The housing shortage we are experiencing in all communities throughout the territory has ramifications across our society and our economy. The lack of land availability and affordable housing affects all Yukoners, regardless of age, social or economic status across the housing continuum. They limit Yukoners’ choices and opportunities, employers’ ability to develop their businesses and hire locally, and communities’ ability to grow and prosper. In essence, they hinder Yukoners’ quality of life.
Unfortunately, the inaction of multiple orders of governments over successive administrations has led to the situation where too many Yukoners cannot afford, or even find, affordable and/or accessible housing. Forty-some thousand Yukoners share a land mass the size of Spain and yet we have a shortage of available land. Addressing this challenge would be among my top priorities as the Yukon’s Member of Parliament.
Our situation is a product of supply not meeting demand. There is no reason we should not have a supply of land suitable for development to meet Yukoners’ near, mid and long-term residential (and commercial) needs. What has been missing is the political stamina and fortitude to see this challenge through.
As an independent Member of Parliament, I would work with the Yukon government, municipalities and First Nations in partnership with whichever party forms government in Ottawa to ensure their respective northern housing investment platform commitments are recognized and then implemented in a manner that reflects what Yukoners need. I would also proactively seek partnerships with the Yukon First Nations, the private sector and NGOs to ensure public investment prioritizes and flows to actual housing and not government administration, and pursue creative solutions that expeditiously add housing options and opportunities across the continuum without drastically affecting the market to the detriment of ongoing initiatives (such as co-ops or First Nations leased-land agreements).