Yukon Liberals release plan to deliver real results on housing for Yukoners

Whitehorse, Yukon – Today, Yukon Liberal Party Leader Mike Pemberton unveiled a comprehensive housing plan aimed at addressing the growing challenges facing Yukoners in finding affordable and accessible homes.

Over the past decade, the Yukon has experienced rapid population growth and significant economic development. While this has brought many benefits, it has also increased pressure on the housing market, leading to rising costs and limited availability.

The housing plan emphasizes practical solutions to get real results for Yukoners, focusing on unlocking land, accelerating construction, cutting red tape, and fostering innovative partnerships across sectors.

The plan also prioritizes collaboration with municipalities, First Nations governments and organizations, the private sector, and non-profit organizations to deliver a diverse range of housing options throughout the territory.

“We’ve listened to Yukoners, and we’re ready with a plan to hit the ground running. This plan tackles housing from every angle: more land, faster builds, fewer barriers, and better partnerships — to get real results that matter to Yukoners. This plan is only the beginning; a new Yukon Liberal government would continue to listen to Yukoners and adopt new ideas and approaches to tackle this complex issue.”

Mike Pemberton, Leader of the Yukon Liberal Party

Backgrounder: Yukon Liberal Party housing commitments

More land out the door:

• Release another 1,000 lots over the next 4 years.
• Create an incentive program with municipalities to redevelop brownfield and abandoned lots.
• Seek private-sector partnerships to speed up land development and reduce costs.
• Continue phased development in Whistle Bend, support needed infrastructure, and work proactively with the City of Whitehorse on future development areas.
• Partner with the Government of Canada to release their Range Road land parcel for housing.

Make it easier to build homes:

• Create a commercial land lottery to ensure land lotteries are fair and accessible.
• Host a Leadership Summit within 60 days of election with City of Whitehorse leadership to explore partnerships and identify and remove barriers to residential development.
• Work with stakeholders to ensure that multiple sources of gravel are available to the private sector which will help prevent increases to the cost of housing.

Creative solutions to reduce costs:

• Support the non-profit building sector (including Northern Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity) through financing, land access, and other innovative approaches to create permanent housing affordability.
• Meet with each Yukon First Nation within the first three months of a new mandate to discuss housing partnerships and opportunities.
• Seek opportunities to partner with First Nation Development Corporations on housing projects.
• Support the development of a modular housing industry in the Yukon, particularly for secondary suite dwellings which would help increase density in an affordable way.

Continue to build public housing:

• Over the next year, release more affordable and supportive housing units than current waitlists require, with significant reductions expected in:
  • Dawson City
  • Watson Lake (waitlist reduction of 91%)
  • Whitehorse (waitlist reduction of 90%)
• Ongoing projects include:
  • 34 units in Dawson
  • 6-plex in Teslin ○ Duplex in Ross River
  • Staff housing duplexes in Burwash
  • 6-unit project in Carcross
  • 10-unit community housing project in Mayo

These initiatives aim to provide safe, stable, and affordable homes for families, seniors, and individuals across Yukon, helping people put down roots, feel secure, and thrive in their communities.

Media contact

Laura Seeley
 Director of Communications
 Yukon Liberal Party
 [email protected]

Yukon Liberals
 infoylp.ca