Federal Court - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure Developments ...

Page: 53
activity occurs. The total Yukon roundwood harvest in 1992 equaled
128, 000 m3 (1992). This harvest level accounted for only 4% of the
territory’s estimated AAC. A recent harvest level of 354,000 m3
(1994-95) represents only 10.5% of the estimated AAC limit. Most
other jurisdictions in Canada harvest well over 50% of their AAC
limits.
[211] The circumstance giving rise to the petition was the establishment of the AAC for 1994/95
as 450,000 m 3 . The petitioners demanded a return to historical timber harvest levels which were
2010 FC 495 (CanLII)
significantly lower than 450,000 m 3 .
[212] The response to the petition referred to the AAC of timber in Yukon, saying that the
estimated AAC of the “greater Yukon” is 3.4 million m 3 (gross merchantable) with 1.8 million m 3
attributed to the southeastern region. The response went on to say the following:
The estimated 1.8 million m3 AAC for the southeast Yukon is based
on a comprehensive timber inventory of three southeast forest
management units (Units Y01, LaBiche; Y02, Coal; and Y03, Liard).
This inventory formed the basis of the forest management plan and
AAC limit in August 1991. However, the forest management plan
and AAC limit has not been form formally implemented pending
further discussions with Yukon forestry constituents including
Yukon First Nations. The greater Yukon AAC figure of 3.4 million
m3 is based upon a forest inventory that covers approximately 70%
of the Yukon forest land base. DIAND has used the estimated AAC
limit to guide the allocation of Yukon timber.
…
Furthermore, the AAC for the greater Yukon will be set considerably
lower than the current estimated limit. The proposed AAC limit for
the 1995-96 harvest season is 450, 000 m3. This AAC limit
represents only 13% of the original AAC estimate. DIAND has
limited the AAC to 450,000 m3 to maintain the Yukon forest
industry which employs approximately 300 direct jobs.