Yukon government approves $31.7 million in extra spending for wildfires, health

WHITEHORSE — The Yukon government says it has authorized a special warrant to spend up to $31.7 million this budget year to “advance key priorities and maintain essential services.”

Finance Minister Sandy Silver says in a statement that $15 million of that will be used to cover costs for wildfire response and comes from the $75-million contingency fund, without impacting the government’s fiscal position.

However, $16.7 million of the special warrant is new funding and will go toward issues, including health, social services and $7.5 million on advance design work for the Yukon Gathering Place Convention Centre project.

Silver says $9.2 million will be spent on medical travel, housing for visiting health care professionals and to fund signing bonuses and exam fees to attract more nurses to the territory.

A special warrant provides departments with authority to spend before it’s approved in the legislature, and the government says the investments reflect its “ongoing commitment to health care, emergency response and community infrastructure.”

The spending also comes just a few months before the territorial government must call an election under new Liberal Premier Mike Pemberton who is running for election for the first time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2025

The Canadian Press