INFRASTRUCTURE: Fed, Yukon governments pledge $360M for roads

[caption id="attachment_1003719854" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (left) and Yukon Premier Sandy Silver announced $360 million is to be spent improving roads and bridges in the territory. (Credit: Mining.com)[/caption] YUKON – The Canadian government will inject $247 million into the territory’s highway network through the Yukon Resources Gateway Project. The announcement was made in Whitehorse by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Modern infrastructure is key to developing and properly managing the incredible natural resources we have at our fingertips. By providing easier access to important resources across Yukon, the Yukon Resource Gateway Project will help create good, middle class jobs, promote long term economic prosperity,” the PM said during a speech. The Yukon government will also support the project by allocating an additional $113 million for upgrading more than 650 km of roads and bridges for roads leading into the Dawson and Nahanni ranges. Together, the two governments have pledged $360 million. Several companies with exploration project in Yukon have voiced their support. Janet Lee-Sheriff, CEO of Golden Predator and its 3 Aces gold project, called the announcement a milestone. “The Yukon Resource Gateway Project is extremely important to help advance exploration projects and build the potential for mining projects. We want to thank the governments of Canada and Yukon as well as the First Nation governments and industry partners who worked so hard for years to make this project possible.” "This funding approval is a significant commitment from both the territorial and federal governments,’ said Paul West-Sells, president and CEO of Western Copper and Gold. "Construction of this road will provide jobs and business opportunities to the communities and First Nations in the short term, and will provide much needed infrastructure to the Casino project that will provide significant benefit to these communities, First Nations, and the Yukon in general for the long term.” Other gold companies busy in Yukon include Goldcorp at the Coffee gold project, Victoria Gold at Dublin Gulch, and Barrick who is earning an interest in ATAC Resources’ Rackla gold project. Samson Hartland, executive director of the Yukon Chamber of Mines, said, "This is not about three or four specific mining projects. This is about unlocking Yukon’s mineral potential.”