Mine Shift reflects on the Yukon Mining Camp and Community Safety Forum

In February, Mine Shift had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Mining Camp and Community Safety Forum in Whitehorse hosted by Yukon Women in Mining (YWIM) and Yukon Aboriginal Women’s Council (YAWC). The two‑day gathering created space for honest conversations about physical and psychological safety in mining and exploration workspaces, as well as in mining‑impacted communities across the Yukon.

Susan Lomas, Mine Shift’s Founder and President presenting at the Yukon Mining Camp & Community Safety Forum.

The forum brought together Yukon First Nations, the Yukon Government, federal partners, mining companies, regulators, community safety organizations, and service providers. Participants examined both the positive and challenging socio‑economic impacts of industrial camps, while acknowledging the cultural realities that shape people’s experiences on the ground. The event was intentionally designed as a collaborative, solutions‑focused environment where diverse voices could speak openly and safely.

Over the two days, attendees explored examples from regions and nations leading the way in community‑centred safety and identified opportunities to adapt those approaches locally. The conversations were courageous, at times uncomfortable, and deeply necessary.

“I’m grateful to have heard from speakers who brought such depth and breadth to the conversation about camp and community safety. Listening to the voices of Indigenous people sharing their experiences in mining camps and mining impacted communities was especially powerful,” said Susan Lomas, Founder and President at Mine Shift. “There was a real sense of hope for the future, paired with a clear understanding that harm has occurred. In many ways, there is still a long road ahead.”

Mine Shift contributed insights on the role of culture in safety, specifically how everyday behaviours influence whether workers and community members feel supported, protected, and empowered to act.

Our Bystander Intervention training, created by workers in the mining industry for workers in the mining industry, emphasizes that when bystanders are no longer silent, workplace cultures can shift. Safety becomes a shared responsibility, not an individual burden.

The forum concluded with a commitment to practical next steps. A “What We Heard” report and a more detailed guiding document will help translate the discussions into tangible actions that organizations of all sizes can take to strengthen safety and wellbeing. We look forward to reading the summary document that will be issued later in 2026, as well as the recommendations towards psychological and physical safety that will be included.

Mine Shift was honoured to be part of this important work and remains committed to supporting safer, more respectful workplaces across the North.