Question Period Note: CanNor Accomplishments & Recent Investments Supporting the Yukon

CanNor Accomplishments & Recent Investments Supporting the Yukon

All Territories:
• Between April 2025 and March 2026, across the Territories, CanNor invested more than $147.9 million towards 141 projects fostering short and long-term economic development and sector diversification. These investments are estimated to create more than 1200 jobs across the Territories.

YUKON:
• In the Yukon, CanNor provided over $73.9M across 61 projects in 2025-26.

• Of the projects supported in the Yukon, over $7.4M was allocated to 27 projects led or majority-led by Indigenous recipients.

Background:
• CanNor’s investments attracted more than $126M in investments from private entities, other governments and other government departments

• Of these, $39.2 million was provided through CanNor’s flagship IDEANorth program, supporting capacity and skills development and economic infrastructure.

• Additionally, this fiscal year, CanNor has allocated over $65.8 million in funding across more than 89 projects to Indigenous-led organizations.

• The North is not a distant frontier; it is central to Canada's security, economic resilience, and long-term prosperity. The territories sit at the heart of Arctic sovereignty, climate resilience, and nation-building. As Canada's regional development agency for the North, CanNor plays a critical role in strengthening the economic foundations that support Canada's presence and preparedness in this pivotal region.

• Yukon continues to face economic pressures related to labour shortages, housing constraints, an aging population, and the closure of existing mines alongside challenges to advancing future resource development; however, opportunities remain through growing innovation and tourism sectors, major planned infrastructure investments, and the longstanding economic relationship with Alaska, where practical cooperation on shared northern priorities — including transportation connectivity, supply chain resilience, and Arctic infrastructure — is expected to remain important despite broader bilateral pressures.

• CanNor continues to invest in key areas with significant potential to contribute to economic growth, including:
o a skilled northern workforce;
o major infrastructure projects;
o sustainable development of the mining and energy sectors; and
o economic diversification and innovation.

Examples:
• CanNor is contributing up to $1.2M to the Centre for Northern Innovation in Mining at Yukon University towards a four-year project aimed at expanding the Centre’s commercial driving training. The goal is to increase the Centre’s capacity to deliver this training outside of Whitehorse, starting with Dawson City. This training will give new commercial drivers the skills needed to meet the demands of the local labour market.

• CanNor is contributing $249,999 to Champagne & Aishihik First Nations to support a 2-year joint initiative of Kwanlin Dun First Nation (KDFN), Ta’an Kwach’an Council (TKC), Carcross/Tagish First Nation (C/TFN), and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun (FNNND) to develop a memorandum of understanding that outlines how they will work together on major energy infrastructure projects, including the Yukon-BC Grid Connect.

• CanNor is investing $99,999 to support Bizont Inc. to design, build, and validate a secure artificial intelligence infrastructure model for use by northern organizations.