Water licences

After the Secretariat receives a complete application, the adequacy review phase begins. 

In the adequacy review phase, the Secretariat reviews the application for:

• completeness;

• compliance with previous licence conditions and inspector directions;

• clarity and accuracy; and

• 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.

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. During public hearings, the Board has all the powers as a Board under the Public Inquiries Act. 

The Board must hold public hearings for:

• issuance or renewal of a new Type A licences;
• amendment of Type A licences, where the use, flow or quality of waters or the term of the licence would be altered;
• cancellation of Type A licences;
• cancellation of Type B licences; or
• request for permission to enter, use or occupy lands.

The Board is not required to hold public hearings for:

• 60-day licence renewals; or
• Type A licence amendments on an emergency basis, with the consent of the Minister.

A public hearing may be cancelled if:

• the applicant advises the Board that a public hearing is not required; or
• no notices of intention to participate at the public hearing are received at least ten days prior to the scheduled hearing.

Learn more about how to participate in public hearings. 

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. 

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

The 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.

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.