News

WHITEHORSE-Bottled water will no longer be sold at Yukon College’s main Ayamdigut campus in Whitehorse when classes begin next week. Instead the College has installed two enhanced water stations and will give out free College-branded reusable water bottles to new and returning students.

“Too often when we think of the green principles of reduce, reuse, recycle, we focus on recycling and overlook the more important idea of reducing our waste overall,” said Colleen Wirth, Director of Student and Infrastructure Support. “As part of our on-going efforts to become a sustainability leader in our community, Yukon College can no longer contribute to the significant waste created by the sale of bottled water.”

WHITEHORSE-Informed sexual consent is the centerpiece to Yukon College’s Ayamdigut campus 2015 orientation week. The initial two weeks of the school year will have a series of interactive activities aimed at empowering students to have informed conversations around sexual consent. Each activity links to a competition with multiple chances to enter and win a MacBook Pro laptop computer.

The College is teaming up with the Les Essentielles Consent Crew and Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre on the consent campaign. Activities include video presentations, games, discussions, making and wearing a button advocating consent, participating in a photo campaign, and researching a local non-profit organization working to end violence against women.

Whitehorse – The Yukon Research Centre (YRC) has released a report on heavy metal concentrations found in fish in the Keno Hill mining district. Information collected from fish ear bones can be used to track heavy metal contaminants and potentially determine the success of environmental remediation.

YRC, Access Consulting Group, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nation worked with Dr. Norman Halden from the University of Manitoba who developed the technique of fish otolith microchemistry. This technique can determine both contaminant levels as well as life history information on individual fish and populations. Never before used in Yukon, this technique was applied to Arctic Grayling and Slimy Sculpin in the Keno Hill mining district due to the areas long mining history.

Whitehorse – The first week of class at a new school can be a shock to the system. Before you have made new friends, gleaned an accurate read on your new roommate, or worked out how many days you can stretch a case of Kraft dinner, you’re already juggling papers and getting buried under reading assignments with mid-terms looming just seven short weeks away.

Becoming an ace note-taker, mastering test prep, and tackling test writing with the ease of a social media update, may feel like cruel taunts at 4:30 a.m. on October 25, as the insomnia-soaked minutes countdown to your first psych test, but not if you were smart and tackled the Academic Success Boot Camp.

The Yukon Research Centre (YRC) has released a report on heavy metal concentrations found in fish in the Keno Hill mining district. Information collected from fish ear bones can be used to track heavy metal contaminants and potentially determine the success of environmental remediation.

YRC, Access Consulting Group, and Na-cho Nyak Dun First Nation worked with Dr. Norman Halden from the University of Manitoba who developed the technique of fish otolith microchemistry. This technique can determine both contaminant levels as well as life history information on individual fish and populations. Never before used in Yukon, this technique was applied to Arctic Grayling and Slimy Sculpin in the Keno Hill mining district due to the areas long mining history.

Whitehorse – The Government of Yukon has appointed Kluane Adamek, Alyce Johnston, Vera Holmes, Mary Samolczyk and Matthew Landry to the Yukon College Board of Governors.

Kluane Adamek was nominated by the Council of Yukon First Nations. She is a Kluane First Nation citizen and alumni of the Jane Glassco Northern Fellowship focusing on northern education. A former advisor to the National Chief, Assembly of First Nations, Adamek currently serves her community as co-founder and co-chair of Our Voices, an organization that supports Northern Indigenous emerging leaders, and is a member of the Dakhká Khwáan Dancers.

WHITEHORSE - Vancouver indie-electronic duo HUMANS will headline the 2015 Future Routes Music Festival. Made up of musicians Robbie Slade and Peter Ricq, HUMANS is currently touring behind the release of their debut album, Noontide, a polished blend of upbeat pop music and dark electronica.

“We are pleased that HUMANS have made Whitehorse the only northern stop on their current tour of Canada and the U.S.,” said Kara Johancsik, BYTE Communications Coordinator. “The duo’s catchy, danceable beats have given them a reputation as energetic live performers with a memorable stage presence."

This year’s festival is the venue for BYTE’s annual Battle of the Bands, a celebration for the Yukon College’s Orientation Week, and a fun, all-ages event featuring one of Canada’s biggest electronic acts.

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College is taking action to reduce bear activity in the Ayamdigut campus neighbourhood by lowering the number of external garbage dumpsters, replacing some with self-locking bear-proof dumpsters, and installing electric bear fences in two places.

These actions are wildlife management alternatives from a new report, A Bear Risk Assessment for Yukon Place, researched and prepared by biologist and college instructor, Dr. Scott Gilbert, and Renewable Resources Management Program student, Andrew Smith. Gilbert and Smith reviewed and mapped the available information on bear activity in the area, created an inventory of both natural forage and human attractants for bears in the area, and provided options on how to reduce them.

Whitehorse – Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) of the Yukon Research Centre, and Government of Yukon’s Economic Development have chosen a winner for the Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP). Adam Greetham of GroundTrax Environmental Inc. has won $60,000 to further develop an efficient radon mitigation system.

Greetham’s innovation manages radon mitigation in northern homes and buildings through a centralized control system; reducing the health risks of radon in a user friendly, and energy efficient manner. This unique system will now be moved towards commercialization with benefits to both the local economy and the environment.

“This prize has given innovators like myself confidence to move forward while providing me with a team of support and guidance that has been invaluable”, said Adam Greetham, Owner, Groundtrax. “I am thrilled to have won this prize as it provides the financial support needed to make this a reality for a small-business owner like myself”, said Greetham.

Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) of the Yukon Research Centre, and Government of Yukon’s Economic Development have chosen a winner for the Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP). Adam Greetham of GroundTrax Environmental Inc. has won $60,000 to further develop an efficient radon mitigation system.

Greetham’s innovation manages radon mitigation in northern homes and buildings through a centralized control system; reducing the health risks of radon in a user friendly, and energy efficient manner. This unique system will now be moved towards commercialization with benefits to both the local economy and the environment.

Scientists at the Yukon Research Centre have proven that heavy metals can be removed from contaminated mine water with northern constructed wetlands. These results offer a sustainable and cost effective option for mining companies operating in the North. This research was funded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Casino Mining Corporation (Casino).

Eight laboratory-scale wetlands were constructed in partnership with Casino to determine whether this passive water treatment system is feasible in a northern climate. Researchers took a multi-disciplinary approach by combining the expertise of soil scientist and plant ecologist, Dr. Katherine Stewart, and aquatic biochemist, Dr. Amelie Janin. The wetlands were able to remove 96% of cadmium, 99% of copper, 79% of selenium, and 97% of zinc concentrations from simulated mine water.

WHITEHORSE – Yukon Education Minister Doug Graham unveiled the Yukon College Ayamdigut Campus Master Plan today at the Old Fire Hall in Whitehorse.  The plan outlines a vision for the future development of the 97 hectare land reserve surrounding Yukon College’s Ayamdigut Campus.

“I am very pleased to unveil the Ayamdigut Campus Master Plan for Yukon College,” said Minister of Education Doug Graham. “The plan, which is based on the input of students, faculty, First Nations, community organizations and the general public, is the next step in the consultation process and will act as a blueprint for the future growth of the campus.”