For the next five years, Habitat for Humanity Yukon won't have to worry where its next lot will come from. It will be in the new Whistle Bend subdivision, the organization's local president told a news conference Wednesday.

"It's tremendously exciting for us,” said Arthur Mitchell, the former leader of the territory's Liberal party.

"Over the past several years, it's no secret that the Yukon has experienced significant economic growth in the territory, and with that has come significant population growth and of course, as result, there's been extreme demand for housing as well,” Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor told the news conference, held in front of the current Habitat for Humanity project in the Ingram subdivision.

In each of Whistle Bend's five phases, the Yukon government will provide land to Habitat for Humanity, said Taylor.

In each of phases one and two, land will be set aside for a duplex, and more land will be provided in each subsequent phase.

"With this commitment of land, Yukon is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to help achieve our shared goals of providing affordable and adequate housing for Yukon

families,” Taylor said.

This year, the government is advancing $25 million to bring land to market in the Whistle Bend subdivision, Taylor noted.

In the next two years, the government plans to bring 199 single-family lots, 58 duplex lots, 17 multifamily and 48 town home lots to the market in the fall of 2012 and in 2013, she said.

Scott Kent, the minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corp., was also at the press conference. The corporation provides the mortgages for families in Habitat for Humanity homes.

Kent acknowledged the important contribution made by Todd Hardy, the late NDP leader, in the establishment of Habitat for Humanity Yukon.

"The building you see behind us here today and all the other great projects that Habitat for Humanity is working on in the Yukon, including I understand, an exciting project with Champagne and Aishihik as well, really start from Todd's vision and followed through by previous Yukon Party governments,” he said in his speech.

Hardy died in July 2010 after a four-year battle with leukemia.

Mitchell also spoke to Hardy's contributions, calling him the "inspirational founder of Habitat for Humanity Yukon.”

He also commended the current government support for the organization.

"I don't think there's another jurisdiction in Canada that has as much government support and co-operation for Habitat as does the Yukon,” Mitchell said.

The government has provided land for each of Habitat's homes since 2005, he said.

As the weather continues to improve, Habitat for Humanity will hold Saturday afternoon work days at the duplex currently under construction in the Ingram subdivision.

"Everyone can come swing a hammer, use a nail gun, help with insulation or whatever the skills are,” said Mitchell.

"There will be people here to assist you, and this is a volunteer-run organization and it really operates on the backs of the volunteers.”

The goal is to have the duplex completed and families moved in by the end of the summer.

When complete, the Whistle Bend subdivision will provide accommodation for more than 8,000 residents in nearly 3,900 housing units.

Habitat for Humanity Yukon is a not-for-profit organization officially established in September 2004 to provide affordable housing through home ownership.

Early this afternoon, the organization was set to announce another project in partnership with the Champagne-Aishihik First Nations.