A $2.46-million Department of Environment building has officially opened in Watson Lake, Yukon. The 3,000-square-foot energy-efficient building includes four offices, a meeting room, work bays, a biological submission room, storage room, washrooms, and space for seasonal staff.

“This new facility will result in improved public service with lower operating costs, reflecting the Yukon government’s commitment to good governance and strong fiscal management,” says Currie Dixson, Yukon Minister of Environment. “By having Fish and Wildlife Branch staff and Conservation Officer Services Branch staff together under one roof, the public will be able to access services more easily and in more pleasant surroundings.”

Services provided at the new facility include:

• Campground permit sales;
• Angling permit sales;
• Hunting licences and seals;
• Environment Act and Wildlife Act enforcement activities;
• Wildlife research and management; and
• Campground maintenance administrative support.

The building, which entered construction in March 2014, replaces a dated complex, comprised of a small building, trailer and storage shed, built in the 1960s.