The Yukon’s first purpose-built mental health unit is expected to start taking patients soon at the Whitehorse General Hospital.
A blessing, a rattle song and a name reveal marked the opening ceremony at the new $37.2-million unit on June 2, 2025.
“When we sing this song, it's to call the spirits, to call them in to be with us and to bless this place, so that only good spirits will come in here and will help the people that need this place,” Kwanlin Dün First Nation Elder Anne Smith said ahead of performing the song inside the unit at the event.
The new unit will effectively replace the old secure medical unit, also known as a short-stay psychiatric unit, at the hospital in Yukon’s capital.
The project’s opening has been delayed due to construction, supply and building requirement issues, and the cost has gone up. A sign outside the hospital previously promised a July 2024 opening. The News reported in December 2024 that the unit is set to welcome patients starting on June 3, 2025. Instead of taking in patients, an opening ceremony was held followed by an open house on June 2, 2025.
The unit is expected to start patient intake in the coming weeks, according to a hospital spokesperson.
Tiffany Boyd, the Yukon Hospital Corporation’s chief executive officer, described the new mental wellness unit as a trauma-informed psychiatric stabilization program for patients who are medically stable with a primary mental-health diagnosis for a stay of less than 30 days.
A hospital spokesperson clarified by email that clients are supported on a case-by-case basis. While 30 days is a guideline, some patients may stay for longer or shorter periods and others may require care outside of the territory, much like other specialized health services.
“This unit was designed around one simple truth: when someone is in mental-health crisis, they don't just need care,” Boyd said. “They need to feel safe, respected and human.”
For example, the new unit incorporates a secure private courtyard, in addition to spaces for art, exercise, culture and conversation, per Boyd.
“In our previous unit, if an inpatient wanted to go for a smoke, they had to be escorted through our public hallways, often in hospital clothing, often feeling exposed,” Boyd said.
“This is a small change, but it's one that restores a sense of dignity.”
The unit also contains three seclusion rooms for clients and an observation room for staff to keep an eye on those patients who are kept away from other clients for everyone’s safety, an official told the News.
Officials explained that the Fireweed mental health unit was named after a type of flower that flourishes after wildfire.
“Fireweed represents healing, renewal and strength, which are symbols of recovery and resilience,” reads a joint release from the Yukon government and the hospital corp.
The new 10,000-square-foot facility replaces the old secure medical unit, which will be renovated and put to use within the hospital. The new mental health unit has eight dedicated beds, with the potential to expand to 12 as needed, as noted in the release.
The Whitehorse General Hospital has played a major role throughout Yukon MP Brendan Hanley’s career. Hanley, who is a doctor and was the territory's chief medical health officer, spoke about the consistently kind and professional care staff have provided despite challenges with capacity and being on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks.
Hanley said infrastructure provides the foundation for healthy, prosperous communities, as well as a growing population. He added that the federal government gave more than $9.9 million to the mental wellness unit through the COVID-19 resilience infrastructure stream.
“I think, from the beautiful setting around us, it will support the delivery of culturally responsive psychiatric care,” Hanley said.
Yukon Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee called the unit’s opening a significant step towards transforming the territory’s health-care system.
“This is a truly exciting day as we mark the opening of a new mental health unit, and a real significant step forward to how we support Yukoners during some of their most vulnerable moments,” McPhee said.
McPhee said the old secure medical unit down the hall didn’t meet the needs of mental health patients because it wasn’t designed for that purpose, whereas the new space is touted as “purpose built.”
“This new space represents a shift in how we approach care, focusing on dignity, healing and the whole person,” she said.
McPhee highlighted the artwork by local artists, therapeutic and gathering areas, and a private courtyard.
“These features will help people feel seen, respected and supported on their journey toward wellness,” she said.
During her speech, McPhee indicated partners faced some challenges while building the new space, although she didn’t elaborate on the difficulties.
The joint release states the Yukon government contributed $20.7 million to the mental health unit’s total cost, in addition to the federal funding and $2 million in community donations.
A much-anticipated report made public Dec. 1, 2023, revealed that the Yukon Hospital Corporation broke its funding deal terms with the Yukon government when it spent millions specifically intended to pay for a mental health unit to cover operations, like paying its staff, without approval.
The report states that the hospital corporation got capital funding to pay for a mental wellness unit. However, $7.3 million from that capital funding exclusively meant for building and completing the unit was spent on operational needs.
The Yukon Party previously blamed the Yukon government for the unit's delayed opening due to the government's "chronic underfunding" of the hospital system.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
