Mining and exploration

Mining and mineral exploration have been mainstays of Yukon's economy since the turn of the century.

Yukon is rich in mineral potential and diversity and mineral exploration continues to grow. Although it's famous for gold, Yukon has significant deposits of gold, copper, lead, tungsten, zinc, coal, and silver.

Yukon has some of the largest iron ore and zinc deposits in the world. It has a massive sulphide deposit and two impressive tungsten deposits.

Oil and gas

Yukon's oil and gas sector is an emerging industry. Situated on the periphery of several prolific gas producing regions, Yukon's potential is yet untapped, offering exciting new opportunities and a competitive investment climate.

Tourism

Tourism is the largest private sector employer in Yukon. Roughly 70 per cent of employed Yukoners work for businesses that report some level of tourism revenue. More than 300,000 people visit Yukon each year.

Yukon's vast wide open spaces, wildlife, northern lights and the authenticity of our aboriginal and cultural heritage are its major tourism attractions.

Trapping

The fur trade is the oldest industry in Yukon.

It dates back to the early 1800s when Tlingit natives, acting as middlemen for Russian traders, began trading with interior Athapascans.

Trapping and fur trading have been integral elements of Yukon First Nations' lifestyle and economy since that time. Many others have also been attracted to this occupation.

The largest portion of trappers’ incomes is from the sale of lynx and marten pelts. But sales of wolverine, fox, muskrat and beaver are also important.

Agriculture

Agriculture is a small but increasingly significant industry in Yukon. This industry now generates $2 million a year into Yukon's economy.

Fishing

Residents and tourists enjoy fishing for arctic grayling, salmon, lake trout and northern pike.

First Nations subsistence fisheries still operate in several parts of Yukon and are economically important for many families. Salmon and freshwater species are harvested with gill nets, then dried and smoked using traditional methods.

Commercial fisheries harvest salmon, lake trout and whitefish for local sale.

Air travel

Whitehorse is home to an international airport, with direct jet service daily from Vancouver, direct jet service to Calgary and Edmonton, and scheduled service to the Northwest Territories.

In the summer months, there are scheduled charter flights from Frankfurt, Germany.

There are also ten community airports throughout Yukon, with many rural airstrips and aerodromes in remote areas.

Highways

Two of North America's most famous highways, the Alaska and Dempster Highways, pass through Yukon.

Thousands of Americans and Canadians travel north every summer to drive the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Fairbanks, Alaska.

Until recently, much of the Alaska Highway was gravel. Now all 960 kilometres of the Yukon section are paved or finished with an asphalt-like treatment and dotted with highway lodges and campgrounds.

Tourists also travel the Dempster Highway from just south of Dawson City, Yukon to Inuvik, Northwest Territories.

The Dempster Highway is 735 kilometres of gravel road (468 kilometres in Yukon) winds through the Ogilvie and Richardson Mountains, crosses the Arctic Circle and traverses the tundra of Canada's far north. It passes through only two communities before reaching Inuvik.