Little has changed in Whitehorse over the last three years, says Mandeep Sidhu.

The 30-year-old placed last of five mayoral candidates in his run for the mayoralty in 2012 with 480 votes.

He was the last of three mayoral candidates to launch his campaign, submitting his election paperwork on the final day for nominations.

In a recent interview, Sidhu explained that he decided to put his name forward because he felt there were no viable mayoral candidates running in next Thursday’s election.

Had a candidate come forward he could put his support behind, he would have, Sidhu said.

The issues that dominated the 2012 municipal election continue to be the same in 2015, he argues.

“Nothing’s changed,” he said.

Affordable housing and traffic congestion in and out of the neighbourhoods of Riverdale and Copper Ridge continue to remain as top concerns with many voters Sidhu has spoken to.

Added to that are worries over how city funds are being spent.

Many, he said, are expressing concern over the proposed $56-million building consolidation project that would see the city move from a number of buildings downtown to two major structures. One will be off of Range Road, where a major operations building is planned, and another service building is planned for next to city hall downtown.

On affordable housing, Sidhu argues, the city needs to provide better incentives to encourage developers to build the homes residents want.

He also pointed to the work of Habitat For Humanity, which provides those who may not normally qualify for a mortgage with a low-cost mortgage on a home.

Sidhu questions whether the city could look to the organization as it explores the issue of affordable housing in Whitehorse.

Just as affordable housing was a major issue when he ran in 2012, so too was traffic.

Sidhu is quick to note that “happier people equal healthier communities.”

Many, however, are starting off their workday “pissed off” as they end up stuck in traffic coming downtown from Riverdale and Copper Ridge, the candidate says.

A second bridge is needed across the Yukon River – perhaps extended from Fourth Avenue – to alleviate traffic and provide an alternative if one bridge is closed off for any reason, Sidhu believes.

He pointed to a past collision on the Robert Campbell Bridge to Riverdale that closed the crossing for a couple of hours during late-afternoon heavy traffic.

Sidhu pointed out the city’s Official Community Plan highlights the need for the second bridge. It’s likely the city could receive funding from the Yukon government for the construction, he said.

In Copper Ridge, Sidhu said he would like to see the traffic circle on Hamilton Boulevard at Elijah Smith Elementary School taken out in favour of an overhead pedestrian walkway.

Traffic would then be able to move straight along the road, alleviating stress on the road, he said.

Traffic coming down Two Mile Hill over the lunch hour could be another problem if the building consolidation goes ahead as planned.

That’s because numerous city workers up the hill may want to come downtown on their lunch break, he pointed out.

“It’s not the best idea,” Sidhu said.

He pointed out that the Kwanlin Dun First Nation owns land near the city’s current transit building in Marwell.

He wonders about the possibility of some sort of land swap that would allow the city to use that land.

He also commented that renovating the current structures may prove cheaper than building entirely new buildings.

Once the city sells off land that some of its current buildings are on, he said, there’s no way of getting that land back.

“The city shouldn’t be giving up these assets,” he said.

Sidhu pointed out changes could also be made at another major city facility, arguing the policy that provides city staff with a 50 per cent discount at the Canada Games Centre should be changed.

He suggested that staff be provided a 25 per cent discount instead and that rates for the general public drop by 25 per cent, making it more affordable.

“There’s so many options,” he said.

Sidhu has made a few changes to his campaign from his 2012 effort to get his message out.

While he is continuing to use social media to reach voters, he’s also putting up larger signs this time to reach those who might not use social media.

In 2012, Sidhu had been back in Whitehorse for just a little more than a year after university. He noted he has lived in the city now for another three years has a good sense of the issues.

He has also highlighted his management experience over the years.

He currently operates Norgetown Laundry on Fourth Avenue, and in the past, managed his family’s Campground Services business through the summer.

That work has given him the experience of working with a wide variety of people, he noted, stressing his ability to work with others.

Sidhu also made headlines this week over charges of careless driving and stunting he’s facing under the Motor Vehicles Act.

He has pleaded not guilty, and a trial on the matter took place earlier this week. A decision is expected to be handed down next week.

He has declined to discuss his court case with the Star.