Mining Companies to Relinquish Thousands of Claims in Yukon's Peel Watershed

Thousands of mineral claims in Yukon's Peel watershed have been relinquished by mining companies, according to CBC Canada.

The Yukon government has struck agreements with seven companies, which, in turn, have forgone 5,031 claims. The agreements stem from the Peel land use plan. Signed in 2019, the plan offers degrees of protection to most of the 67,431-square-kilometre region. 

The companies that have agreed to relinquish claims vary in size.

Four First Nations have vested interests in the Peel watershed. Chief Roberta Joseph says the removal of claims in the region is an important step toward respecting land claim agreements, which laid the groundwork for land use planning at large. 

There are more claims in protected areas that have not yet been relinquished — roughly 2,270.