Everything to know about living and working in the Yukon

Dawson City was born out of the Klondike gold rush at the end of the 19th century. It is a city in the middle of nowhere that feels like going back in time to the Wild West.

The streets are dirty, covered in mud, with pathways still made out of wood. The houses are rickety and wonky, the roads are quiet, and nostalgia fills the air.

Dawson is an extremely sleepy city in winter (there are around 1,500 people who live there year-round), but it transforms during the summer with many festivals and the influx of tourists looking to experience a gold rush town (around 70,000 visitors arrive each summer).

Getting around Dawson

In the city centre itself, everything is within walking or cycling distance. For longer trips (e.g. to the airport or outside of the city), you will need to book a taxi or get a car. Dawson is still awaiting the introduction of public transport routes, so until then, you should invest in a set of wheels if you want to live here.

Finding accommodation in Dawson

In terms of temporary accommodation, Dawson has:

• Two campgrounds run by the Yukon government (the Yukon River Campground and the Klondike River Campground)
• A private campground in the city centre that operates seasonally (Gold Rush Campground)
• The Dawson City River Hostel (open May-September)

Finding accommodation in the city itself feels like mission impossible. If you are there for work, they can often help you find a place to live. You might have better luck securing accommodation “across the river”. This means places located outside of the city centre, on the other side of the Yukon River (Dawson West).

To get to Dawson West, you can take the George Black Ferry, which is free and operates 24/7 during the summer months. In previous years, there has been an ice bridge to help residents from Dawson West travel over to Dawson during the winter. However, this did not open for the 2023-2024 season, so be wary of getting stranded if deciding to live across the river.

You will need to know people in Dawson to secure long-term accommodation. In this small community, word of mouth works best.

If you’re willing to brave cabin life (living off grid without water or electricity), cabins are slightly easier to find in small “hamlets” outside of Dawson.

Finding work in Dawson

For the high season (from around April to September), it is relatively easy to find work. Obviously, we are talking about work like restaurants, housekeeping, the casino, retail, etc. As is often the case in this type of work, employers see workers come and go frequently. It is also not uncommon for people living in Dawson to work two or even three entry-level jobs.

For those who are a little more manual, there is also work in construction, soil sampling or mining prospecting. The working conditions are physically difficult but the jobs pay well.

Out of season, Dawson becomes a ghost town. It will take a lot of research and planning in advance if you want to find work during the winter, because almost everything will be closed.

It’s still common (and effective) to go door-to-door to drop off resumes, rather than relying on online resources.

Read Finding a job in Canada for more tips.

Shopping in Dawson

Although the city is small, it has the basic necessities. There are two grocery stores, Bonanza Market and the Dawson City General Store. There is a Home Hardware store for DIY, and a few clothing shops.

Hours are shortened in winter, the choices are limited, and the prices are higher than in Whitehorse, but with some pre-planning, you will have access to everything you need to live.

Daily life in Dawson

Sports

Dawson operates in reverse. In winter, you can practise pretty much any sport you want, such as boxing, volleyball, zumba, table tennis, etc. There is also an ice rink to play curling or hockey. You can downhill or cross-country ski at Moose Mountain.

In the summer, the volunteers who run the sports events are too busy with the tourist season, and most of the sports programming closes down! You can always go for a dip in the pool, or rent a canoe to explore the Yukon River.

Otherwise, there is a gym on Front Street open all year round.

Culture and festivals

In mid-July, the Dawson City Music Festival attracts a crowd to this small town. There are also quite a few major events throughout the season: the arrival of the Yukon River Quest (end of June), and the Discovery Days Festival (mid-August).

There are other events happening throughout the summer, such as poker tournaments, races, golf tournaments, barbecues, raft building, social walks, live music, etc.

In winter, experience the famous dog sled race, the Yukon Quest. In March, check out the local carnival Thaw di Gras.

Find all the events on the city’s website.

Nightlife

If there’s one thing that’s not a problem in Dawson, it’s finding somewhere to have a drink! Venture out onto the main street, have a few drinks at the Pit (the nickname given to the bar at the Westminster Hotel) or at Bombay Peggy’s, stop by the casino, and finish by drinking a shot of whisky with a human toe. Yes, the famous Sourtoe Cocktail can be found in Dawson!

Sightseeing

You can’t come to Dawson without checking out:

• The Jack London Museum and Robert Service’s cabin (writers who came to Dawson during the gold rush)
• Midnight Dome viewpoint at Mount Dome
• Dredge No. 4 (a large ship designed for gold mining in the river)
• Guided tours of the city
• Drive the Top of the World Highway to Alaska
• Pan for gold in Bonanza Creek
• Farmers’ market (during the summer)

These are just a few of the many ideas of what you can get up to in Dawson and the Yukon!