The co-chair of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition says all signs point to another tent city appearing somewhere in Whitehorse as soon as the weather gets warm enough.

Ross Findlater says he and others who work with the territory's hard-to-house are incredibly frustrated that not much has changed since last summer's headline-grabbing protest.

For about five months starting last June, as many as 40 tents were set up in the shadow of the Yukon legislature to draw attention to the lack of affordable housing in the territory.

"I can't see how things have changed since last year,” Findlater told the Star this morning.

"The population continues to grow and we still have a near zero vacancy rate,” he said. "There still remains a huge need for housing here, and so I would not be the least bit surprised if it (tent city) happens somewhere.”

Last year's tent city campers remained until November.

Last Nov. 9, the White Pass and Yukon Route, the transportation company which owns some of the land, helped the remaining tenters move about three metres closer to the government building, onto YTG land.

Nine days later, the government gave campers 48 hours to leave.

Officials with the Department of Health and Social Services said the eviction notice was prompted by concerns for the individuals' health, as temperatures continued to drop.

Two remaining campers at the time were offered alternative accommodations.

Findlater said the coalition and other groups met with officials from the territorial and city governments and local First Nations last summer while tent city was in place.

All agreed that housing is an important issue, he said.

"The question for me is: how much will exists in the decision makers to improve the housing situation for all Yukoners?”

One suggestion for the City of Whitehorse was to expand the Robert Service Campground.

"Robert Service is a Band-Aid solution, but at least it would meet the need during the year when it's possible to camp,” Findlater said.

City manager Dennis Shewfelt said expanding the campground onto the land north of the softball diamonds is still something the city is considering and is a possibility for the future.

But it did not make the cut for this year's budget.

Instead, Shewfelt said the city is focusing on supply — making space for people to build new homes.

The sale of new homes will open up rentals for others looking for a place to live, he said.

The additional camping space, which would expand the size of the Robert Service Campground by about 50 per cent, would take about one building season to prepare, Shewfelt said.

During question period Tuesday, Opposition Leader Liz Hanson questioned whether the government is trying to prevent the return of tent city by proposing changes to the Financial Administration Act.

"The Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act would allow for the creation of regulations respecting the management, maintenance, proper use and protection of public property and confer power on the ministers for enforcement,” she said.

Hanson criticized the government for not informing other MLAs about the proposed changes.

"It has been a well-established custom for the members of this House to receive briefings on new legislation or on amendments to legislation the government is intending to bring forward,” she said.

Brad Cathers, the government's house leader, said the practice has been for the government to provide briefings on major or comprehensive pieces of legislation.

On more minor amendments, he said, the practice has been to bring them before the house and permit opposition MLAs to ask questions during the committee of the whole sessions.

"There will be the opportunity for members to get into detailed questions and detailed responses by the ministers responsible ... at that time,” Cathers said.

"I would encourage the member to direct her questions to the minister and to officials during debate.”

Even if campers are not allowed on the government's lawn, they will find somewhere else to put down stakes, Findlater said.

And no one should be surprised, he added.

"It's so predictable,” he said.

"You don't need to be a rocket scientist to know that if there is a problem and nothing changes, it's going to grow.”

Suggestions for remedies during last year's tent city included having the government buy the Westmark Klondike Inn and/or the old Canadian Tire building, or using the old medical practitioners' residence off Hospital Road.

None of these ideas came to fruition.

The government, for its part, has pointed to such initiatives as making a parcel of land near the Range Road-Mountainview Drive intersection available for affordable housing development.