A 34-unit housing project in Dawson City has been delayed due to additional contamination found on site that needs remediation, according to a Yukon government press release.
The former 14-unit apartment and single detached house were demolished after an underground fuel oil leak was discovered. After the buildings were taken down, soil remediation and backfilling took place and the site was declared “remediated” and fit for residential building by a third-party consultant in 2015, per the release.
Additional soil sampling and analysis in July 2024 turned up a patch that’s above regulatory standards for contaminated sites.
Now the Yukon Housing Corporation wants to ensure the site is “contamination-free" before moving ahead with construction. That includes removing and treating contaminated groundwater, as noted in the release.
Remediation work can't resume until spring 2025 due to freezing temperatures and restrictions on pumping water at this time of year in Dawson City, where 17 households are on the waitlist for rent-geared-to-income housing, as of Nov. 6, according to the release.
The release notes the new energy-efficient complex will eventually house studios and one and two-bedroom units, with eight accessible units. Its completion will more than double the number of affordable housing units in Dawson City.
Premier Ranj Pillai is quoted in the release suggesting the project will boost the economy and bring job opportunities to the community.
“Our government is committed to providing stable, affordable and quality housing solutions for Yukoners. As we continue construction, it’s important we do it right and in an environmentally responsible manner,” Pillai said in the release.
Wildstone Construction got the construction contract for $26.2 million, the release notes. The design contract went to Kobayashi Zedda Architects for over $719,000.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
