Final consultations and a signing ceremony

While the Supreme Court’s verdict was a resounding victory for the First Nations and conservation groups who had brought the case, the judgment alone did not protect the Peel. Instead, it ordered the Yukon to hold one last round of public consultations, the consultations that should have happened back in 2012, after the Peel Planning Commission had originally released the Final Recommended Plan. 

These final consultations happened in the fall of 2018, and once again, Yukoners showed up to voice their support for protecting the Peel. The Yukon government and First Nations then held government to government negotiations on the Plan, eventually agreeing to a plan that protected 83% of the watershed, and guaranteeing that the plan would be jointly implemented between First Nations and the Yukon government. The Final Plan for the Peel Watershed was signed on August 22nd, 2019, at a ceremony in Mayo, Yukon. Thanks to the efforts of everyone who worked to make the Plan possible, the Peel is now protected for future generations.