History of YESAA

In 1984, the Government of Canada adopted the Environmental Assessment and Review Process Guidelines Order (EARPGO) that applied throughout Canada to ensure that projects did not unnecessarily impact the environment. In 1995 the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) replaced EARPGO.

Chapter 12 of the Yukon First Nations Final Agreements called for the establishment by federal legislation of an assessment process that would apply on all lands of the Yukon: federal, territorial, First Nation and private. The Council of Yukon First Nations (CYFN) and the Yukon Territorial Government agreed to work with the Government of Canada to jointly establish a unique development assessment process for the Yukon. The federal legislation establishing this process (YESAA) has functionally replaced CEAA and EAA and applies to all lands in the Yukon.

First Nations, stakeholders and the public were consulted on the early drafts of the development assessment legislation. After two workshops and discussions with a variety of people, a draft of the legislation was released in 1998 for public review. The detailed comments received led to important changes in the proposed process. A further public consultation was held in 2001, resulting in further changes to the proposed legislation.

On May 13, 2003 the legislation was given Parliamentary Royal Assent.