COUNCIL INFORMATION

Message from the Mayor

Jack Bowers

It may be a me such as this that the Town of Faro needs to stand up to Yukon Government over the cost of opera ng our landfill. At present the Town receives next to nothing from the Yukon Government, from either YG Highways and Parks Departments nor from the residents along the Campbell Highway, all of which are now using our landfill for disposal of their assorted types of landfill waste. YG Community Development staff have been promising us that this would change but, for the last almost two years, the Drury Creek transfer sta on has been closed and we know most, if not all, of the waste that was ini ally sent to Drury Creek is now coming to our facility. The taxpayers of Faro are, in effect, subsidizing those users outside our boundary without our consent.

Recently Environment Yukon required Faro to develop a new ten-year (2023-2033) Solid Waste Management Plan, and that new plan places significant addi onal opera ng costs on the community to manage our landfill. And while we are not opposed to the higher level of effort required to manage our landfill, we were also expec ng some relief from YG in helping offset the increased costs of the landfill opera ons. In effect, we are now compelled to hire and cer fy a Landfill Operator under the new management plan whereas, in the past, we were largely able to use exis ng staff to operate the landfill.

We know that prior to closing the transfer sta on at Drury Creek, YG Community Service was contribu ng $50,000/year to YG – Department of Highways and Public Works to cover the cost of opera ons there. Once that loca on was closed, that funding should have automa cally been advanced to Faro without us having to ask for it.

What makes ma ers worse is the fact that every other Yukon community, other than the City of Whitehorse, have their landfill opera ons totally subsidized by YG. It’s me for YG Community Development to pony up and pay their fair share of our landfill opera ons. We will start with an annual bulk payment of $50,000/year, plus the regular pping fees for those users outside the municipal boundaries who are not paying property taxes directly to the Town of Faro. A er all, it is a ‘ user pay’ system that we operate under.

You can help by contac ng Richard Mostyn, the Minister for Community Development, and voicing your support for YG to make an equitable share in covering our landfilling costs.

Inside This Issue

“I have to Pee!!!” As a parent to three children, this is something I o en hear. The problem is there is nowhere to safely stop between Carmacks and Faro. This results in pulling over in a plow turn around and taking small children out of the vehicle to sit on the po y seat and praying that no big trucks come by. I am just thankful I am no longer changing diapers on the side of the Robert Campbell Highway.

By Jennifer Brooker

ry Commi ee, has been lobbing the Town and Yukon Government to create a safe rest area, with Interpre ve signs and informa on, with li le to no avail.

Ge ng an outhouse and a safe place to stop has been something that the communi es of both Faro and Ross River have been trying to achieve for some years now. June Hampton, Member of the Tourism and Economic Development Adviso-

One problem is that every me the Town start to gain movement, staff changes and plans are put on the back burner only to be forgo en. The other is that building an interpre ve site with outhouse involves mul ple YG departments. Tourism and Culture can help with the interpre ve site, but Highways needs to agree to maintain one more outhouses, in addi on to the many they already maintain along the other Yukon Highways. And local First Naons must also agree on the locaon and informa on being displayed. Ge ng this many people, with busy schedules, together is next to impossible. Our Outhouse just isn’t on their priority lists. This leaves residents of Faro and Ross River to “ pop-a-squat” on the side of the road when Nature Calls. With how difficult it is to get young children to use a po y on the side of the highway, or for myself and older children to hike a few meters into the woods, everyone hoping we don’t see any wildlife while taking care of business. I can only image the struggle some of our elders have, let alone those with mobility

Richard Mostyn and/or incon nence issues, because there are no op ons. Even with the stop at Columbia/Eagle Rock, it is s ll over 100km before the rest stop at the Faro Entrance. In the winter, when condi ons are not ideal and the campgrounds are not plowed or maintained, it can easily be a 2-hour drive with no washroom. Wai ng for be er weather is not always an op on. Residents o en have no choice. Almost everyone has to make a trip into Whitehorse for medical appointments, grocery shopping, or other essen al reasons. Our Community and our Council know the struggle. In May of 2022, Mayor Bowers and Council had a mee ng with the Minister of Community Services and asked the Minister and his staff to look into this. Almost a year later, and we s ll have no word on when an outhouse will be installed between Eagle Rock and the Faro Entrance.

It is me for the community to come together and let the Yukon Government know that this is not acceptable. The Town Office encourages every resident, who has felt unsafe having to “Pop-a-Squat” along the side of the Robert Campbell Highway, to write a le er to YG reques ng an outhouse between Carmacks and Faro be a priority.

Nils Clarke

Government of Yukon

Box 2703

Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Chelsea Jeffery, MMSt, MA

Historic Sites Interpre ve Planner

Tourism and Culture, Historic Sites

Phone: 867-667-3458

Email: chelsea.jeffery@yukon.ca

Mail code: L2

Sco Mueller

Eastern Area Superintendent

Highways and Public Works, Transporta on

Phone: 867-332-4641

Email: sco .mueller@yukon.ca

Mail code: W12

Minister of Community Services richard.mostyn@yukon.ca

Phone: 867-393-7482

Fax: 867-393-7135

Stacey Hassard

MLA for Pelly-Nisutlin stacey.hassard@yla.gov.yk.ca

Phone: 867-393-7104

Fax: 867-393-6982

Minister Highways & Public Works nils.clarke@yukon.ca

Phone: 867-333-1007

Fax: 867-393-7135

John Streicker

Minister of Tourism and Culture john.streicker@yukon.ca

Phone: 867-393-7456

Fax: 867-393-7135