To our Community;
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the KPMA will be publishing a portion of weekly membership newsletters on this website to better share some of the information and initiatives we are taking. This posting is not a complete newsletter, please contact the office if you are interested in becoming a member.
There have been updates related to Covid-19 (go to Yukon.ca/Covid-19 for all the most recent and accurate information). The biggest update today is the announcement of the Territory’s opening up plan, “A path forward“, as well as an updated Ministerial Order 2020/34 which has some great news for small family operators:
“(2) If an individual is not a resident of Yukon, but has spent the last 14 consecutive days within Canada and has a home on a placer mining claim or in a work camp, they may […] go directly to that home and self-isolate for a period of no less than 14 days that begins when they arrive there if (a) the home is a single residential unit used to house one family, and is the only housing unit at that claim or camp; (b) all of the persons self-isolating in the home are related by blood, spousal relationship, or adoption (“family members”); and (c) the individual is bringing with them into Yukon, or has already made arrangements to have delivered to the home, supplies sufficient to last for 14 days without replenishment for everyone self-isolating in the home.”
There’s also an updated Notice to Miners which now says “if you have questions relating to your mining operations and this requirement, email mining@gov.yk.ca“. The borders are still closed for all non-essential traffic. Covid questions that are not medical can be directed to YG, 1-877-374-0425, daily from 7:30am to 8pm; or give me a shout in the office and I’ll do my best to help you.
Regarding the Ministerial Orders allowing for DMs to extend licences, permits for 90 days after the state of emergency ends, we’ve learned that YG will not be approaching this with blanket approvals, but on a case by case basis. The KPMA is meeting again next week to try and streamline the process for miners. Let me know if you have concerns I should be aware of.
I have also spent some time checking that all of KPMA’s Covid related Safety Policies and Safe Work Practices meet the requirements of what WCB will be looking for this season when arriving on site – they have been approved. There is also a new template for businesses that I’d encourage you to look at, but it does NOT ned to be submitted and approved at this time, like it is for other industries. Completed safety documents and plans are available for all members, email me for your copy if you haven’t already. I hope to be out in the field soon and am available to help on site while observing the “safe 6”.
Wishing everyone a good long weekend. If it were a normal year I’d have just finished my first spring meeting as your ED. We’d be stacking chairs in the YOOP hall, donning red suspenders and walking over to the Bill Bowie bar, I mean BBQ, to help raise funds for Gold Show. Fingers crossed we’ll make it into phase 3 or 4 of the Covid opening plan by the end of the summer so we can try and get together in the fall for our AGM. In the meantime, you can still buy tomato plants for camp and flowers for dredge buckets, you can still support local groups and businesses, and if you are looking for sweet KPMA merchandise I can hook you up.
Brooke Rudolph
Executive Director
KPMA