In the Yukon, I think we have been very fortunate over the last years. While there is a downturn in the economy in certain areas of the world, the Yukon has been resilient in regard to that, and we have constant growth. We are spoiled up here.
The transfer payments from Ottawa to keep us going are great. I think we've used those well. For our mining regime, our environmental permitting program I think is very receptive to mining. We have a great process of how mining and oil and gas companies can come in and educate the government and the communities on how they want to extract those resources. Under the Yukon socio-economic assessment branch, we have a great process that is very effective.
I can only speak for the Yukon and what I've seen, and working with the mining industry to help solve their problems.... You may have heard, I know, that in the last year the Yukon had a peak year for exploration. It dropped a little this year, but we have five to six mines that are coming on line, and that is not going to stop. The Yukon is the home of some world-class ore bodies that will be extracted over time. I think we are in position to look at innovation and to try to make that footprint smaller.
I'd like to start with a quote that says “I'd like to close the mine before it opens.” By that, I mean working with the mining companies to look at how we are going to abandon that mine before they drop the shovel to start digging.