Mixed reaction to 2016 Yukon territorial budget

The Yukon government's latest budget is getting mixed reviews, with some calling it "encouraging" while others are dismissing it as cynical, election-year "vote-buying".

• Yukon government delivers surplus budget as election looms

​Whitehorse Mayor Dan Curtis was hoping to see more money for affordable housing, waste management and the Canada Games Centre, but he feels Yukon's municipalities were forgotten.

"As the mayor of the largest city in the Yukon, I'm exasperated by the lack of concern of some the issues that are so dire to us," Curtis said.

"It's nice that there is some money in the bank, and it's nice that there is a surplus from the federal transfer payments, but the communities are really feeling a lot of drain on their tax base for some of these services."

Curtis had some positive things to say about the budget, applauding the funding for a new Salvation Army shelter, and money to hire more front-line police officers in Whitehorse.

But the mayor said the territory must also step up to help cover the costs of the Canada Games Centre, a facility Curtis says benefits all Yukoners.

He also said the territory needs to come up with a solid waste action plan.    

"We are really, really struggling with our solid waste, and we need some serious help. Not just band-aids. And it's going to take some real political will and real direction from other levels of government."

'Unusual in Canada these days'

The Yukon Chamber of Commerce has a sunnier view of the budget, praising the government's planned investments in tourism promotion and infrastructure, including airport improvements.

"Generally speaking, I find it an encouraging budget," said chamber president Peter Turner.

The government has committed $2.8 million to work at community airports, including resurfacing and repair work at Faro and Pelly, and dust control at the Old Crow airport. It's also putting $400,000 toward a development plan for the Dawson City airport, something Turner hopes will lead to a new, paved runway.

"I like the fact that it's a balanced budget, which is rather unusual in Canada these days," Turner said.

"We all have to recognize this is an election year, so I'm sure there's a focus on making sure that money is well-invested and broadly distributed."

Election year 'vote buying,' say opposition leaders

Yukon's opposition parties were also quick to react Thursday, with the NDP calling the budget "uninspired" and "cynical," and both parties accusing the government of vote-buying.

"In a pre-election year, we've got our premier trying to buy Yukoners' votes with this idea of 'we're going to give $100 to every kid that goes to school,' what, a month before the election, in September? We've seen that ploy being played out by [former Prime Minister] Mr. Harper," said NDP Leader Liz Hanson.

The budget allocates $520,000 to go to school councils and boards to spend on school supplies, representing $100 per student.

"Yukoners see through that kind of stuff, and it was unfortunate to see the premier take that kind of a spin on democracy," Hanson said.

The NDP leader also criticized the government's plan to invest in development planning for the oil and gas sector, saying more investments should be made in green technology.

Liberal Leader Sandy Silver criticized the government's long-term spending plans, saying capital spending will drop off after the next election.

"We need a consistent project-building schedule, and we don't have that. What we do have is election years, massive increases in the money that goes towards these contracts, and it does create a false economy."  

He also said Yukon's reliance on federal money (85 per cent of territorial revenues this year) show Yukon is no closer to "standing on our own two feet," than when the Yukon Party took power more than a decade ago. 

Silver also said he's disappointed to see some projects in his home riding of Dawson City left undone, such as a new recreation centre, and a paved runway.