Out of about 14,000 renters in the territory, more than one third spend more than 30 per cent of their work income putting a roof over their heads.

Thirteen per cent of Yukoners shell out more than half of their paycheques for rent – an amount that’s being deemed as “crisis-level spending.”

These numbers come from the Rental Housing Index released today by group of affordable housing coalitions across Canada.

The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition (YAPC) was one of the groups that supported the compilation of data, which were drawn from the 2011 Canadian census.

YAPC coordinator Kristina Craig told the Star this morning that the coalition wanted to be included in a nationwide report, as the territories often get left out.

According to Craig, the numbers weren’t exactly shocking.

“It mostly just confirmed what we’ve been saying all along: we have a housing affordability problem,” Craig said.

And with crisis-level spending, repercussions strike in the areas of mental health and overall health, Craig said.

With the average rent cost in the territory sitting at about $1,000, the fourth-highest in Canada, the burden is hardest hit within low-income households.

The index’s data for both the Whitehorse and the Yukon reflect that incomes less than $25,000 per year require either a reduction in rent or significant salary increase to make the monthly rent cost affordable.

“We have this real inability to see the big picture. If you’re fine, you’re fine,” Craig said, adding that the problem is harder to see for those who have nothing to worry about.

“But it’s not fine. We need to do better.”

The index found that the average income for residents of the Yukon was nearly $62,000 – an amount that would comfortably cover the average rental cost of $1,000.

Craig said the gap between the public and private sectors is vast in the Yukon.

As the data comprising the index are from several years ago, it’s possible some of the numbers could have changed in the years since.

Craig, however, said that the fact that Whitehorse has seen mostly new condos since 2011 is still not addressing the problem that lies in the city.

The Yukon government’s Housing Action Plan was released in June of this year.

The Rental Housing Index will add one more piece to the puzzle that the action plan requires before moving forward.

The challenge stated on the government’s Housing Action Plan website is that “data is (sic) lacking.”

It addresses that low-income individuals and families are challenged to find adequate, affordable rental units but that there is limited understanding of the population and demographics at that end of the housing continuum.

Craig said the new index should provide some of the “data” the government requires.

“There are roles for government to play,” she said.

While the territory is in both municipal and federal election mode, the Vote to End Poverty campaign aims to get candidates and government leaders to speak up about their plans to address the affordable housing problem.

As part of the campaign, the YAPC held a rally in Whitehorse last week to start to build momentum and conversations going about the territory’s need to address poverty.

See more coverage of this subject in Friday’s Star.