Yukon Ombudsman

08/27/2026

"The Yukon government says it's reviewing its land lottery system, after the territory's ombudsman found that people were cheating the system to boost their chances of obtaining a building lot in Whitehorse.

Ombudsman Jason Pedlar says the issue is a "well-known secret," even among territorial officials who apparently felt powerless to enforce the rules."

by CBC Yukon's Paul Tukker

08/25/2026

If something unfair happens in the Yukon, we can’t do anything until someone submits a complaint to our office. We can’t investigate something we hear about – we are the only jurisdiction in Canada without own motion power.

If you believe you have been treated unfairly by a public organization, contact our office and we will walk you through your options. We are free, confidential, and independent from government. We oversee public organizations like Yukon government departments, YukonU, and more.

Learn more about how we can help you at 867 668 8468, 1 844 997 8648 (toll free in the Yukon), [email protected], and at YukonOmbudsman.ca

08/20/2026

"The Yukon’s ombudsman found the territory’s land lottery in Whitehorse had become structurally unfair, prompting the government to halt future draws until it can ensure the system complies with the Yukon Lands Act and its regulations.

The finding follows a formal investigation that concluded Energy, Mines and Resources is not meeting the intention of regulations under the Yukon Lands Act, which are meant to give first crack at lottery lots to people planning to build and live on them.

The investigative report, released in a Aug. 18 press release, says developers and some individual applicants sidestep those rules by having other people enter lotteries on their behalf. The practice, known as proxy use, has become widespread and increasingly blatant, according to the report."...

https://yukonaccountability.ca/ombudsman/news/2026-08/single-family-lot-lottery-process-deemed-unfair

Jake Howarth with the Yukon News

08/19/2026

"The Yukon’s ombudsman found the territory’s land lottery in Whitehorse had become structurally unfair, prompting the government to halt future draws until it can ensure the system complies with the Yukon Lands Act and its regulations.

The finding follows a formal investigation that concluded Energy, Mines and Resources is not meeting the intention of regulations under the Yukon Lands Act, which are meant to give first crack at lottery lots to people planning to build and live on them.

The investigative report, released in a Aug. 18 press release, says developers and some individual applicants sidestep those rules by having other people enter lotteries on their behalf. The practice, known as proxy use, has become widespread and increasingly blatant, according to the report."...

https://bit.ly/4cjcoX5

Developers’ widespread proxy use leads Energy, Mines and Resources to suspend Whitehorse land lotteries

08/18/2026

Our office received a complaint about the use of proxies in the single-family residential lot lottery process in Whitehorse. The investigation found that the lottery process is unfair, and the current legislation does not provide sufficient enforcement mechanisms to ensure its intention is met. The Authority fully accepted our recommendations. https://yukonaccountability.ca/ombudsman/news

08/14/2026

Our office will be closed on Monday, August 17th for the Yukon Discovery Day statutory holiday. We will reopen at 8:30am on Tuesday, August 18th. Wishing you an enjoyable long weekend.

07/28/2026

Thank you for helping us celebrate our 30th anniversary! The Air North and Eclipse Spa gift certificates have been claimed and an employee of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Office won the camping chair. Previous Yukon Ombudsman/Commissioner Tim Koepke also stopped by!

We will continue supporting both the public and the organizations that serve them. Contact us if you have questions or require support about fairness, privacy, access to information, or whistleblowing issues. YukonAccountability.ca

07/20/2026

The future is looking even brighter for protecting the rights of Yukoners. The Yukon Ombudsman and Information and Privacy Commissioner has supported fairness, privacy, and access to information for three decades and this anniversary will be celebrated with the gift of amending the outdated Yukon Ombudsman Act, in addition to an open house on Thursday, July 23rd.

The public is invited to celebrate this news and the 30th anniversary at an open house on Thursday, July 23rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where there will be food, prizes, and resources. Please join us.

https://yukonaccountability.ca/ombudsman/news/30th-anniversary

07/09/2026

You matter to us! Join us in celebrating 30 years of promoting and protecting fairness, privacy, and access rights. Enter to win door prizes, grab some food, say hello, and check out our resources. The first 30 people win a potted plant!

Draw prizes include:
Public: Air North $200 gift certificate
NGOs: Eclipse Spa for two
Employees of authorities, public bodies or custodians: camping gear

We hope to see you there!
https://yukonaccountability.ca/anniversary

07/03/2026

We are hiring a Director of Intake and Informal Case Resolution who plays a key role in supporting all three of our mandates and oversees a team of three investigator and compliance review officers. The closing date is August 7th or until filled. Apply now!

https://yukonaccountability.ca/careers