Mr. Silver: In this year’s budget, there is $240,000 for a housing action plan. This is good news. The bad news is that it has been over two years since a former Yukon Party minister proudly boasted his government’s plan to develop a housing action plan for Yukoners. It was March of 2013 when this announcement was first made.

Two years later, Yukon residents who have, and continue to struggle with, housing issues are asking, “Where is the plan?” This is yet another item that falls under the unfinished-business column when it comes to this government’s track record.

The question is: When will this long-overdue plan be released to the public?

Mr. Silver:   In February of this year, the minister issued a news release about the Yukon Housing Corporation’s affordable rental housing development competition. At that time, the minister commented — and I quote: “Announcements on the successful proponents and their projects are anticipated in April.”

It is now the middle of May and we are well into this year’s building season. My question is: When will these projects be announced so that people can get to work on them?

Whitehorse:  The Cathers government has bungled spending of federal housing money says Klondike MLA, Sandy Silver.  After hiding the money for years, the government is now rushing to spend it with no comprehensive plan in place. 

Mr. Silver:    In the Yukon Party’s 2011 budget, $2.6 million was set aside to begin work on the proposed Abbeyfield housing project for seniors in Whitehorse. Abbeyfield Houses Society of Canada is a non-profit housing organization for seniors. Back in 2011, an official in the Yukon Housing Corporation described Abbeyfield as one of the most promising solutions for people who still want to live on their own, but would benefit from some form of community living. Since that impressive announcement two years ago, this project seems to have ground to a bit of a halt. Is the government still working on this project, or has it abandoned it?

Whitehorse: A three and a half hour debate on the Yukon’s housing crisis provided plenty of opportunity for the government and Official Opposition to fight with each other and little discussion about finding solutions, says Klondike MLA Sandy Silver.