Request that Mayor and Council reject proposed Bylaw 2026-25 because:

1. This proposal weakens the protections established in the Official Community Plan 2040 (OCP). Whitehorse residents participated in extensive public engagement over years to develop the OCP, which serves as the city's highest-level planning document and reflects a shared community vision. 

2. This proposal would reclassify Greenspace and Environmentally Sensitive Areas protected in the Official Community Plan 2040.  This change could negatively affect nearby residents, communities, recreation trails, wildlife corridors, watersheds, and other important natural areas that the OCP was designed to protect.

3. The living ecosystems in the area of the expansive Whitehorse Copper Belt – including Mary Lake, Cowley Creek, Wolf Creek, Mount Sima - are central to our recreation, mental health and wellness, family connection, cultural practices and sense of home.

4. This is not just about one project or one company. This is about protecting the City and City Council’s authority to decide what happens in our neighborhoods, green spaces, environmental sensitive areas, wildlife corridors and watersheds within city limits as determined by our Official Community Plan.