Air North’s president has announced enhanced security measures and a reassessment of safety training following the recommendations from a coroner’s inquest into the 2022 incident at its Whitehorse compound. The inquest was prompted by the fatal shooting of Hugh Riffel by a Whitehorse RCMP officer on November 24, 2022, when Riffel entered the compound with a gun, threatening harm to himself and Chieftain Energy employees, a subsidiary of Air North where Riffel had previously worked.
The coroner’s inquest, initiated after a report from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team deemed the police’s use of force reasonable, concluded that Riffel’s death by gunshot wound was a homicide. The jury issued four recommendations to Air North, including the implementation of an emergency lockdown protocol, regular safety training with annual emergency drills for employees, installation of door locks in work spaces, and relocation of staff parking outside the secure area accessible only by staff ID cards.
In response, Air North’s president, Joe Sparling, conveyed the airline’s adherence to emergency response protocols as per regulations and mentioned plans to utilize the jury’s recommendations for future safety updates. The company is reviewing its safety manual and protocols, with Sparling acknowledging the need for updates following testimony that employees were unaware of the emergency response plan at the time of the incident.
Regarding staff parking, Sparling disclosed ongoing construction plans to relocate the employee access gate and fence, ensuring staff parking is outside the secure area accessible by ID cards. Additionally, door locks have been added to indoor work spaces since 2024, aligning with employee testimonies presented during the inquest.
