Permis d’utilisation des eaux
L’Office des eaux du Yukon administre la délivrance de permis d’utilisation des eaux et de rejet de déchets dans l’eau destinés à diverses entreprises menées au Yukon.
L’Office des eaux du Yukon accepte les demandes :
(Cliquez sur un type de demande ci-dessous pour en savoir plus.)
Une nouvelle demande n’aurait aucune incidence sur un permis d’utilisation des eaux existant.
Une modification à un permis permet d’apporter des changements à l’exploitation pour la durée restante du permis. Les permis existants peuvent être consultés dans Waterline.
Une demande de modification de permis ne permet pas de revenir sur des décisions de l’Office pendant les procédures de délivrance de permis précédentes.
Une demande de modification de permis d’utilisation des eaux peut être envisagée si elle correspond à une « urgence » selon la définition des règles de procédure de 2021 de l’Office :
- une « urgence » est une situation soudaine et imprévue qui exige des mesures immédiates pour éviter un risque de répercussions environnementales ou sociales négatives.
La cession d’un permis d’utilisation des eaux transfère la propriété du permis d’un propriétaire à un autre. Le nouveau propriétaire assume alors l’entière responsabilité des conditions du permis d’utilisation des eaux.
Une demande de cession de permis ne nécessite pas un nouveau document d’évaluation et de décision en vertu de la Loi sur l’évaluation environnementale et socioéconomique au Yukon (LEESY).
Les demandes de cession ne permettent pas de modifier le permis.
Pour renouveler un permis d’utilisation des eaux, il faut présenter une nouvelle demande complète.
Il faut aussi une décision conforme à la LEESY qui reflète l’activité proposée.
Un permis renouvelé avant sa date d’expiration est considéré comme un maintien des droits d’utilisations des eaux actuels.
Les démarches d’annulation peuvent être initiées par le titulaire ou l’Office. L’Office peut annuler un permis si le titulaire n’a pas exercé ses droits pendant trois années consécutives ou s’il estime que l’annulation sert l’intérêt public.
Processus de délivrance de permis d’utilisation des eaux
Le processus de délivrance de permis commence quand une demande dûment remplie est soumise pour la délivrance, le renouvellement, la modification, l’annulation ou la cession d’un permis d’utilisation des eaux. Il se déroule en quatre étapes :
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After the Secretariat receives a complete application, the adequacy review phase begins.
In the adequacy review phase, the Secretariat reviews the application for:
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completeness;
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compliance with previous licence conditions and inspector directions;
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clarity and accuracy; and
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payment of application fee, current and any other outstanding water use fees.
The Secretariat may ask an applicant for additional information, clarification or details about the application in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.For quartz undertakings, the adequacy review period consists of the administrative and technical reviews detailed in Part B of the Waters Regulation.
Once an application is adequate, it moves into the public comment phase. This is also the start of licence proceedings, which is the process by which the Board makes a decision on the issuance, renewal, amendment, assignment or cancellation of a licence.
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Public comment period
The public comment phase starts once the application is deemed adequate and a notice is advertised in the Yukon News. The application is then available on Waterline.
Members of the public are encouraged to submit public comments (interventions). Interventions inform the Board's decision-making by introducing new facts, providing expert opinions, highlighting local or traditional knowledge or presenting alternative viewpoints.
The public comment period is a minimum of 10 days. The applicant or an intervener may request an extension to the advertised deadline during the public comment period by contacting the Secretariat.
A public hearing may also be requested during the public comment period by the applicant or an intervener.
Public hearings
The Board may hold a public hearing for any issue related to its responsibilities, where it is in the public interest.
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Board review
Following the completion of the public comment period, the application and interventions are presented to the Board as evidence. The Board considers all evidence along with its legislated responsibilities when decision-making.
The Board's deliberations are confidential. The principle of deliberative secrecy applies during licence proceedings.
Licensing decisions
The Board has the authority to issue water licences, deny an application, cancel or assign a licence and issue orders. For each decision, the Board provides Reasons for Decision which explain what evidence was considered and why it made its decision.
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Water licensing
When a water licence is issued, the applicant is authorized to begin work on their project during the term specified. A licensee must carry out the activities as described in the application and as authorized by their licence. Licensees are responsible for understanding their licence application and its conditions.
Reporting
Once issued, a licence then moves into the "reporting" period where licensees must report based on the conditions of their licence. Licensees can submit reports on Waterline to fulfill their licence’s reporting requirements.
Monitoring and inspections
The Government of Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources undertakes monitoring and inspections for water licences relating to placer and quartz mining operations. The Department of Environment undertakes monitoring and inspections for water licences related to all other undertakings.
Annual water-use fees
Water-use fees are charged annually based on your undertaking’s usage of water. These charges depend on the type and size of your project. The criteria for calculating water use fees is set out in section 8 of the Waters Regulation for agricultural, industrial, quartz mining, miscellaneous, placer mining and power undertakings.
Licensees will receive an annual invoice for their water-use fee with payment options. You can pay your fees to the Yukon Water Board Secretariat in person or by phone.
Water-use fees are not charged where, in a diversion of water, water is not otherwise used.
The time required to process water licence applications can vary due to several factors including the type and complexity of the project, completeness of the application, interventions submitted, and requests for extensions, public hearing and compensation.
All evidence presented in the licencing process, licences and related documents are kept in the public register and on Waterline.
The licensing process is set out in the Waters Act and Waters Regulation as well as in the Board’s Operation and Administration Manual.