Enduring Power of Attorney Act public engagement

The Government of Yukon is seeking direction on how Yukon’s Enduring Power of Attorney Act should be updated. A review of the Act revealed that there are some provisions that should be updated to reflect the needs of modern society and to keep pace with changes to legislation in other Canadian jurisdictions.

An Enduring Power of Attorney is a legal document in which a person gives one or more trusted people authority to manage their money and property if they become ill or suffer a disability at some point in the future. The “attorney” in this case does not mean the person is a lawyer.

Input is being sought on on topics such as:

• creating a mechanism to voluntarily report improper use of Enduring Power of Attorneys;
• outlining specific attorney duties, responsibilities and liabilities;
• increasing oversight of attorneys and accountability mechanisms for family members;
• including forms in the regulations for voluntary use; and
• allowing an Enduring Power of Attorney to be made without requiring a certificate of legal advice.