Budget ignores needs of low income Yukoners, advocacy groups say

The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition says members had high hopes the territorial budget released last week would have focused more on low income Yukoners.

Kristina Craig, the group's executive director, says the budget ignored some big issues.

"The gap is getting bigger between those who are making good wages and those who are low income," she said.

Craig says it's not just vulnerable people that need support, it's also other Yukoners who are low income earners. She says the coalition has suggested many ways for the Yukon government to help residents find affordable housing, but she didn't see that in the budget.

The $1.47 billion budget includes no new taxes, and a capital budget this year of about $280 million. The territory expects to go into a deficit of $4.54 million this year. Most of the territorial budget will go toward basic operations and maintenance costs, including nearly $545 million to cover government salaries.

Action not studies

Craig says there have been numerous reports out about affordable housing, and now it's time for government action.

"We don't need to study it anymore. We know that we need more housing stock. We need more housing stock built, and we need more housing stock built that potentially the private sector isn't going to build because it is not lucrative," she said.

She says although there is $6 million allocated in the budget for social housing it is a drop in the bucket when you look at the need for affordable housing.

Craig says, on the positive side, there was mention of a Housing First project in Whitehorse, which will house the city's vulnerable people.

"There are many tools at hand that we could be doing to ensure that people are healthy and happy and want to be living in Whitehorse and can afford to be here," she says.

Lillian Nakamura Maguire, a spokesperson for Seniors Action Yukon, says affordable housing is a big concern for her  group as well.

"There are 100 seniors on the wait list for Yukon Housing," she said. "In the budget there was no mention of affordable assisted living, where people require some supports but they can live independently."

She says she does give the government credit because it has earmarked $1.2 million for seniors housing in Carmacks.