“It’s certainly welcome news.”
That’s how Dawson City Mayor Bill Kendrick is responding to the announcement that the city’s nearest Canada-United States border crossing — the Little Gold Creek port of entry — is extending its operating dates.
Yukon MP Brendan Hanley announced the border crossing’s extended operating dates on April 25 at the opening of the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon’s annual conference.
According to a press release, Hanley told conference attendees that the Little Gold Creek port of entry will begin operations for the 2024 season on May 17 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.
The border post will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time, and it will close for the season on Sept. 15. The extended operating period will allow travellers to move across the international line on long weekends in May and September.
The Little Gold Creek port of entry is located along the Top of the World Highway, just over 100 kilometres west of Dawson City. It is the most northern border crossing in North America.
The Top of the World Highway connects Dawson with Alaskan communities such as Chicken and Eagle and is a seasonal road closed in the winter.
The border crossing is also closed during the winter.
“This was the work of many. I want to thank all who worked so hard to get the Little Gold Creek season opening and closing dates that we need. The world needs the best possible access to see what the Yukon has to offer,” Hanley said in a press release. Following the easing of COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions leading to the reopening of Canada-U.S. land and sea borders in the autumn of 2021, the Little Gold Creek port of entry was subjected to a shorter operating season in 2022 and 2023. In 2022 and 2023, the border crossing opened on June 1 and closed in the opening days of September.
The shorter operating season after restrictions eased for the border post generated opposition from some Yukoners, who lamented the potential impact on tourism operators and other businesses in Dawson. In 2022, Kendrick called the reduced operating hours and dates “really unfortunate.”
Now, with the announcement of an extended operating season for the Little Gold Creek port of entry, Kendrick indicates that many Dawson City residents will be celebrating.
“Obviously, lots of members of the community have wanted to see longer border hours. It’s helpful for tourism, for mining, for Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in families — I mean, there are all kinds of benefits,” Kendrick told the News.
He added that the Little Gold Creek port of entry is valuable as an alternate route in and out of Dawson for city residents in the event of a fire, flood or other natural disaster closing the North Klondike or Alaska highways.
“Fires, flooding, natural disasters along highways, you know, bridge washouts, whatever. To mobilize in the event of an emergency, to somehow mobilize a border to open is likely way more costly than just keeping it open for longer,” Kendrick said.
However, Kendrick notes there is still room for improvement regarding the border post’s dates and hours of operation. Prior to the pandemic, from 2012 to 2019, the border was open daily until 9 p.m. and closed for the season between Sept. 20 and 25.
“It’s staying open until Sept. 15, which isn’t the 23rd, so there is still room for a longer operating season…it’s unfortunate the opening hours during the day have not returned to pre-pandemic hours. But, you know, one step at a time,” Kendrick said.
Contact Matthew Bossons at matthew.bossons@yukon-news.com