Transfers support Parks Canada’s work towards sustainable preservation of heritage assets at Klondike National Historic Sites

August 21, 2024                              Dawson City, YT                          Parks Canada

Parks Canada, in collaboration with partners, protects and presents national historic sites, national parks and national marine conservation areas in Canada, enabling people to discover and connect with history and nature, and helping sustain the economic value of these places for local and regional communities.

Today, Dr. Brendan Hanley, Member of Parliament for Yukon, jointly announced, with the Honourable Richard Mostyn, acting Minister of Highways and Public Works for the Government of Yukon, with support from the Honourable John Streicker, Minister of Tourism and Culture for the Government of Yukon, the transfer of the Former Territorial Courthouse National Historic Site and the Red Feather Saloon lands, in Dawson City, from Parks Canada to the Government of Yukon. Dr. Hanley made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

The transfer of these properties supports the best future use and ongoing protection of the Former Territorial Courthouse National Historic Site and the continued vital role of the Red Feather Saloon property for visitor programming and territorial services in Dawson City, which is situated within Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Traditional Territory.

Heritage assets in the Klondike are a mosaic, spread throughout the Dawson region, with multiple designations, owned and managed by multiple entities, including Parks Canada, the Government of Yukon, Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in, Dawson City, and private individuals and groups. Many of these buildings are actively used to tell the story of the gold rush and its aftermath. Others play an integral role in maintaining the look and feel of Dawson City’s streetscape and provide much-needed housing and office space.

Developing a sustainable model for managing assets in and around Dawson City is a key part of Klondike National Historic Sites’ management plan approved in 2018. Parks Canada has been working closely with partners to determine which properties are central to fulfilling its mandate in the region and should remain federally owned and administered, and those that, while still important, could be considered for different ownership and use models. In 2021, Parks Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Yukon to begin exploring options for ensuring long-term sustainable heritage stewardship.

These transfers highlight how collective governance can bring new life to heritage assets so they may continue to provide an opportunity for Canadians to learn more about the places, persons and events that have shaped history in Canada, while enabling broader regional use and contributing to a vibrant community.

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