Licensing of Wilderness Tourism Operators

Is my trip being offered by a licensed operator?

The Yukon Wilderness Tourism Licensing Act (PDF 58Kb) came into effect in 1999 to regulate the wilderness tourism industry.

Anyone who takes clients into the Yukon wilderness in return for any kind of fee or reward needs to have a Wilderness Tourism Licence. Visitors planning a trip are encouraged to check the current list of licensed operators. As some operators do not secure their licence until later in the summer, the previous years list may also be used as a reference.

How do I apply to become a licensed operator?

Licence application forms can be requested by contacting:

WTLA Registrar, Yukon Parks
Department of Environment
Box 2703
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 2C6
Phone: (867) 667-5648
Toll free(in Yukon): 1-800-661-0408, local 5648
Email: yukon.parks@gov.yk.ca

You must meet several requirements to be eligible for a Wilderness Tourism Licence:

1. You must have Workers' Compensation coverage for your employees.
2. You must have $1,000,000 ($CAD) Public Liability Insurance for your clients
3. You must have a valid Yukon Business Registration.
4. Your guides must have valid First Aid and CPR certificates.
   

Note: The licence fee for a Wilderness Tourism Licence is $100.

For further information, read What Wilderness Tourism Operators Need to Know (PDF 266 Kb) About the Wilderness Tourism Licensing Act. This publication also covers the requirements for maintaining a licence, general business laws, environmental laws and commercial access rights and responsibilities on First Nation lands.

A pre-application checklist (PDF 121 Kb) is also available.