A $99-million surplus shows the Yukon government has the money to spend dealing with social issues, say the territory's two opposition parties.

The territory's 2007/2008 supplementary budget was tabled in the legislature Thursday, as MLAs convened for their fall session.

It proposes an increase of just over $52 million in extra spending, from the originally-proposed $862 million to $914 million.

That's made up of capital expenses totalling $240 million compared to $212 million originally forecast, and $674 million in operations compared to the previous $649 million.

Revenues coming into the territory are now projected to be $841 million, up $17 million from $824 million, with increases in all revenues coming in. The federal government provides most of the territory's budget. Ottawa's contribution for this fiscal year is estimated at $594 million.

The $99-million surplus is up $12 million from the original $87.5 million predicted in the main budgetary estimates for the current fiscal year.

With his Yukon Party government elected to its first term in 2002, Premier Dennis Fentie said this morning it has lived up to its commitment then of 'strong, fiscal management'.

To date, he noted, there have been five annual surpluses.

While NDP Leader Todd Hardy has stressed the need for money to deal with climate change and the changing environment, Fentie argued there have been significant increases in dealing with the changes.

Assuming the legislature approves the new spending plans, the Department of Environment budget would show an increase of $738,000 in operating expenses, from about $22.3 million to $23 million.

There would be an increase of $563,000 in capital expenses to $3.1 million in Environment.

Among those capital expenses are funds for information systems, equipment, furniture, facilities like the Yukon Wildlife Preserve north of Whitehorse, the Watson Lake Facility expansion, legislation development, the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, fish and wildlife management, parks and campgrounds.

Hardy argued this morning more money needs to be focused on what he views as the 'single most important issue today' the environment.

'We need to be putting a lot of investment in the environment,' Hardy said this morning. 'We have to go beyond adaptation.'

Work needs to be done on how the current state of the environment is impacting people in the North as well as wildlife, such as the Porcupine caribou herd, he said.

He suggested the government should immediately come up with an environmental checklist for each of its departments. There's also work to be done on cleaning up various sites in the territory and numerous other projects the government could allocate money for, said Hardy.

'The list is endless,' he said, arguing there's a cost in not taking action.

'The government has to lead by example,' he stressed.

The NDP also argued the extra money the government has could be put into social programs, including supportive housing for people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), treatment programs, affordable housing and other programs.

Like Opposition Leader Arthur Mitchell said earlier, Hardy also pointed to the funds that could be applied to an emergency youth shelter that various organizations have been calling for this fall.

After quickly getting a look at the supplementary budget Thursday afternoon, Mitchell argued there's no excuse not to provide funding for affordable housing and a youth shelter.

'The fact of the matter is for all the posturing we heard in there today, most former governments of all political stripes had to make difficult choices on spending decisions as to where to spend their money,' he said.

'They had to make difficult choices and, in some cases, cut. There's no excuse whatsoever for this government for the way they dealt with some of these issues.'

Mitchell hopes the surplus will put some pressure on the government to move forward with the emergency youth shelter along with an increase to social assistance rates.

Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers tabled a motion to use the current review of rates to raise them. Cathers isn't commenting on the motion until the review is complete.

'Overall, there's no longer any excuse not to deal with these long, outstanding issues,' Mitchell said.

Spending in Health and Social Services is up $7.3 million in operations, from $200.9 million to just over $208 million.

Meanwhile, the department's capital expenses are up more than $5 million, from $12.9 million to $18.2 million.

Fentie said this morning the government is continuing to assess the idea for the emergency youth shelter.

Mitchell argued the need is evident from the approximately 15 youth who came out to a public meeting this month about the the proposal. Many have a home, but have to leave on nights when their parents are drinking and/or fighting.

Mitchell plans to joini the demonstration planned for this evening at the Elijah Smith Building to show the need for a shelter. A group of young people plans to spend tonight sleeping outside.

'The need's real,' Mitchell said.

Fentie pointed out the territory is continuing to invest in housing.

For the Yukon Housing Corp., the supplementary budget proposes an increase of $908,000, from $12.3 million to $13.2 million in operations, with capital up $1.2 million, from $17.9 million to $19.1 million.

That includes $400,000 in capital under the Yukon Flood Relief Program for Southern Lakes residents whose homes needed repair after the past summer's flooding.

Fentie noted the territory's investment to assist residents with home repairs after the flood could change depending on how much work needs to be done and how much funding is applied for.