The Government of Yukon is working to make life more affordable for Yukoners

The Government of Yukon is working hard to ensure all Yukoners see the benefits of our stable and growing economy by implementing programs that are addressing inflation, improving access to housing and making it easier for Yukoners to access essential services.

Some of the ways the Government of Yukon is making housing more affordable include:

• Investing $5 million in the Winter Crossing housing project in Whistle Bend to help meet demand for affordable housing in Whitehorse. At 105 units, this is the largest affordable housing development in the Yukon’s history.
• Increasing access to supportive housing options for low-income seniors and elders by providing 26 units at the Normandy Living Independent Seniors Living Community in Whitehorse through the Yukon Housing Corporation’s rent subsidy program. Supporting over 300 households with rent subsidies through the Canada-Yukon Housing Benefit in 2023.
• Providing a one-time subsidy of $338 per unit to Yukoners with homes on the rental market.
• Setting the residential rent index at 4.9 per cent as of May 15, 2024, limiting the amount by which landlords can raise rents.
• Supporting the construction of 453 affordable homes through the Housing Initiatives Fund.
• Releasing Creating Home, the Yukon Housing Corporation’s new strategic plan, which will transform affordable housing service delivery through a client-centered and collaborative approach.
• Budget 2024–25 contains massive investments to advance affordable housing projects across the Yukon. The government is taking action to build more affordable homes for Yukoners, especially those in vulnerable situations.

Other ways the Government of Yukon is making life more affordable include:

• Providing $1,300 per year in dental benefits to Yukoners without dental coverage.
• Funding the Yukon’s universal child care program, saving parents up to $700 per child per month and means families can continue to have high-quality, affordable child-care options.
• Providing monthly payments through the Yukon Child Benefit to modest and low-income households who have children under 18. Starting in the 2023–24 budget year, the maximum benefit per child is now tied to inflation.
• Increasing the minimum wage to $17.59 per hour and tying it to inflation. A minimum wage tied to inflation aims to reduce poverty and increase affordability.
• Extending the Inflation Relief Rebate for the fourth time since it was first announced in March 2022. All non-government residential and commercial electricity customers received a $50 credit on their bills during November and December 2023 and January 2024.
• Since the launch of the Good Energy rebates program, the Government of Yukon has issued Yukoners more than 28,000 rebates for more than 36,000 energy-efficient products or home upgrades.
• Advancing projects and partnerships that provide Yukoners with affordable electricity, including the design and implementation of the new Peak Smart program.
• Increasing the on-call honorarium for Emergency Medical Services community responders to $7.70 per hour, an increase of 107 per cent.
• Increasing children’s opportunities for success by investing half a million dollars to strengthen existing school food programs across the territory. This funding is a crucial part of the Yukon government's efforts to further support nutrition programs in all Yukon schools and help ease the financial burden on families with school-aged children.
• Eliminating late fees at Yukon Public Libraries.
• Providing the City of Whitehorse with 50 per cent of identified costs to offset the burden on taxpayers for the first two years of a new curbside recycling program, should the City decide to implement one.
• Increasing funding to municipalities through a 10.3 per cent increase in Comprehensive Municipal Grant funding, for a total of $24.5 million in 2024–25. This grant helps to fund community programs and services, offsetting the costs to taxpayers.
• Starting in July 2024, the remote supplement for Yukoners living outside Whitehorse will double as part of the territory’s carbon rebate program. This means more money will come back to Yukoners in communities that may have higher travel costs.
• Offering up to 40 hours of paid sick leave to employees and self-employed Yukoners who make less than the private-sector wage of $33.94 per hour through the Paid Sick Leave Rebate.
• Budget 2024–25 will continue to support Yukoners by making sure they can access essential services at prices they can afford.