Change Starts Now!
Add your name if you will stand with Currie Dixon and the Yukon Party!
WHITEHORSE – Housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing Yukoners. Since the last election, the Yukon Party has moved quickly to increase housing supply, make more land available for development and expand housing options across the territory.
“A year ago, Yukoners voted for change and entrusted our government to tackle the housing crisis head-on,” said Minister of Community Services Cory Bellmore. “Over the past year, we have increased the housing supply pipeline, opened new supportive housing, brought forward legislative changes and made more land available for development across the territory. These actions are helping create more housing opportunities for Yukoners today while laying the groundwork for even more homes in the years ahead.”
The Yukon Party government is accelerating housing development by working with municipalities, Yukon First Nations and industry partners to bring more land to market and get shovels in the ground faster.
“We’re increasing the supply of residential land across the Yukon and creating the conditions needed to build more homes,” said Kluane MLA Wade Istchenko. “By reducing internal delays, streamlining processes and advancing common-sense regulatory changes, we’re helping get land into the hands of builders faster and supporting new housing development in communities across the territory.”
Since the election, we have taken concrete steps to increase housing supply, expand housing choice and improve access to land, including:
• Reducing the risk of higher construction costs and supporting housing affordability by delaying implementation of the 2025 National Building Code to ensure any changes work for the Yukon and reflect industry input;
• Restoring balance to the rental market by introducing amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act that remove the previous administration's heavy-handed and misguided policies;
• Increasing opportunities for new home construction by releasing 43 residential lots in Haines Junction, 10 lots across the territory through over-the-counter sales, and seven lots through the new Residential Builders Lottery pilot in Whistle Bend;
• Supporting the delivery of 137 affordable homes for Yukoners by partnering with the Northern Community Land Trust Society to deliver 32 affordable homeownership units and Da Daghay Development Corporation to deliver 105 affordable rental units;
• Expanding the future supply of residential land and housing opportunities by preparing 15 large lots in Whistle Bend, 70 large lots in partnership with Kwanlin Dün First Nation with a total capacity for around 800 units, and exploring opportunities for new country residential lots;
• Creating 67 supportive housing units for vulnerable Yukoners by opening The Hearth in partnership with Safe at Home;
• Securing an additional $10 million to help increase housing supply through a funding agreement with the Government of Canada; and
• Providing certainty to builders and communities on more than $26 million in housing projects in Haines Junction, Mayo, Teslin, Burwash Landing, Ross River and Whitehorse through the new fall capital budget process.
Together, these initiatives are helping increase housing supply, create more opportunities for homeownership and rental housing, and support long-term growth in communities throughout the Yukon.
“While there is no single solution to the housing affordability challenge, we're taking meaningful steps across the entire housing continuum,” said Minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation Scott Kent. “The actions we've taken over the past year are increasing housing opportunities for Yukoners today, and our partnership with the Government of Canada through Build Canada Homes will help support the creation of up to 500 additional affordable and deeply affordable homes in the future.”
-30-
Media Contact
Tim Kucharuk
Media Director
(867) 689-7874
[email protected]
