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# Emergency measures and guidance to protect Yukoners from the spread of COVID-19 announced today

The Government of Yukon is protecting Yukoners from the spread of COVID-19 by introducing Civil Emergency Measures Health Protection (COVID-19) Orders. This now ensures that orders given by the Chief Medical Officer of Health are enforceable under the Civil Emergency Measures Act. Today’s action also defines critical and essential services in a new set of guidelines. The guidelines will provide Yukoners and critical service providers the clarity needed to determine who can safely travel and work throughout the territory.

To date, the Chief Medical Officer of Health has given several orders, including orders to self-isolate upon return to Yukon from travel, closing bars, defining gathering sizes and limiting restaurants to take-out service only. These and other orders issued are now enforceable under the Civil Emergency Measures Act which means government can issue fines and possibly jail time if individuals do not comply.

The Government of Yukon will be requiring travellers who enter Yukon by land or air to stop upon entry and complete a travel declaration and check in with an enforcement officer before entering the territory. This will ensure that proper self-isolation measures and orders shared with every traveller and can be enforced if necessary. Non-residents who must transit through Yukon to Alaska or Northwest Territories or another part of Canada may do so but may only remain in Yukon for no more than 24 hours. Yukon’s Emergency Coordination Centre is preparing to implement enforcement at entry points to Yukon, which will be mobilized in the coming days.

Also being released today is the Government of Yukon’s guidelines for critical, essential and non-essential service workers. This guidelines document will help local and non-local workers understand how to comply with the rules and protect themselves and Yukoners from COVID-19.

The requirement for self-isolation applies to all essential services workers, with a limited number of exemptions for residents of specified BC-Yukon border communities and critical service workers who must cross the border, outlined within the orders issued under the Civil Emergency Measures Act.

> Protecting Yukoners and Yukon communities from the spread of COVID-19 is our highest priority right now. The steps we are taking today enforce the orders made by the Chief Medical Officer of Health, and provide clearer guidance to Yukoners who are wondering how they should continue to do their jobs. We are taking tangible steps to protect Yukoners and Yukon communities while also continuing to offer the critical services Yukoners and our neighbours in BC-Yukon border communities need.

> Yukoners have been taking great strides to protect our communities and I thank them for all of the sacrifices they are making. That said, there will always be individuals who see themselves as exempt from these orders. Today’s action gives government the ability to enforce and penalize people who do not comply. We must all work to keep Yukon safe.

Quick facts

- A full list of the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s orders and advice can be found on Yukon.ca/changes-legislation-covid-19. Orders are enforceable under the Civil Emergency Measures Act. Advice or recommendations are not enforceable. The Government of Yukon strongly encourages Yukoners to follow all recommendations from the Chief Medical Officer of Health to the best of their abilities.

- Anyone entering Yukon will need to check in with an enforcement officer and fill out an information card that includes their destination, contact information and any stops along the way. This will allow enforcement officers to follow up to ensure self-isolation measures are properly taken.

- An individual who is not a resident in Yukon may transit through the territory to their final destination, and may not remain in Yukon for more than 24 hours after entry.

- Critical and essential service providers are those whose work is to offer the provision of healthcare, food, water, emergency services, infrastructure, utilities, transportation, communications, and government. Find a full list of critical and essential workers on Yukon.ca/essential-critical-services-covid-19

- Critical and essential workers are required to follow orders from the Chief Medical Officer of Health as far as is practicable. Where that is not possible, workers and entities delivering critical services must adhere to strict health and safety protocols.

- People in Atlin, Lower Post, Fraser, Jade City, Fireside or Pleasant Camp are exempt from the 14-day self-isolation period, provided they have not travelled outside of Yukon or their home community in the past 14 days.

- Residents of rural Yukon communities are advised to limit their visits to Whitehorse if possible, and to work together with neighbours to coordinate picking up groceries or supplies.

- Violations of the orders under the Civil Emergency Measures Act are an offence, and are punishable by a fine or imprisonment.

Media contact

Sunny Patch
Deputy Chief of Staff
867-393-7478
s unny.patch@gov.yk.ca

Aisha Montgomery
Communications, Community Services
867-333-1024
aisha.montgomery@gov.yk.ca

News release #:
20-087
Related information:
Find out more about COVID-19 in Yukon
Guidelines for the delivery of critical, essential and other services
Legislation changes for COVID-19