There have been a flurry of calls to the office concerning disruption of businesses on Front St. because of work crews ripping up the old road surface.

Alas, if only the city had care and control of Front St. …but we don’t. The main thoroughfare that goes through our town falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Highways. In fact, they can do whatever they wish without so much as having to apply for a development permit from City Hall. That’s because of a special ‘order in council’ exempting the Territorial Government from having to receive permission from our town for any work that might be done on the road.

That’s not to say that the Department of Highways has been insensitive to our concerns. But they rule the roost when it comes to doing work on Front St. and will trump local bylaws by default.

Not everyone is happy with the paving project. Some point to the contradiction within the Territorial Government which on one hand celebrates and protects the historic integrity of Dawson for the benefit of tourism and culture and on the other hand an attitude that suggests an unwillingness to observe those values through meaningful consultation with all stakeholders.

Others will ask, “Should we look a 3.5 million dollar gift horse in the mouth?”

N.B. If you have any issues regarding noise and scheduling of work for the duration of this project please get in touch with the Highways Department of YTG or the MLA for Klondike Steve Nordick.

Here is the actual Order in Council that back in 1995 transferred everything over to Dawson except for Front St. (Klondike Highway) and the Top of the World.

______________________________________

O.I.C. 1995/189

HIGHWAYS ACT AND

MUNICIPAL ACT

Pursuant to sections 5 and 44 of the Highways Act and

subsection 252(3) of the Municipal Act, the Commissioner

in Executive Council orders as follows:

1. The annexed Transfer of Highway to Municipality

(City of Dawson) Order is hereby made.

Dated at Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory, this 21st

day of November, 1995.

_____________________________________

O.I.C. 1995/189

HIGHWAYS ACT AND

MUNICIPAL ACT

DÉCRET 1995/189

LOI MUNICIPALE ET

LOI SUR LA VOIRIE

YUKON REGULATIONS 1 RÈGLEMENTS DU YUKON

June 30/96

TRANSFER OF HIGHWAY TO

MUNICIPALITY (CITY OF

DAWSON) ORDER

1. Jurisdiction over all highways within the

boundaries of the City of Dawson, other than the Klondike

Highway and the Top of the World Highway, is hereby

transferred to the City of Dawson.

2. The following provisions of the Municipal Act do

not apply to the portions of the Klondike Highway or the

Top of the World Highway within the boundaries of the

City of Dawson: subsection 252(2), sections 253 to 258,

and any other provision that depends for its effect on the

municipality having jurisdiction under subsection 252(2)

of the Municipal Act.

3. In this Order, the expressions “Klondike Highway”

and “Top of the World Highway” have the same meaning

as in the Highways Regulations.

O.I.C. 1995/189

HIGHWAYS ACT AND

MUNICIPAL ACT

June 30/96