Get an air emissions permit

Air emissions are pollutants released into the atmosphere. They include emissions from wood stoves, forest fires, vehicles, diesel generators, quarrying, burning garbage or waste and other commercial or industrial activity.

You need an air emissions permit for:

• Manufacturing asphalt (in-place and portable plants);
• the production and exploration of oil and natural gas;
• quarrying, crushing and screening in excavations areas larger than 4 hectares;
• processing or handling coal at a rate greater than 5 MBTU/hour;
• operating equipment generating heat energy at or above 5 MBTU/hour;
• operating incinerators or open burning solid waste in quantities greater than 5 kg per day;
• incinerating special (hazardous) waste or contaminated soil;
• electricity generating facilities with a capacity of 1.0 Megavolt ampere or greater;
• using a fuel with a sulphur content higher than 1.1% for heating, generating electricity or other combustion in an industrial process; and
• storing or handling solid, liquid or gaseous substances that may adversely affect people or the environment.

Activities requiring an air emissions permit will be subject to air quality standards. Those standards will be used to determine the acceptability of emissions from proposed and exiting projects and developments. Read the Yukon Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Apply for an air emissions permit

Complete the general permit application

• Application for an air emissions permit, part 1 - General

Some activities require additional information not outline in the general permit application. These activities include manufacturing of asphalt, burning and incinerating and structure burning. If you are conducting any of these activities, complete the appropriate permit application and submit it along with your general air emissions permit application.

• Application for an air emissions permit (asphalt)
• Application for an air emissions permit (burning and Incinerating)
• Application for an air emissions permit (Structure burning)

Submit your application

• Email: envprot@yukon.ca
• In person: at the Department of Environment office at 10 Burns Road in Whitehorse. We are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Mail:
  Environmental Protection and Assessment
  Government of Yukon 
  Box 2703 (V-8)
  Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6

Before you get your permit

Depending on the activity you are undertaking, an assessment under the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act (YESAA) may be required prior to the issuance of the permit.

If you are submitting supporting documentation along with your permit application, a technical review may also be required prior to the issuance of the permit. The applicant will be required to pay any fees associated with the technical review process. 

After you get your permit

The permit may require you to submit a Dust Management Plan for approval. For more information regarding Dust Management Plans, please read the Dust Management Plan guidelines factsheet.

The permit may also require you to monitor contaminants released to the air. Monitoring contaminants allows regulators to determine actions to reduce potential harm to the natural environment or public health.

You may have to conduct continuous monitoring and, or manual stack testing of emissions.