The Yukon Party is looking to both non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the private sector to help alleviate the territory's housing crunch.

With tents still adorning the lawn outside the legislature, Premier Darrell Pasloski revealed his party's housing platform Wednesday.

It includes a new youth shelter, more beds for the Salvation Army and Crown land designated for affordable housing projects.

Pasloski said a re-elected Yukon Party government would work with the organization which understands Whitehorse's homeless situation best – the Salvation Army — to "significantly” expand the shelter to provide more beds.

"This could mean a new shelter at a new location or a significant renovation to the existing shelter,” Pasloski told a news conference.

The event was held to reveal the party's housing platform and explain his no-show at the Council of Yukon First Nations' leadership meeting this week.

The premier could not say how many more beds the Salvation Army could expect to see, nor how much the Yukon Party would spend on the project.

"This could mean a new shelter at a new location or a significant renovation to the existing shelter,” he said.

The party would also invest in a youth shelter.

Glenn Hart, the Health and Social Services minister and the MLA for Riverdale South, said the shelter would be downtown and include youth programming.

He's been working with several NGOs in the past year to work out the details of the new shelter, he said, but these organizations don't want to be named until the election campaign is over. A dollar figure has not yet been set for the youth shelter.

In addition to these two projects, Pasloski committed to investing over $20 million in housing projects for those "most in need”.

This would include: the construction of a new seniors' complex in Mayo, the replacement of McDonald Lodge with a new facility to be attached to the new Dawson City Hospital, $4.5 million for second stage housing for Kaushee's Place in Whitehorse, $2 million for Options for Independent Living to expand its current complex for adults with FASD, just over $2.5 for a new Abbeyfield seniors' complex in Whitehorse, $2.2 million for Takhini duplexes, totalling in six units, and almost $6 million for the Yukon Housing Corp. for double-wide trailer replacements – a government program that replaces modular homes in Yukon's rural communities.

The Yukon Party also proposes to make land available to Yukon College to construct a new students' residences.

As for the rental crunch, Pasloski admitted that Yukoners are forced to pay too much to keep a roof over their heads, if they can even find one.

"You only have to talk to a realtor, look at the classified ads in the rental section, or look out the window at the legislative assembly building to find out that this is an issue,” he said.

This is a supply and demand matter, he continued.

"There are more renters than places for them to live, and entry-level housing is scarce.”

Pasloski thinks Yukoners should be able to "afford” their housing. They should not have to put 50 or 60 per cent of their gross income into accommodation, he said.

His party's plan is to release Crown land to the private sector under the condition that the property be used to construct and maintain affordable housing units.

"The private sector has indicated that they have the ability and willingness to add a new element to the Yukon's housing market, an entry level apartment complex or entry level housing units and we are prepared to provide an environment for that to happen,” Pasloski said.

"We're going to go to the private sector because you know, they're quite ingenious. We're going to look at their ideas and their proposals and move forward with something that works for everyone.”

The first project would be built on a four-hectare piece of Crown land in Takhini, between Range Road and Mountainview Drive.

The location identified adheres to the City of Whitehorse's Official Community Plan, and is close to water, sewer, and road infrastructure as well as transit routes.

Other lands will be located at various strategic sites around Yukon.

Pasloski stressed that future large-scale land sales would be considered on a "case-by-case” basis and be market-dependent.

As for the tenters outside his office, Pasloski said they are living there out of convenience and some have "legitimate needs and assistance.”

His government, he continued, has given them all alternative housing options.

"Whether they choose to go forward with those options or to remain there is their choice,” he said.

Since 2002, he added, "successive Yukon Party governments have invested approximately $100 million in new affordable housing for seniors, families and Yukoners in need. This investment has increased the Yukon Housing Corporation portfolio by 40 per cent, and we intend to continue that trend.”

Over the past nine years, the government has built a number of housing units including a single parent family facility in Whitehorse, seniors units in Haines Junction, Watson Lake, Teslin and Faro, as well as children's receiving home in Whitehorse.

By Nadine Sander-Green

Star Reporter