Leef announces $13.7 million for Parks Canada sites

Some historic sites in Yukon will be getting $13.7 million worth of renovations and refurbishment.

Yukon MP Ryan Leef announced the funding today in Whitehorse. He said the work will provide needed protection against fires and will also stabilize buildings which have been shifting. 

Political opponents, meanwhile, called Leef's announcement a distraction from a legacy of cuts to Parks Canada. 

Thirty Parks Canada jobs have been cut in Yukon since 2012. 

Several projects in Dawson City

The funding is for infrastructure maintained by Parks Canada in parks and historic sites. The projects announced today include: 

• $3.8 million to stabilize the Palace Grand Theatre in Dawson City. 
• $3.6 million to upgrade parks buildings in Kluane National Park and Reserve. 
• $2.5 million to stabilize the bow of the historic Dredge #4 in Dawson City.
• Stabilization of Dawson City sites including the Bear Creek Machine Shop, Territorial Courthouse and Joe Boyle House. 
• Chilkoot Trail improvements including a trailside first aid room and a new roof and sprinkler system for the historic St. Andrews Church at Bennett Lake. 
• Renovations to the SS Klondike Historic Site in Whitehorse which includes replacing the wooden deck around the ship.

Leef said the work will be tendered to Yukon companies. 

"There's a great opportunity for Yukon companies for being involved in bidding on these jobs. Ranging from small jobs that small businesses can bid on, up to large projects that are three and four million dollars," he said.

Opponents say funding a distraction from Parks Canada cuts

NDP candidate Melissa Atkinson reacted by saying "It's clear that Ryan Leef is in full pre-election spending mode."  

One question she raised was the timing of the announcement.

Leef said "many of these [projects] have been a long time in the making" but funding was only recently allocated in the federal budget.

Larry Bagnell, the territory's Liberal candidate, also believes the timing is no coincidence. 

"[They're] saving up the capital investments they should have been doing over the last couple of years to two months before the election. I think people will see through that," he said.

[They're] saving up the capital investments they should have been doing over the last couple of years to two months before the election. I think people will see through that- Larry Bagnell, Liberal candidate

​Bagnell took issue with Leef's claim that his government has improved Parks Canada services in Yukon.

"They've cut so many jobs in curatorial, conservation, parks wardens. Thirty jobs, full-time, well-paying Yukon jobs. And they're replacing them with short-term construction jobs," Bagnell said. 

Atkinson shared similar thoughts. 

"We look at well-paying jobs disappear when cutbacks are made to Parks Canada and those are real people. Those impacts have been felt greatly in our territory," she said. 

Leef says the different contract jobs should start appearing soon on government tender sites.