The Dempster Highway , also referred to as Yukon Highway 5 and Northwest Territories Highway 8 , is a highway in Canada that connects the Klondike Highway in Yukon to Inuvik , Northwest Territories on the Mackenzie River delta. The highway crosses the Peel and the Mackenzie rivers using a combination of seasonal ferry services and ice bridges . Year-round road access from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk opened in November 2017, with the completion of the Inuvik–Tuktoyaktuk Highway , creating the first all-weather road route connecting the Canadian road network with the Arctic Ocean .
63-659: This is a list of communities in Yukon , Canada. These areas lie within the Unorganized Yukon , which covers 99.8% of the territory's land mass. Statistics Canada recognizes two census subdivisions in Yukon that are classified as hamlets . The Gazetteer of Yukon recognized 96 localities as of February 2012. Two of these localities, Tagish and Upper Liard , are designated as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada, though are classified as settlements. Dalton Post or Shäwshe
126-466: A federal agency of the Government of Canada , also maintains three national parks and reserves within the territory: Kluane National Park and Reserve , Ivvavik National Park , and Vuntut National Park . The Yukon is also home to twelve National Historic Sites of Canada . The sites are also administered by Parks Canada , with five of the twelve sites being located within national parks. The territory
189-559: A historic mining town, is today only the residence of a small number of people, one household being a bed and breakfast establishment. It is located at historical mile 1053 of the Alaska Highway. It contains an airport, Silver City Airport . Sulphur or Sulphur Creek was a mining camp south-east of Dawson on a creek of the same name that flows into the Indian River . A post office was opened there on 28 October 1903 by G. W. Coffin. It
252-564: A lost NWMP patrol in 1911. The highway begins 40 km (25 mi) east of Dawson City , Yukon on the Klondike Highway . There are no highway or major road intersections along the highway's route. It extends 736 km (457 mi) in a north-northeasterly direction to Inuvik , Northwest Territories, passing through Tombstone Territorial Park and crossing the Ogilvie and Richardson mountain ranges. The Dempster Highway roughly follows
315-644: A rescue patrol in March 1911. Dempster and his men found the bodies of Fitzgerald's patrol on March 22, 1911. In 1958, as oil and gas exploration were expanding in the Mackenzie Delta , the Canadian government decided to build a road from Dawson City in Yukon to Aklavik in the Northwest Territories. The road was intended as an overland, year-round supply link to southern Canada. Survey work began in 1958. With
378-409: A role in appointing the territory's Executive Council , served as chair, and had a day-to-day role in governing the territory. The elected Territorial Council had a purely advisory role. In 1979, a significant degree of power was devolved from the commissioner and the federal government to the territorial legislature which, in that year, adopted a party system of responsible government . This change
441-516: A route from Dawson City to the NWMP outpost at Fort McPherson, established in 1903. In December 1910, NWMP Inspector Francis Joseph Fitzgerald led three men on the annual winter patrol from Fort McPherson to Dawson City. They became lost on the trail, and subsequently died of exposure and starvation. When they failed to arrive in Dawson City as expected, Corporal Dempster and two constables were sent out on
504-735: A shareholder vote. If provided for by a unanimous shareholders agreement, a corporation is not required to have directors at all. There is increased flexibility regarding the location of corporate records offices, including the ability to maintain a records office outside of the Yukon so long as it is accessible by electronic means. The Yukon's tourism motto is "Larger than life". The Yukon's tourism industry relies heavily on Yukon's natural environment, and there are many organized outfitters and guides available for activities such as hunting , angling , canoeing / kayaking , hiking , skiing , snowboarding , ice climbing , and dog sledding . These activities are offered both in an organized setting or in
567-588: A wide array of cultural and sporting events that attract artists, local residents, and tourists. Annual events include the Adäka Cultural Festival , Dawson City Music Festival , Yukon International Storytelling Festival , Yukon Quest dog sled race, Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous , as well as Klondike Gold Rush memorials and the Northern Lights Centre. The Yukon's Aboriginal culture is also strongly reflected in such areas as winter sports, as in
630-780: Is a former trading post and First Nations community on the Tatshenshini River . It was on the Dalton Trail near the Haines Highway . Today, it is a prime Pacific salmon fishing spot and serves as a base for whitewater rafting expeditions on the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers in the Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park . Jakes Corner is a spot on the road, at historical mile 866 of the Alaska Highway , at
693-530: Is home to fewer than thirty permanent residents. It can be accessed by gravel road veering west from mile 57 on the Dempster Highway . Yukon Yukon ( Canadian French : [juˈkõ] ; formerly called the Yukon Territory ( French : Territoire du Yukon ) and referred to as the Yukon ) is the smallest and westernmost of Canada's three territories . It is the most densely populated of
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#1732854886512756-763: Is host to a number of museums , including the Copperbelt Railway & Mining Museum , the SS Klondike boat museum, the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse; as well as the Keno City Mining Museum in Keno City . The territory also holds a number of enterprises that allows tourists to experience pre-colonial and modern cultures of Yukon's First Nations and Inuit. The Yukon has
819-584: Is mining (lead, zinc , silver, gold, asbestos and copper). The federal government acquired the land from the Hudson's Bay Company in 1870 and split it from the Northwest Territories in 1898 to fill the need for local government created by the population influx of the gold rush. Thousands of these prospectors moved to the territory, ushering a period of Yukon history recorded by authors such as Robert W. Service and Jack London . The memory of this period and
882-633: Is named after the Yukon River , the longest river in the Yukon. The name itself is from a contraction of the words in the Gwich'in phrase chųų gąįį han , which means "white water river" and refers to "the pale colour" of glacial runoff in the Yukon River. Historically, the name of the Yukon Territory has been abbreviated to "The Yukon" in informal speech. In 2003, the territorial government announced that
945-618: Is provided by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations . Little Salmon is located on the Robert Campbell Highway between Faro and Carmacks , and stretches along the lake of the same name and the Yukon River . The only non-residential establishment is the Yukon government highway maintenance camp at Drury Creek . It was formerly an important settlement of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation . Silver City,
1008-590: Is the highest mountain in Canada and the second-highest on the North American continent (after Denali in the U.S. state of Alaska ). Most of the Yukon has a subarctic climate , characterized by long, cold winters and brief, warm summers. The coastal area along the Arctic Ocean has a tundra climate . Notable rivers include the Yukon , Pelly , Stewart , Peel , White , Liard , and Tatshenshini . The territory
1071-536: Is threatening to wipe out the remaining buildings. Stewart River is a former settlement at the juncture of the Yukon and Stewart rivers. A few buildings and cabins remain, as well as private museum, which are threatened by erosion . It was founded as a trading post in the 1880s before the Klondike Gold Rush to serve placer miners working along the Stewart River. The Burian family was still living there in
1134-427: The 2016 Canada Census the majority of the territory's population was of European descent, although it has a significant population of First Nations communities across the territory. The 2011 National Household Survey examined the Yukon's ethnocultural diversity and immigration. At that time, 87.7% of residents were Canadian-born and 24.2% were of Indigenous origin. The most common countries of birth for immigrants were
1197-720: The Klondike Gold Rush trail is a lake flowing into Nares Lake, with the greater part of its area within Yukon. Other watersheds in the territory include the Mackenzie River, the Peel Watershed and the Alsek – Tatshenshini , and a number of rivers flowing directly into the Beaufort Sea. The two main Yukon rivers flowing into the Mackenzie in the Northwest Territories are the Liard River in
1260-625: The Municipal Act include cities and towns . Whitehorse is the capital of the Yukon and its only city. The remaining seven municipalities are towns, of which four were villages that were continued as towns upon adoption of the 2001 Municipal Act . The usage is somewhat confusing: according to the Municipal Act of 2001 villages are legally given the status of towns, but may call themselves villages in English. In French they are called villages, and
1323-566: The U.S. state of Alaska to the west and northwest for 1,210 kilometres (752 mi) mostly along longitude 141° W , the Northwest Territories to the east and British Columbia to the south mostly along latitude 60° N . Its northern coast is on the Beaufort Sea . Its ragged eastern boundary mostly follows the divide between the Yukon Basin and the Mackenzie River drainage basin to
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#17328548865121386-710: The Yukon Quest sled dog race. The modern comic-book character Yukon Jack depicts a heroic aboriginal persona. Similarly, the territorial government also recognizes that First Nations and Inuit languages plays a part in cultural heritage of the territory; these languages include Tlingit , and the less common Tahltan , as well as seven Athapaskan languages, Upper Tanana , Gwich'in , Hän , Northern Tutchone , Southern Tutchone , Kaska , and Tagish , some of which are rare. Notable Yukon artists include Jim Robb and Ted Harrison , whose paintings have become iconic for their depictions of historic and contemporary life and culture in
1449-621: The backcountry , which is accessible by air or snowmobile . The Yukon's festivals and sporting events include the Adäka Cultural Festival , Yukon International Storytelling Festival , and the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous . The Yukon's latitude enables the view of aurora borealis . The Yukon Government maintains a series of territorial parks, including parks such as Herschel Island Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park , Tombstone Territorial Park , Fishing Branch Ni'iinlii'njik Park , and Coal River Springs Territorial Park. Parks Canada ,
1512-564: The August, 1959, discovery of oil in the Eagle Plains area, the government granted concessions to the oil industry to stimulate more exploration in the area. This provided more motivation for a road to transport equipment, infrastructure, and revenue to and from the sites. Construction of the road, then known as Yukon Territorial Road No. 11, began at Dawson City in January 1959. The northern terminus of
1575-476: The French word ville, which means town, is not used for them. Instead larger settlements are called ville and even bigger ones grande ville, apart from Dawson which is called a cité, and in English is also called a city. Keno City , though unincorporated, also bears city in its name. In the 19th century, the Yukon was a segment of North-Western Territory that was administered by the Hudson's Bay Company , and then of
1638-563: The Mackenzie Valley. At the time of its construction, the highway was the most northerly major road project to date. Weather and daylight conditions presented challenges. In 1979, a work crew was trapped in a blizzard in the Richardson Mountains and was almost lost. Construction had to account for the permafrost ; heat transfer from the highway to the ground had to be prevented so the permafrost would not melt. To address this,
1701-485: The Northwest Territories administered by the federal Canadian government. It only obtained a recognizable local government in 1895 when it became a separate district of the Northwest Territories . In 1898, it was made a separate territory with its own commissioner and an appointed Territorial Council. Prior to 1979, the territory was administered by the commissioner who was appointed by the federal Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development . The commissioner had
1764-624: The United Kingdom (15.9%), the Philippines (15.0%), and the United States (13.2%). Among very recent immigrants (between 2006 and 2011) living in the Yukon, 63.5% were born in Asia. Visible minority and indigenous identity (2016): As of the 2016 census, the top ten ancestries in the Yukon were: The most commonly reported mother tongue among the 33,145 single responses to the 2011 Canadian census
1827-686: The Yukon Party forming the government as premier . In 2003, the old Yukon Act was repealed and replaced by a new Yukon Act , which continued the existing powers of the Yukon Government, and devolved additional powers to the territorial government such as control over land and natural resources. At the federal level, the Yukon is represented in the Parliament of Canada by one member of Parliament (MP) and one senator . MPs from Canadian territories are full and equal voting representatives and residents of
1890-493: The Yukon hold some of the earliest evidence of the presence of human habitation in North America. The sites safeguard the history of the first people and the earliest First Nations of the Yukon. The volcanic eruption of Mount Churchill in approximately 800 AD in what is now the U.S. state of Alaska blanketed the southern Yukon with a layer of ash which can still be seen along the Klondike Highway , and which forms part of
1953-530: The Yukon in January 1979. The Yukon New Democratic Party (NDP) formed the government from 1985 to 1992 under Tony Penikett and again from 1996 under Piers McDonald until being defeated in 2000. The conservatives returned to power in 1992 under John Ostashek after having renamed themselves the Yukon Party . The Liberal government of Pat Duncan was defeated in elections in November 2002, with Dennis Fentie of
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2016-519: The Yukon, and permits their use in Legislative Assembly proceedings, although only English and French are available for laws and court proceedings. The 2021 Canadian census reported that 59.7% of Yukoners reported having no religious affiliation, the highest percentage in Canada . The most frequently reported religious affiliation was Christianity, reported by 35.0% of residents, followed by Sikhism at 1.0%. The Yukon's major industry
2079-519: The Yukon, though, local level governance is provided by municipalities . The Yukon's eight municipalities cover only 0.2% of the territory's land mass but are home to 80.9% of its population. Municipal governments are created by the Yukon Government in accordance with the Municipal Act of 2001. Municipal governments provide "jurisdiction services, facilities, or things that a local government considers necessary or desirable for all or part of its community". Classifications of municipalities under
2142-508: The Yukon. With the Klondike Gold Rush , a number of folk songs from the Yukon became popular, including "Rush to the Klondike" (1897, written by W. T. Diefenbaker), "The Klondike Gold Rush", "I've Got the Klondike Fever" (1898), and "La Chanson du Klondyke". A notable cultural and tourist feature is the legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush (1897–1899), which inspired contemporary writers of
2205-517: The abandoned town of Snag dropped down to −63.0 °C (−81.4 °F). Unlike most of Canada where the most extreme heat waves occur in July, August, and even September, the Yukon's extreme heat tends to occur in June and even May. The Yukon has recorded 36 °C (97 °F) three times. The first time was in June 1969 when Mayo recorded a temperature of 36.1 °C (97 °F). 14 years later this record
2268-412: The corporation, a practice off-limits in most other jurisdictions due to the inherent potential for conflicts of interest. One of the changes will allow a corporation to serve as a director of a subsidiary registered in Yukon. The legislation also allows companies to add provisions in their articles of incorporation giving directors blanket approval to sell off all of the company's assets without requiring
2331-471: The early days of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , as well as the territory's scenic wonders and outdoor recreation opportunities, makes tourism the second most important industry in the territory. Manufacturing, including furniture, clothing, and handicrafts, follows in importance, along with hydroelectricity . The traditional industries of trapping and fishing have declined. As of 2012,
2394-460: The east in the Mackenzie mountains. Most of the territory is in the watershed of its namesake, the Yukon River. The southern Yukon is dotted with a large number of large, long and narrow glacier-fed alpine lakes, most of which flow into the Yukon River system. The larger lakes include Teslin Lake , Atlin Lake , Tagish Lake , Marsh Lake , Lake Laberge , Kusawa Lake and Kluane Lake . Bennett Lake on
2457-563: The electoral district of Porter Creek South as its MLA. Pillai took office on January 14, 2023. After the 2021 Yukon general election , the Liberals were reduced to a minority government , though they were able to continue governing due to a formal agreement with the NDP. The vast majority of the Yukon's land mass is unorganized , with no defined municipal or otherwise supralocal level of government like in other parts of Canada. For most individuals in
2520-457: The government sector directly employs approximately 6,300 out of a labour force of 20,800, on a population of 27,500. On May 1, 2015, the Yukon modified its Business Corporations Act, in an effort to attract more benefits and participants to its economy. One amendment to the BCA lets a proxy be given for voting purposes. Another change will allow directors to pursue business opportunities declined by
2583-400: The highest among Canada's three territories. Statistics Canada has estimated Yukon's 2024 population to be 45,750, an increase of 17.5% from the 2016 census. This is the largest percentage increase for any Canadian province or territory. Unlike in other Canadian provinces and territories , Statistics Canada uses the entire territory as a single at-large census division. According to
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2646-608: The junction with connections to the Tagish Road and the Atlin Road . There are a small number of area residents, the junction being best known for a gas station and café. The gas station has numerous examples of old machinery. Klukshu's more recent history is as a seasonal aboriginal fishing community, benefitting from a large Chinook salmon run. Located near the Haines Highway, it has no permanent population. Interpretive information
2709-475: The late 1980s. Statistics Canada recognizes five census subdivisions in Yukon that are classified as Indian settlements , and four census subdivisions as self-governments. Miner's Prayer was settled near the Blackstone River Mining Concern, providing a retreat where the miners could indulge in billiards, alcohol and other entertainment otherwise forbidden on the mining settlement. Today it
2772-420: The legislature are known as members of the Legislative Assembly and may use the post nominal letters "MLA". The three parties presently represented are the centre-leaning Yukon Liberal Party (8 seats) – who currently form government, the centre-right leaning Yukon Party (8), and the centre-left leaning Yukon New Democratic Party (3). The 10th and current premier of Yukon is Ranj Pillai , who represents
2835-523: The neighbouring Northwest Territories. As a result of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, the island is now a territorial park and is known officially as Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, Qikiqtaruk being the name of the island in Inuvialuktun . Dempster Highway The highway is named for North-West Mounted Police (NWMP) officer William Dempster , who earned renown for discovering the fate of
2898-509: The old dog sled route from Dawson City to Fort McPherson and is named for Corporal (later Inspector) William Dempster of the North-West Mounted Police . During the late 19th century, and in response to the Klondike Gold Rush , the North-West Mounted Police established a presence in the Yukon and Northwest Territories . Their activities included winter dog sled patrols between outposts and communities. One such patrol followed
2961-423: The oral tradition of First Nations peoples in the Yukon and further south in Canada. Coastal and inland First Nations had extensive trading networks. European incursions into the area began early in the 19th century with the fur trade , followed by missionaries . By the 1870s and 1880s, gold miners began to arrive. This drove a population increase that justified the establishment of a police force, just in time for
3024-572: The road was built on top of a gravel berm, ranging from 1.2 to 2.4 m (3 ft 11 in to 7 ft 10 in), to insulate the permafrost from the road above. Some construction was completed by the Canadian Forces ; 3 Field Squadron, RCE from CFB Chilliwack built bridges over the Ogilvie River in 1971 and the Eagle River in 1977. The final section of road was completed in 1978, at
3087-413: The road was changed to the new town of Inuvik. Due to high costs and ongoing funding disagreements between the federal and Yukon governments, progress was slow until 1961. Once the Eagle Plains oil discovery was found to have no commercial potential, construction stopped in 1962 after 115 km (71 mi) of roadbed had been built. Seasonal maintenance of the existing road continued but no further work
3150-592: The southeast and the Peel River and its tributaries in the northeast. Canada's highest point, Mount Logan (5,959 m or 19,551 ft), is in the territory's southwest. Mount Logan and a large part of the Yukon's southwest are in Kluane National Park and Reserve , a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Other national parks include Ivvavik National Park and Vuntut National Park in the north. A second UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tr'ondëk-Klondike World Heritage Site ,
3213-427: The start of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. The increased population coming with the gold rush led to the separation of the Yukon district from the Northwest Territories and the formation of the separate Yukon Territory in 1898. The 2021 census reported a Yukon population of 40,232. With a land area of 474,712.64 km (183,287.57 sq mi), it had a population density of 0.1/km (0.2/sq mi) in 2011,
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#17328548865123276-444: The territory enjoy the same rights as other Canadian citizens. One Yukon MP, Erik Nielsen , served as Deputy Prime Minister under Brian Mulroney , while another, Audrey McLaughlin , was the leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) from 1989 to 1995. The territory once had an Inuit settlement, located on Herschel Island off the Arctic Ocean coast. This settlement was dismantled in 1987 and its inhabitants relocated to
3339-465: The territory should be referred to as "Yukon", but the change in name sparked discussion amongst Yukoners. In the 2021 election, the leader of the Yukon NDP , Kate White , campaigned on returning to using "The Yukon". Following the election, the Yukon Party government announced that "The Yukon" would again be used by the government. The territory is the approximate shape of a right triangle , bordering
3402-534: The territory's official name, although Yukon Territory remains in popular usage. Canada Post uses the territory's internationally approved postal abbreviation of YT . In 2021, territorial government policy was changed so that " The Yukon" would be recommended for use in official territorial government materials. Although officially bilingual (English and French), the Yukon government recognizes First Nations languages. At 5,959 m (19,551 ft), Yukon's Mount Logan , in Kluane National Park and Reserve ,
3465-665: The territory, the Commissioner generally acts on the advice of the Premier of Yukon , who commands the confidence of the elected Legislative Assembly . Unlike lieutenant governors, commissioners are not direct representatives of the King but are instead appointed by the federal government. The Yukon has numerous political parties and candidates who stand for election to the 19 seats in the Yukon Legislative Assembly . Those elected to
3528-421: The three territories, with an estimated population of 46,704 as of 2024, though it has a smaller population than all provinces. Whitehorse , the territorial capital, is the largest settlement in any of the three territories. Yukon was split from the Northwest Territories in 1898 as the Yukon Territory . The federal government's Yukon Act , which received royal assent on March 27, 2002, established "Yukon" as
3591-443: The time such as Jack London , Robert W. Service , and Jules Verne , and which continues to inspire films and games, such as Mae West's Klondike Annie and The Yukon Trail (see Cultural legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush ) . Executive power in the Yukon is formally vested in the Territorial Commissioner , who plays an analogous role to that of a provincial lieutenant governor . As guarantor of responsible government in
3654-417: Was English at 28,065 ( 85%). The second-most common was 1,455 ( 4%) for French. Among 510 multiple respondents, 140 of them ( 27%) reported a mother tongue of both English and French, while 335 ( 66%) reported English and a " non-official language" and 20 ( 4%) reported French and a " non-official language". The Yukon's Language Act "recognises the significance" of the territory's aboriginal languages in
3717-399: Was accomplished through a letter from Jake Epp , Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, rather than through formal legislation. In preparation for responsible government , political parties were organized and ran candidates to the Yukon Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1978. The Progressive Conservatives won these elections and formed the first party government of
3780-461: Was almost beaten when Forty Mile recorded 36 °C (97 °F) in May 1983. The old record was finally broken 21 years later in June 2004 when the Mayo Road weather station, located just northwest of Whitehorse , recorded a temperature of 36.5 °C (97.7 °F). Long before the arrival of Europeans, the central and southern Yukon was populated by First Nations people, and the area escaped glaciation . Sites of archeological significance in
3843-453: Was closed in July 1922. The place is mentioned in Jack London 's story, " To Build a Fire ". The Gazetteer of Yukon recognized 29 settlements as of February 2012. Eleven of these settlements are designated as census subdivisions by Statistics Canada. Herschel was a settlement on Herschel Island , serving as a whaling station, North-West Mounted Police post and Hudson's Bay Company store. It has been long abandoned, and shoreline erosion
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#17328548865123906-528: Was designated in 2023. Notable widespread tree species within the Yukon are the black spruce and white spruce . Many trees are stunted because of the short growing season and severe climate. While the average winter temperature in the Yukon is mild by Canadian arctic standards, no other place in North America gets as cold as the Yukon during extreme cold snaps. The temperature has dropped down to −60 °C (−76 °F) three times, 1947, 1952, and 1968. The most extreme cold snap occurred in February 1947 when
3969-428: Was done. In 1964, the road was renamed the Dempster Highway, after petitions by Vancouver Yukoners Association and the Yukon Order of Pioneers. Construction resumed in 1970 as the Canadian government sought to assert sovereignty over their Arctic territories after the American discovery of oil and gas deposits at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska in 1968. Work was further motivated by speculation that an oil pipeline might be built in
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