Yukon reveals $21.4m supplementary budget

The Yukon government has tabled a supplementary budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year.

It's seeking an additional $21.4 million for new capital,operations and maintenance spending.

That accounts for some bigger ticket capital items andscaling back on some spending to the tune of $16 million.

The most significant downward revisions will happen in highways and public works.

Some of the spending plans have already been announced such as the $1.5 million to refurbish the Ross River suspension bridge.

Premier and finance minister Darrell Pasloski says it's important to confirm "our commitmentto prudent, responsible and ultimately accountable decision making."

Big spending on health as usual

This year the government is spending a significant amount on health and social services, always a big draw on the public purse.

It's revised the health services branch O&M budget up by $6.7 million.

Health minister Doug Graham says part of that is to cover increased physician costs in the territory..as well as more money to compensate for a change in federal funding.

It's also planning to spend $836,000 to putits long-awaited electronic health records system into place.

Emergency housing plans?

Brad Cathers is the minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation.

He's been getting a drubbing in the legislature for his decision to drop plans to build affordable rental housing in Whitehorse.

The Salvation Army is well-known for providing the disadvantaged with excellent support and services and we're only too happy to see that continue and increase in the next years-Doug Graham, Yukon Minister of Health

But it looks like the government is planning to build emergency housing, as promised in its 2011 platform.
It has budgeted $412,000 for capital spending on a Salvation Army Redevelopment Project.

Health minister Doug Graham referred to this in debate Monday afternoon.

"As one of our most valued community partners, the Salvation Army is well known for providing the disadvantaged with excellent support and services and we're only too happy to see that continue and increase in the next years with the funding that we will be providing for them in the next little while."

The government isalso spending $1.2 million on planning for the new alcohol treatment centre.

And it'sallocated a further $3.5 million for construction on a new seniors complex on Alexander Street in Whitehorse.

Drop in highways spending

Butwhen it comes to highways and public works, there's a big drop in spending: $12 million in fact.
That includes a decrease of $7 million for the Alaska Highway Shakwak project and a decrease of $6.5 million on the TeslinBridge.