The deadline for the sixth intake of the Housing Initiatives Fund looms on Jan. 13.

The intake was launched in November to support the construction of affordable housing for Yukoners across the territory.

The call for projects includes three streams:

• shovel-ready projects in Whitehorse;

• shovel-ready projects in communities; and

• project concepts.

First Nations governments, First Nations development corporations, developers, contractors, community organizations and Yukoners can apply for funding to support planned projects.

Projects must include a minimum of four units in Whitehorse or at least one unit in communities, and must remain affordable for 20 years.

Shovel-ready projects in Whitehorse and rural Yukon can receive up to $100,000 per unit and up to $1 million per project.

Funding for rural private homeowners constructing rental units cannot exceed 50 per cent of the project costs.

Concepts can receive up to $20,000, and proposals will be accepted throughout this year through an ongoing intake process.

Proponents who receive this money will continue to develop their project details and may reapply to the Housing Initiatives Fund when they’re ready to move forward.

Submission forms and information on the program are available on Yukon.ca.

To date, the Housing Initiative Fund has committed over $20 million to support 47 affordable housing projects across the Yukon that are either completed or underway.

Finished projects supported through the Fund have already created 190 new homes for Yukoners, including 179 affordable homes.

“Meeting the increasing housing demands in the Yukon is not something one government or organization can accomplish alone,” Ranj Pillai, the minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corp. (YHC), said in November, when the sixth intake was announced.

“The Housing Initiatives Fund is helping to support our community partners in building more affordable homes for Yukoners.”

Over the past five intakes, the Fund has supported the initiation or completion of affordable housing projects in Burwash Landing, Carcross, Carmacks, Dawson City, Haines Junction, Lake Laberge, Mayo, Old Crow, Teslin, Watson Lake and Whitehorse.

The YHC reviews the program annually to ensure that the Fund is accessible and relevant to the Yukon’s housing market with due consideration to changing market conditions.

All projects must be 25 per cent more energy-efficient than the National Building Code.

At least one unit or 20 per cent of units, whichever is greater, in each project must be accessible to those with disabilities.

Projects must increase the amount of affordable housing available for Yukoners and can include new affordable rentals, new rent-to-own options, new home ownership options or other mixed market approaches.

Additional consideration will be given to projects that directly support the housing continuum in the Yukon by prioritizing housing to support vulnerable population, and First Nation projects.

Consideration will also be given to projects that support housing solutions for staffing strategies for all levels of government and the local business sector.

This funding can be used together with other YHC programs, such as the Municipal Matching Rental Construction Program and the Developer Build Loan Program, and federal funding initiatives.