Population growth in the City of Whitehorse is outstripping growth in the city’s workforce, the president of the Yukon Federation of Labour told city council last Monday.

Teresa Acheson appeared before council to tell the elected officials about the impacts on public service workers that stem from community changes and operational budgets.

Citing Mayor Laura Cabott’s address on the 2023 operations budget last month, Acheson noted the Yukon’s population has grown by 12.1 per cent from 2016 – to 40,232 in 2021.

“This exponential growth in population is not yet reflected in the growth of public service workers,” she said.

“Often, city workers who are front line or first responders, are expected to do more with less, serve more citizens, more families, more streets, more roads, more sewer systems, with the same number of hours, and with aging infrastructure.”

“Due to high turnover, or slow recruitment, workers often face these challenges, with a revolving door of supervision and support, long-term ‘acting assignments’, or vacancies that leave a downward effect of workload to the workers.”

Acheson said the mayor noted aging city infrastructure puts additional pressure on staff who regularly maintain, repair or even replace key pieces of infrastructure.

The city’s response, she said, seems to be adding two more positions to the city’s water and sewer department.

“It is so much more than these two additional staff that is needed in public service jobs to adequately serve our citizens,” she told council.

“I would ask council, if you feel this budget adequately funds the jobs and hours of work needed to avoid future disasters, protecting our waterways, and avoiding another sewer leak.”

Acheson asked if there are enough public service workers to support all other areas of growth felt by the city, she asked.

She asked council if the budget supports not only more staffing and hours of work, but also maintaining and attracting certifications necessary to maintain public services to acceptable standards.

Housing, said Acheson, is a pinch-point in the city. She has heard of people accepting city jobs, relocating to Whitehorse from other areas of the country, but finding themselves having to decline and then leaving because they can’t find housing.

The Consumer Price Index rose 6.3 per cent in December 2022 compared to last year, the price of gasoline has gone up 12 per cent, replacement parts have risen 10 to 20 per cent and the cost of diesel fuel has spiralled 34 per cent, she said.

“Yet, Local Y046, the largest segment of city workers, only received annual wage increases of 2.1 to 2.5 per cent a year,” she said.

“When you consider these families that work for the city also live in this city, and their living costs have risen just as much as our city operating costs, I am concerned about the viability for workers to continue to stay and work for the city.”

She asked council how it supports the necessary increase in public service workers to deliver front line and first responders services as it plans to make Whitehorse a sustainable place for workers to live, work and play.

“Workers need to be able to afford to live in the city they work and, for many, where they grew up, “ Acheson told council.

“I would urge this council to ensure that our budget fully considers the demands on city workers by the city’s growth, aging infrastructure, and efforts to try and maintain public services for our northern community.”

Last month, Cabott delivered the city’s proposed 2023 operating budget of $100.3 million – which calls for a 3.7 per cent increase in property taxes.

First reading of the bylaw required to adopt the budget was passed last month. Second and third readings are scheduled for next Monday.