Yukon candidates pledge action on affordable, accessible housing

Yukon candidates seeking the job as the territory's member of parliament are pledging to address the lack of affordable and accessible housing in the territory.

It's become a chronic problem, one that affects those with the lowest incomes or no incomethe most.

Recently, the City of Whitehorse and the Kwanlin Dun First Nation held a forum to brainstorm ways to address the issue. Mayor Dan Curtis and Kwanlin Dun chief Doris Bill both said there's no lack of willingness from their governments, but they saywhat's really neededis cold, hard cash.

Yukon Liberal candidate Larry Bagnell says some of the $20 billion dollars his party haspromised for social infrastructure will find its way to the Yukon for affordable housing. He says the best way to address poverty is to tackle the housing issue.

"Then you can start dealing with their addiction, dealing with their mental illness, dealing with their job skills," Bagnell said.

"We just announced a huge program for job skills for unemployable people but they can't really do that if they're sleeping on the street overnight."

Yukon'sNDP candidateMelissa Atkinson says if her party forms a government, itwill pass affordable housing legislation.

"This is something where we can entrench it, where you can look at housing as a human right," Atkinson said. "And that just builds the foundation for our nation to look at that issue, recognize it for what it is."

Conservative candidate Ryan Leef, meanwhile, defended hisgovernment's record on housing, and said if reelected, it would continue with some initiatives.

"We've been taking tremendous measures to support the most vulnerable in our community,"Leefsaid.

"The Options for Independence housing is a great example here in the Yukonthe $3 million housing project for people living with FASD to give them some independence in their lives."

CBC did not speak to Yukon Green candidate Frank De Jong, but his party'splatform promises a housing plan for seniors, as well as a national housing strategy, based on 'Housing First' principles.