Our location: White River First Nation is based out of Beaver Creek, Yukon. Beaver Creek is the westernmost community in Canada and the second most remote community in the Yukon.
Our language: The First Nation membership historically spoke Athabaskan Languages – Upper Tanana and Northern Tutchone.
Our Membership: Today, we have members living in Canada and Alaska
Our Cdn. Traditional Territory: WRFN Traditional Territory includes 1.3 million hectares of pristine wilderness spanning from the southern tip of Kluane Lake northwest to the Canada/Alaska border. It includes the drainages of the Donjek and White Rivers, and Canada’s highest peak Mount Logan.
Use and Occupation: Traditionally, our people were based around Snag and Scottie Creek. Our people set up camps for hunting, fishing and trapping throughout the Traditional Territory wherever there was an abundance of Natural Resources.
They also traveled great distances to trade goods and share knowledge with First Nations people from all over the Yukon and Alaska.
Amalgamation and Separation: In 1961, the Government of Canada relocated the White River people to Burwash Landing joining WRFN with Kluane Indian Band. Beaver Creek became the home of White River First Nation in 1991, after WRFN officially separated from Kluane First Nation.
Operating as an Indian Band: Since 1991, White River First Nation has been providing services to its membership such as Health, Education and Social Assistance under the Indian Act.
Governance: White River First Nation has not signed Land Claims or Self Government Agreements under the Yukon Umbrella Final Agreement (UFA). Issues with the UFA have remained unchanged for over 20 years and WRFN is unable to support the framework while these issues remain outstanding.
Government has declared three (3) times that its mandate to negotiate has expired. White River First Nation has accepted this declaration and is now seeking alternatives to the UFA.
Reserve Status: In light of the Canadian Government walking away from the negotiating table, WRFN is seeking reserve status instead like many other First Nation south of the 60th parallel.
Currently, all references in the Indian Act and the Land Management Manual do not apply to WRFN land governance because our lands are designated as lands-set-aside, not reserve. This means that WRFN does not have the same governance powers as reserve status bands.
Industrial Development: White River First Nation already faces increasing industrial development pressures in our Traditional Territory such as the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline Project, a proposed international railway and companies wanting to explore for oil, gas and minerals.
Meaningful Consultation: WRFN firmly maintains that any government or business planning for development within our Traditional Territory must conduct meaningful consultation with White River First Nation on terms that are fair and equitable, to ensure that any cultural, environmental and social impacts can be avoided, mitigated, and compensated.
