The Legislative Assembly’s public accounts committee has released a new report on the Yukon Housing Corporation and the department of Health and Social Services’ progress on addressing recommendations from the Auditor General of Canada, according to a June 22 statement.
On May 23, 2022, the auditor general’s report on improving how the Yukon government responds to vulnerable Yukoners’ housing needs was released.
The public accounts committee received submissions from the Yukon Housing Corporation, the department of Health and Social Services and several community organizations. The committee held a public hearing on the matter on Jan. 31.
With six recommendations, the committee’s report makes note of what has been done to address the issues highlighted by the auditor general and where more work is needed.
The first recommends the Yukon Housing Corporation track and assess changes to improve waiting list modelling forecasts and report back to the standing committee on public accounts with data that determines the effectiveness of such changes.
The second recommendation is that the Yukon Housing Corporation and the department of Health and Social Services consult with stakeholders about the possibility of using the by-name list to assess the veracity of their own waiting lists.
The third recommends the Yukon Housing Corporation consult with stakeholder groups about the new tenant allocation policy, as well as any further changes that are planned to the prioritization system and eligibility requirements.
The fourth recommends the Yukon Housing Corporation review the eligibility thresholds annually. This includes the Yukon Housing Corporation asset cap policy.
The fifth recommendation notes the Yukon Housing Corporation should consult with the Association of Yukon Communities on plans to complete community needs assessments in the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The final recommendation says the Yukon Housing Corporation should consider ways to better ensure that capital management plans are demonstrably informed by the community needs assessment that it conducts.
The full report of the committee is available on: https://yukonassembly.ca/committees/pac
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com
