'I never win anything!': Land lottery shows continued demand in Whitehorse

Twenty-something potential landowners sat around a government boardroom table Monday, waiting for their name to be called in the land lottery for new single-family lotsin Whitehorse's Whistle Bend subdivision.

The Yukon government holds a land lottery when new lots become available. Potential landowners apply to take part in the lottery and list their top choices.

The hundreds of green tickets in the barrel for Monday's lottery may be one of the best indications of the ongoing demand for residential land in Whitehorse.

There were 244 names in the draw for 55 lots.

"I never win anything!" said Anne Daub, who was surprised to be one of Monday's successful applicants.

Daub says she was interested in the Whistle Bend lots because she is looking to downsize from the home she raised her children in to something smaller.

"There's a huge demand for land, I don't know why. It just makes no sense," she said.

David Krocker was successful in Monday's lottery.

He has been through the lottery process over the past 50years for lots in Mount Sima and Wolf Creek.

Krocker says this time, he waited 18 months for a lot he wanted to build on.

"Yukon is a big place and trying to get lots or land is frustrating when it's all around us. And of course the prices as well. It's a lot more difficult for people these days than in the past. So that creates the problem of competition for few lots," he said.

Most expensive lotabout $228K

The cheapest lots cost $104,261.54. The most expensive was $228,863.40.

Draw winners have 24 hours to decide whether to purchase their lot. If they do, a 20 per cent down payment plus GST is due in 14 days.

"We did get some positive feedback at the counter during the application process that some of the smaller lots seemed to be a lot more affordable, so that went over well," said Colin McDowell, the director of Yukon's Lands Branch.

McDowell says the governmentis planning another land lottery for Whistle Bend late next month.

That lottery will be for commercial and multi-family lots.