There’s an Order of Canada, an Order of British Columbia, an Order of Nunavut – but no Order of Yukon.

At present, the Yukon is the only Canadian jurisdiction without an Order that honours the contributions of exceptional citizens.

But that could soon change, with Premier Sandy Silver announcing New Year’s Day that his government is developing an Order of Yukon.

It will be the highest honour in the territory, according to a government press release issued Tuesday.

“It will recognize individuals who make exceptional contributions to Yukon” as well as “excellence, achievement and contributions to the social, cultural and economic well-being of Yukoners,” the press release reads.

If this announcement sounds familiar, that’s probably because in June 2016, the former Yukon Party government notified the territory of its plans to have an Order of Yukon in place for the Canada 150 celebrations.

Obviously, that didn’t come to fruition.

“New government, new priorities, still important, but just took some more time,” Erin Loxam, a spokesperson for the Executive Council Office, told the Star Tuesday.

The Liberals officially replaced the Yukon Party regime on Dec. 3, 2016.

While the timeline has changed – the date the first Orders will be awarded remains up in the air – elements of the original work on the honour are present in this government’s plans.

As proposed in 2016, the expectation is that the number of Orders doled out annually is capped at three, according to Loxam.

“We’re not going to be handing out hundreds of these. It’s going to be a very limited number that go out, so it will be people held to a very high standard.”

The government is also looking to include a First Nations representative on the advisory council that peruses nominations for the Order to determine its recipients.

This decision follows a 2016 public consultation on the honour. That saw comments suggesting “the need to include contributions to First Nations cultural and heritage endeavours,” according to Tuesday’s government statement.

It’s unknown when nominations for the Order will be accepted.

The Yukon’s next commissioner will announce this and other information about the honour.

He or she will also be responsible for overseeing the induction of Yukoners into the Order, according to the government statement.

However, the person who will succeed Commissioner Doug Phillips has not yet been named publicly.

Loxam, meanwhile, shed some light on other aspects of the award process.

Anyone can nominate anyone, she said, so long as they make a case for their exceptional contributions to the territory.

The Order’s advisory council will consist of the Yukon’s chief justice, the head of Yukon College and the government’s cabinet secretary, as well as a First Nations representative.

Once established, Loxam said the Orders will probably be presented once a year.

Until now, it’s arguable that the closest thing the territory has had to an Order of Yukon is the Commissioner’s Awards, established in 1973.

“A highlight during my term as commissioner has been the opportunity to recognize the outstanding work of Yukoners whose volunteer work build our communities,” Phillips said in the government press release.

“Their dedication has inspired me to work with the Government of Yukon to create the Order of Yukon. I’m thrilled that the process is underway.”

Phillips’ last day as commissioner is Jan. 31.

“Although Commissioner Phillips will not have the opportunity to present the first Order, it would not be awarded without his efforts and influence,” Silver said in the press release.

Orders in all of the provinces were introduced in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s.

Nunavut established its Order in 2010, and the Northwest Territories did so in 2013.

Asked why it’s taken so long for an Order of Yukon to come into being, Loxam said she isn’t sure.

“I just think it’s unfortunate that we haven’t done it until now, to be perfectly frank,” she said.

“This is something that we should have, and be in line with everybody else.”

Pavlina Sudrich, the commissioner’s private secretary, told the Star today that as responsible self-government in the territory has evolved, so too should the way Yukoners are honoured.

“The commissioner and others felt it was increasingly appropriate to have an honours system in place here in Yukon that was consistent with other jurisdictions across Canada,” Sudrich said in an email.

The government is planning to table legislation that would establish the Order of Yukon in the spring sitting. It will begin March 1.