Services in Whitehorse for poor and homeless people are seeing an increase in use, the latest report by the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition shows.

The Minding the Gap Report Card was released today.

It shows that the city's food bank is now serving four times the number of people it was expected to help when it opened in 2009. That translates to 1,300 people per month – 300 people more per month than last year.

The Salvation Army serves 1,500 more meals a month than it did last year, and a new hot lunch program for women and children is also growing.

The number of clients served by the Outreach Van also rose, serving about 200 more people than last year.

While the report notes the territory's hourly minimum wage has climbed from $9.27 to $10.30, the coalition advocates for a living wage versus a strict focus on a minimum wage.

At a press conference held this morning to kick off Poverty and Homeless Action Week, Bill Thomas, the a coalition co-chair, said: "It's more important to concentrate on a living wage than a minimum wage because that's the real indication of whether or not you can deal with the cost of living in the community.”

Thomas said the hourly living wage in Vancouver and Surrey, B.C. is about $19. A living wage in Whitehorse should be similar if not a bit higher, he said, noting the higher cost of living in the North.

At the press conference, Kristina Craig, the coalition's co-ordinator, said the Yukon is missing a key piece around supportive and transitional housing.

The Yukon still isn't operating under the research-backed housing first mandate, she noted.

A lack of affordable housing is another big concern for the coalition.

"People who are looking for affordable housing can't find it. We know that housing prices, although they have softened, are still not affordable for the majority of Yukon citizens,” said Craig.

She added that the increase in food services reflects the high proportion of income people are having to spend on housing, leaving little for food.

"It seems that as a community, we are not living up to the UN Declaration of Human Rights,” said Charlotte Hrenchuk, another coalition co-chair.

"People are going to bed hungry, children are going to bed hungry, women and children and families and men are sleeping on the streets or in unsafe, unsanitary conditions. Or women are forced to go back to their abusers because there's simply no other place for them to live.

"This isn't good enough,” Hrenchuk said.

"This is not the Whitehorse that we all want to live in. We need a plan, we need a systematic, co-ordinated plan between all levels of government and the community that incorporates the principles of housing first, and that food and shelter are basic human rights that all of the citizens of Whitehorse are entitled to whether they vote or not,” said Hrenchuk.

After a year in power, Craig said, there's always more the Yukon Party government could be doing to eradicate poverty and homelessness in the territory.

But she did say they were hopeful that the poverty reduction and social inclusion strategy currently under development would "start to get at the nub of these issues.”

Hrenchuk reiterated that the coalition is continuing to call for a co-ordinated plan among all governments, and not just a plan she added, but one that is implemented.

The coalition has a similar message for Whitehorse's new city council and mayor.

With the municipal election scheduled for Thursday, Hrenchuck called on the new council to "jump on board.”

"Please be part of making a co-ordinated, systematic response with goals that can be implemented over the short term, medium term and long term.”

"We feel that the municipal government can in fact play a role in bringing these issues and bringing the appropriate people to the table so that we can actually have a plan,” said Craig.

"Even though the city doesn't have jurisdiction over housing or over social issues or feeding, it has an impact on their streets and for all their citizens.

"We would really, really like our new council and our new mayor to take that step and bring people together, and the right people together, so we can in fact start making an impact,” Craig said.

The coalition has organized a number of events throughout the week. These include:

Tuesday:

Let's Talk About Food Security.

Noon at the Francophone Centre (302 Strickland St.).

"Lunch, conversation and learning on World Food Day.”

Wednesday:

Outreach Van Tour between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., corner of Third Avenue and Main Street.

An opportunity to talk to the people who work on the van about how it supports people in the city.

Lecture – Now's the Time: The case for leadership and collaboration in ending poverty, by Rob Rainer of Canada Without Poverty, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m, CYO Hall (Fourth Avenue and Steele Street).

Thursday:

Whitehorse Connects.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Old Fire Hall.

"An opportunity for those who are homeless, living in poverty or among the working poor to come together on a given day for a range of health and human services they may not otherwise access.”

Friday:

Linking Hands along the Millennium Trail.

Noon at the SS Klondike.

"Come and join your community in linking hands to "Close the Gap.”

Blood Ties Four Directions Open House, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Blood Ties (307 Strickland St.).

An opportunity to meet with Blood Ties staff and learn about the programs they run and how they make a difference in Whitehorse.