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New plan needed to deal with changing housing situation: Yukon Housing Corp.

Opposition housing critics say making plans isn’t substitute for taking action
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A sign outside the Yukon legislative building on May 25, 2022, reads, “We need homes!” The Yukon Housing Corporation released a new strategic housing plan on Jan. 29. (Dana Hatherly/Yukon News file)

With some time left on the clock in its current 10-year housing plan, the Yukon Housing Corporation has released a new plan that contains some objectives and timelines of one to five years.

“As we navigate the evolving housing landscape, it has become increasingly clear that a new approach is required to meet the changing needs of our communities,” reads a message from the housing corporation board of directors at the top of the new plan.

The housing framework for 2015 to 2025 was released under the former Yukon Party government.

The new plan, under the shorthand title Creating Home, runs from this fiscal year until 2027-28.

The 28-page document was made public on Jan. 29.

Some relevant statistics from other sources are cited in the new plan: The average value of single homes in Whitehorse went up by $166,800 or 36 per cent over the last five years. During that same period, the average rent in the Yukon’s capital rose by 33 per cent. Since 2020, the vacancy rate has stood below three per cent, which is considered the minimum required rate for a well-functioning rental market. There are 2,135 households in core housing need, which represents 13 per cent of all households, and at least 197 people were experiencing homelessness on April 18, 2023.

“We set an ambitious target of reducing core housing need by 800 households over the next five years, which is more than a third of all households in core need,” reads the new plan.

The new plan suggests that targets will be met through several programs, with sub-targets based on past performance trends and “housing assessment resource tools” data, which breaks down core housing need by income groups and shows how much support is needed to get out of core need.

The new plan pulls from a way of doing things in the health sector known as the “quadruple aim” which incorporates making the “client experience” and the “provider experience” better, making community stronger and building a “sustainable future.”

A Jan. 29 press release issued by the Yukon Liberal Party government indicates the main areas of focus over the coming months involve securing housing partnerships to bring more housing options online, developing a standard way to assess housing needs in communities and coming up with a more “client-centred engagement approach.”

The release describes the new plan as a “road map,” which is a term that Yukon government representatives regularly attribute to their plans. Some examples from the past few months include the innovation strategy, the plan to get and keep health-care workers and the downtown safety action plan, each of which have been described as a “road map.”

The process to come up with this new plan was informed by “stakeholder and staff engagement” between January 2023 and August 2023, per the release.

The new plan has been endorsed by the housing corporation board. The board will oversee its execution over the next half-decade, according to the release.

“This strategy is not just a document; it is a commitment to deliver better housing outcomes and ultimately improve the well-being of our clients and our communities,” board chair Doris Bill said in the release.

“Because housing is not just shelter; it is the cornerstone of a society’s wellness.”

Ranj Pillai, who is premier and minister responsible for the housing corporation, is also quoted in the release. He said carrying out the new strategy will directly respond to Canada’s auditor general’s findings.

Released in spring 2022, the auditor general’s report on housing follows up on a 2010 audit on housing and a 2011 audit on health services and programs. The 2022 audit found the housing corporation and the Health and Social Services department had made “little progress” to fix “long-standing issues affecting housing programs and services.” The auditor noted that demand for affordable housing has far exceeded supply, and the government needs to do more.

Despite launching several action plans, strategies and reports that involved recommendations and commitments to better provide housing to Yukoners over the last decade, the audit states the corporation and the department have not followed through on many of their pledges.

Some initiatives related to improving housing that are cited in the audit include the old 10-year housing plan mentioned above, an implementation plan to transform social housing, the Putting People First final report and an action plan to address aging in place. Additionally, the downtown safety action plan released in December 2023 contains a plan to come up with another plan to address homelessness.

Yukon Party housing critic Yvonne Clarke noted every department or Crown corporation has a strategic plan to guide the functioning of the organization.

Clarke criticized the new plan for containing no new money for housing, announcing no significant policy or program changes and, while acknowledging the auditor general’s report, providing no new update on the government’s response to that audit.

“Yukoners are facing a housing crisis and they want to see real action. While departmental strategic plans are important, they are no substitute for action,” she said.

The plan doesn’t touch on commitments in the territorial confidence-and-supply agreement between the Yukon Liberal Party and Yukon NDP caucuses, according to the third party, although Yukon NDP housing critic Lane Tredger is pleased to see the plan contains a goal of building more Yukon Housing Corporation units.

A few omissions and red flags are concerning Tredger.

The big ones for them relate to transitional and supportive housing, which is a need that they said the nonprofit sector often talks about, as well as the lack of targets around the waitlist and some long timelines. Tredger fears the plan’s reference to converting 45 Yukon Housing Corporation homes into “affordable rental and ownership opportunities” is a fancy way of saying “we’re going to sell off your current housing stock.”

Tredger said “it’s good” to have a new plan, but only if it turns into action.

“Is it going to make housing better for Yukoners? Is it going to make it more available? Is it going to make it better quality? Is it going to be more affordable?” they said.

“That’s the question.”

Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com



Dana Hatherly

About the Author: Dana Hatherly

I’m the legislative reporter for the Yukon News.
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