The Yukon has long been a place of innovation, creativity and the pursuit of solutions and new ways of doing things. The Government of Yukon is following in this path laid by generations of Yukon leaders and thinkers, releasing a five-year strategy that will shape how the government supports and enables innovative practices across the territory.

Building off consultation with stakeholders, including First Nations, industry professionals and members of the public, the Yukon’s new innovation strategy, titled Innovation Yukon: Bringing Northern Ingenuity to the World, was debuted at Yukonstruct’s Hall of Innovators Award Gala on November 9, as part of Yukon Innovation Week.

Innovation Yukon: Bringing Northern Ingenuity to the World outlines the Yukon’s unique strengths and opportunities including Indigenous governance, rural and place-based entrepreneurship, Arctic research and exceptional lifestyle and community. It identifies actions, programs and services that will help to grow innovation and technology use in industries throughout the Yukon.

The strategy details 24 key actions that the Yukon government will implement to advance and diversify the Yukon’s economy over the next five years. Implementing these will require close, ongoing collaboration with community stakeholders and ecosystem partners.

Completing a Yukon innovation strategy to guide the Government of Yukon’s work in creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs is one of Premier and Minister of Economic Development Ranj Pillai’s mandate letter commitments.

The Government of Yukon will continue to support innovation sector organizations as they drive progress, introduce creative solutions to the unique challenges of life in the North, grow the reputation of the Yukon as a viable investment location, create job and investment opportunities for Yukoners and further develop a collaborative innovation ecosystem that is responsive to industry needs.