Department of Community Services

Community Affairs Topics/Links

Community Affairs

Community Affairs supports the orderly establishment and operation of effective local governments and works to foster favourable relationships between communities and Yukon Government. 

Core Business

This is achieved by:

• providing advice, information and training on local government operations and issues
• ensuring that local government legislation and the legislative framework of the Yukon Government are current and meaningful
• providing funding and financial advisory services to municipalities and unincorporated communities
• participating with the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) in local government related joint initiatives; and
• working with other governments in the provision of local government related services.

The Yukon Government delegates its authority for local governance to municipalities through the provision of the Municipal Act.  The branch is responsible for reviewing the activities of municipalities to ensure their compliance with the statutory requirements of the Municipal Act and other pertinent legislation. Community Affairs Branch also works to ensure that the Municipal Act is current and relevant to Yukoners through regular review processes, including the 2008 Municipal Act Review process.

Other legislation within the purview of Community Affairs Branch include: the Municipal Finance and Community Grants Act, Cemeteries and Burial Sites Act and Dog Act.

If a community group is uncertain who in the Yukon Government to contact on any matter, Community Affairs may be of assistance as a starting point and will work with groups to make the necessary arrangements and establish the appropriate contacts.

Funding

Community Affairs administers the provision of various grants to municipalities and local advisory areas to assist them with their local governance initiatives and operations.

Comprehensive Municipal Grant Funding

Yukon government provides the bulk of municipal budgets through the Comprehensive Municipal Grant (CMG). The CMG program provides an annual grant to each Yukon municipality, allocated according to a funding formula that is established under legislation. The funding allocation includes a base amount and takes into consideration factors including population and dwelling units, assessments, deficits and growth, and the municipal price index.
In 2007-08, Yukon provided $12.538 million in CMG funding. Effective April 1, 2008, the Government of Yukon approved an annual increase to the fund to 2012. By 2012, the CMG will be valued at $16.5 million per year.

Grants-In-Lieu

Once municipalities have levied their annual taxes on residential, commercial, and agricultural properties in their taxation area, they may apply to other governments for grants-in-lieu of taxes for the government properties located within their taxation area.  In 2007-08, the Yukon Government provided approximately $4.6 million under this program.

Local Advisory Council Funding

Annual funding is provided to Local Advisory Councils to support administrative functions.  In 2007-08, Community Affairs worked with Local Advisory Councils and Association of Yukon Communities to finalize a new funding policy and financial reporting guidelines. Through the process, Yukon approved the equalization of LAC funding. Yukon LACs now each received $12,710 per year.

Other Grants

Association of Yukon Communities (AYC) - An annual grant is provided to help support the operation of the Association of Yukon Communities.  The 2007-08 grant was $100,000.
Humane Society Funding – Community Affairs provides an annual grant to assist the Mae Bachur Animal Shelter and the Dawson City Animal Shelter in operations and maintenance.
Extraordinary Funding - Municipalities may also apply for additional funding to assist with large, costly projects, or to address extraordinary financial difficulties being experienced by the municipality.  Eligible projects must be of an infrastructure nature with projected costs exceeding one and one half times the annual grant paid to the municipality.
One-time grant funding has been provided in the past to address immediate capital and infrastructure needs in Yukon communities, and for large projects of Yukon-wide priority.

Infrastructure Funding

Gas Tax Funding
The Gas Tax Fund is helping to build communities by providing reliable, predictable funding in support of municipal infrastructure that not only enhances the local economy, but also the local environment and quality of life.
Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF)
The Canada-Yukon Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund targets infrastructure projects that will improve the quality of life and economic opportunities of Yukon communities.
Canadian Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF)
The Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund emphasizes partnerships with any combination of municipal, provincial, territorial governments, as well as the private sector, and each partnership is governed by specifically tailored arrangements.
 Transit Fund
Through the Public Transit Fund the Government of Canada has provided $400 million, over one year, to support investments in public transit infrastructure in cities and communities. Modelled on the federal gas tax, Public Transit Funds are allocated to provinces and territories on a per capita basis. These funds support environmental outcomes of cleaner air and lowered greenhouse emissions.

Municipal Administration

Community Affairs works directly with municipalities to provide advice and assistance on a variety of matters, including statutory obligations, interpretation of legislation, council/administration roles and relationships, administration of elections, and other community related matters.
The branch maintains a close relationship with the Association of Yukon Communities with respect to their annual conference, legislative initiatives, identifying and responding to municipal issues and trends, and the joint provision of municipal training/workshops.
The branch is also responsible for the ongoing operation of the Yukon Municipal Board and supports its role in municipal initiatives such as boundary changes and official community plans.

Development of Local Governance

The Yukon Municipal Act provides several options for establishing local governance bodies.  These include an incorporated municipality, a rural government, a local advisory area, and a regional structure.
Community Affairs works with community groups in local areas that are interested in organizing a form of local government.  In such cases, the branch is directly involved in public consultation, managing the process for establishing local governments, determining appropriate funding, and administering local elections.  Once established, Community Affairs maintains ongoing relationships with elected Councils to provide guidance, information, and assistance on matters of local interest.

Partners

Community Affairs works with other governments and in close partnership with Community Infrastructure Branch, and other departments on various community related initiatives.
Federal infrastructure funding programs are administered through this branch, including MRIF, CSIF and Gas Tax.  These collaborative programs include Yukon Government representation on the joint Federal/Territorial Management Committees that are established to approve projects, distribute funding, and manage all other aspects of the program.
Community Affairs reports directly to Statistics Canada on behalf of Local Advisory Areas, and assists Statistics Canada by encouraging municipalities to satisfy their reporting obligations.
Community Affairs maintains an ongoing liaison with the intergovernmental Committee on Urban and Regional Research (ICURR) and participates in this Committee’s national research initiatives, teleconferences, and national organizational meetings in preparation for the annual Provincial/Territorial Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Local Government.