Scientists have determined that eDNA technology is both accurate and effective in detecting presence of Chinook salmon in Yukon waterways. Technology Innovation of the Yukon Research Centre, and Hemmera, a local environmental consulting company have completed the first environmental DNA (eDNA) research of its kind to detect a species that is both culturally and economically significant to Yukoners.

Scientists filtered DNA from Yukon waterways to map Chinook salmon habitat use. Water samples were collected from streams in the Upper Teslin, Nisutlin and Kusuwa Lake drainages. Results have shown a 94.9% accuracy in detecting the presence of Chinook salmon. This new technology is a great benefit to management agencies, industry, environmental assessors, and the overall health of the species.  

The Government of Yukon and the Yukon Research Centre are providing $60,000 in funding to test a biomass heating project that will address sustainable energy and waste diversion.

Biomass is organic matter that can be used as an energy source. This pilot project will explore the use of wood chips made from waste wood from the Whitehorse landfill and construction projects. This waste wood will be used to heat the buildings at Raven Recycling.

“Heating our buildings with waste wood offers Yukoners a potentially efficient energy alternative while diverting waste from the Whitehorse landfill,” said Stephen Mooney, Director, Cold Climate Innovation, Yukon Research Centre. “Yukoners need green energy sources that will work in northern applications and our research on biomass for heating and electricity will add to this knowledge thanks to our partnership with Yukon government and CanNor.”

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College congratulates Prime Minister Trudeau and U.S. President Obama on their climate change agreement announced yesterday, and calls upon the Prime Minister to back it up with a commitment to fund the science needed for the Canadian and U.S. governments to make better decisions to combat climate change.

“We are happy to see the Prime Minister and President acknowledge the need to take a science-based approach to climate change and arctic development, and given how rapidly global warming is impacting the Yukon it is critical that the Government of Canada support research that is in the North, by the North and for the North,” said Dr. Karen Barnes, Yukon College President.

WHITEHORSE-Yukon College and the University of Regina have expanded the Bachelor of Education/Yukon Native Teacher Education program (YNTEP) to include an after-degree pathway.

Qualified applicants who already possess a Bachelor’s degree in another subject may now apply to enter the Education program in the third year.

“This has been something potential applicants to the program have wanted for some time and we are pleased that our request to the University of Regina Senate to create a more flexible and diverse program has been approved,” said Dr. Andrew Richardson, Dean of Applied Arts at Yukon College.

Yukon Research Centre’s Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) and Natural Resources Canada have opened registration for the 2016 Research, Innovation, and Commercialization (RIC) Workshop on biomass.

Guests attending the Yukon Biomass Forum will hear about biomass innovations from across the country, as well as from CCI proponents who are currently working on biomass projects in the Yukon.

Biomass energy uses organic matter to heat buildings and produce power. It can divert waste wood from landfills and utilize beetle killed wood.

For more information and to register, visit yukonbiomass.ca.

The annual RIC workshop is based on technological topics that have environmental and economic benefits to Yukoners.

   Where:    Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre

   When:     Tuesday, March 15th and Wednesday, March 16th, 2016

WHITEHORSE-130 academics from across Canada will gather at Yukon Colleges’ Ayamdigut campus this week to share best practices and explore strategies on serving Indigenous learners as well as tackling how best to support reconciliation in Canada.

Colleges and Institutes Canada’s (CICan) annual Indigenous Education Symposium will present different perspectives from leaders, experts and practitioners from colleges and institutes, Aboriginal communities and industry.

Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) of the Yukon Research Centre (YRC) and Government of Yukon’s Economic Development have launched the second annual Yukon Innovation Prize (YIP). Yukoners can win up to $70,000 for their innovative ideas on food security and agriculture.

Innovators are invited to compete for one of four $10,000 prizes which they can then use to further develop their idea and provide evidence of its technical and economic viability. These four finalists will then submit their refined plans to compete for the grand prize of $60,000, to be used to bring their innovative idea towards commercialization.

The future looks brighter for Yukon babies thanks to a new phone Application (App) released this week in both the Apple and Android App stores. The Yukon Baby App provides information to expectant mothers and fathers to improve the health outcomes of newborn babies.

The Yukon Baby App was conceived at the Hacking Health event in spring of 2014 by a team of health-care providers, programmers and a designer. They then pitched their idea to Technology Innovation (TI) of the Yukon Research Centre, whose support led to Yukon Baby Inc. developing the App with funding support from both TI and Government of Yukon.

“This Yukon-made App has been developed to benefit Yukoners and their families”, said Dr. Karen Barnes, President & Vice Chancellor, Yukon College. “Our Technology Innovation team is here to support Yukon innovations from idea to product development and to improve the lives of Northerners.”

A new and comprehensive report documenting climate change in Yukon has been released by the Northern Climate ExChange of the Yukon Research Centre (YRC).

Yukon Climate Change Indicators and Key Findings 2015 lists climate change indicators which confirm that Yukon’s climate is warming rapidly and more change is projected.

Whitehorse – Yukoners will soon have a better understanding of what solar technologies could work best in the North. Cold Climate Innovation, of the Yukon Research Centre at Yukon College has partnered with Solvest Inc. and Triniti Technology to study solar technology performance in the North.

The Whitehorse Solar Study will explore what solar technologies work best under northern solar conditions. This study will examine four different solar technologies in the Yukon’s solar climate, with a focus on winter performance.

“We are filling a large research gap to better understand how solar can work for the North”, said Stephen Mooney, Director, Cold Climate Innovation, Yukon College. “This data could support Yukoners in deciding whether solar power could be an effective alternative energy for their home or business."