not moving in that direction."

Tremblay said she will continue to fight for services in unincorporated communities.