The Government of Yukon has released a What We Heard report summarizing the feedback from more than 1,500 Yukoners reviewing the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. This feedback will help the Yukon government develop updates to the Act that will treat Yukoners more fairly and support a sustainable and equitable rental market across the territory.
Yukoners who participated in the public engagement opportunity told the Yukon government the following:
- They support allowing tenants to end a tenancy due to domestic, sexual or family violence or the need for long-term care.
- Landlords largely agree they should be able to end tenancies for personal use or major repairs, though fewer tenants support these reasons.
- While most landlords believe they should be allowed to raise rent above the cap for repairs and renovations, only a small fraction of tenants agree.
- Many respondents highlighted the need for flexibility in roommate situations and supported permitting email service of documents under the Act.
The report addresses key topics such as ending a tenancy, rent control, mobile homes, landlord and tenant responsibilities, residential tenancies office, short-term rentals and other comments.
In addition to input from Yukoners, the perspectives of several organizations are highlighted in the What We Heard report, including the Yukon Status of Women Council, the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition and the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights.
The response to the survey and comments and detailed feedback from the in-person sessions will be used to develop a revised Residential Landlord and Tenant Act planned for introduction in 2025.
I would like to thank Yukoners who took the time to provide their insights and lived experience of rental housing in the Yukon. This feedback and input will help inform the new Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, which our government aims to introduce in 2025. Together with the policy initiatives of the Department of Community Services, our goal is to develop a legislation that treats all Yukoners fairly and supports a sustainable and equitable rental market.
Minister of Community Services Richard Mostyn
From February 1 to 29, 2024, 1,420 Yukoners responded to a survey developed in partnership with Yukon Bureau of Statistics.
120 Yukoners participated in public engagement events, including nine in-person sessions held in Whitehorse, Haines Junction, Dawson City and Watson Lake, and two online public information sessions.
Approximately 100 people participated in 12 meetings held with First Nations and municipal governments, the business community, fire departments and protective services
,and social non-profit organizations including individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.Stakeholder engagement in 2023 included 11 participants in the Solutions Lab who met 17 times over two months. They came from diverse backgrounds, and while they represented their own individual perspectives, they brought various insights from their experience at their organizations. related to housing and residential tenancies. The results of the initial engagement helped to define the key topics for the broader public engagement.
Jordan Owens
Cabinet Communications
867-332-0615
[email protected]
Bonnie Venton Ross
Communications, Community Services
867-332-5513
[email protected]