Month In Review – Yukon

LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minimum Wage

Apr 1: Yukon officially increased its general minimum wage from $17.94 to $18.51 per hour in accordance with the 3.2% increase to the Consumer Price Index for Whitehorse in 2025. The same 3.2% increase applies to the separate wage rates for workers on Government of Yukon public works contracts listed in the 2026 Fair Wage Schedule.

Action Point: Find out how to avoid common payroll errors when implementing minimum wage increases.

Health & Safety

Apr 1: Under its new policy, the Yukon Workers’ Safety and Compensation Board (WSCB) will impose administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) from $1,000 to $20,000 for OHS violations depending on seriousness of the offence and whether it’s a first, second, or third/subsequent violation. The agency will also publish names of companies who receive AMPs. Effective date: June 1.

Action Point: Find out how to survive surprise government OHS inspections that can result in AMPs.

Training

Mar 1: Yukon employers can now apply for workers’ compensation CHOICES rebates under the WCSB’s CHOICES Incentive Program. CHOICES is a voluntary incentive program that awards employers rebates ranging from 4% to 10% of their annual assessment, up to $25,000 per year, for investing in workplace health and safety and/or return to work training.

New Laws

Mar 30: Yukon passed legislation (Bill 2) to repeal the Clean Energy Act to preserve its badly strained energy grid. The repeal puts an end to the electric vehicle mandate, emissions targets, and other initiatives that increased electricity demand across the territory. The government will also review policies, programs, and subsidies, including tax rebates, that incentivize electrification on a strained grid that can’t sustain additional pressure.

Drugs & Alcohol

Apr 7: Newly passed Bill 3 authorizing the Yukon Government to participate in Canada-wide class action against companies that produced and sold opioid products received Royal Assent. Led by British Columbia, the lawsuit is seeking billions of dollars in damages for the health and financial harms inflicted by addictive opioids.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective fitness for duty policy to control substance abuse at your workplace.

Workers’ Compensation

Apr 1: Yukon employers who violate their workers’ comp duty to cooperate with and reemploy workers seeking to return to work from a work injury will now be subject to AMPs under the WSCB’s new penalties regime, starting June 1.

Action Point: Find out about your workers’ compensation duties to re-employ injured workers and what you must do to comply with them.