Just how bad is the northern housing crisis?

Good morning,

As you read this, I will be on my way to White Pass for a ski and avalanche course, assuming the snow hasn’t shut down the highway. Having access to this type of area is truly remarkable. Really can’t wait!

This week I finally visited Titan Tavern. The number of board games available rivals any big city spot. Kudos to the team for creating such a fun atmosphere. I was just meeting people, but I’ll definitely be visiting again in the future to play a game or two.

I also need some advice. There’s the Atlin Arts and Musica Festival and The Dawson City Music Festival a few weeks apart. It’s doubtful we can do both, so I’m wondering what people’s recommendations are from previous years? Reply and let me know!

Finally, a big thanks to the 650 of you who have joined, including the 250 of you who joined since we sent our first one. And to all those who got the first one, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts or things you’d like to see included.

Let’s dive in.

— Geoff Sharpe, Lookout founder

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The Yukon Weather Report

YUKON NUMBERS

57%: The percentage of people who experienced homelessness for the first time before the age of 20. It indicates that those in Whitehorse experiencing persistent homelessness are dealing with it from a young age. [Point in Time Count]

17: The number of years that Whitehorse transit fares have stayed the same. The city’s new budget increases fares on July 1 to $3.50. [CBC]

THE NORTH

Just how bad is the northern housing crisis?

What happened: In what is considered the largest affordable housing project ever in the Yukon, multiple levels of government came together on Thursday to provide $37 million to fund the creation of 105 affordable housing units in Whitlebend, at 28 Olive May Way.

That includes a total of seven buildings, with one and two-bedroom units, a mix of rentals and homes, for both the people of the Ta'an Kwäch'än Council and those on the wating list of the Yukon Housing Corporation. Completion is expected by 2027 and will be operated by the Da Daghay Development Corporation. 

• The big announcement has got us wondering just how much of a problem the housing crisis is in Whitehorse and the territory.

Background: The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation produces a yearly Northen Housing Report looking at the challenges of housing in the three main northern cities. The most recent was in 2023.

Key problem: Prices for homes continue to stay high, spiking during COVID. Higher wages haven’t kept up with increasing mortgage costs as interest rates have risen. Single-detached home prices reached a record in Q3 2022, dropping afterwards, but are still well above the average in 2023 at just over $650,000. Compare that to around $450,000 in Q1 2018. Housing starts — number of houses that have begun construction — declined in 2022 compared to 2021.

• Rental vacancy rates have remained low. As of April 2024, the vacancy rate was 1.8%, up from 1 per cent in April 2023. Compare that to 2.2 per cent in Canada in 2024, and eight per cent in 2023. 

Moving up North: An increasing population also poses a problem if not enough homes are being built. From Sept. 2022 to 2023, the population in the Yukon increased by 3.3 per cent. Compare that to Metro Vancouver, which from 2022 to 2023 grew by 0.95 per cent.

Those without homes: Safe at Home, which works with the community in Whitehorse and throughout the territory, just released its latest Point in Time Count for 2024. It tracks who is homeless over a 24-hour period. The most recent count was done on Oct. 22, 2024

• The numbers: At least145 people were experiencing homelessness, with 80 considered absolutely homeless, 71 staying in emergency shelter, nine unhoused and others provisionally housed. In terms of demographics, it was approximately a 50/50 split of men and women, most between the ages of 25-55, and 83 per cent First Nations, or having Indigenous ancestry. 

The biggest barriers for those without housing were low incomes and high rent. One solution the report identifies is investing more in non-market housing, which is housing that is subsidized with lower rent well below the average market price. 

• The good news: The last count in 2023 had at least 197 people who were outright homeless of unhoused, compared to 145 this year.

Yes but: This is just a snapshot, these numbers likely fluctuate quite a bit throughout the year, and may not capture everyone. Over in Metro Vancouver, where a similar count is done, experts acknowledge that the true number is likely quite a bit higher. 

Short term rental crackdown?: Across major cities, short-term rentals such as Airbnb have contributed to higher rental costs by taking homes out of the rental market. In Whitehorse, it’s hard to say how many short-term operators there are, since no registration is required, according to CBC.

One key difference: In Whitehorse, the city’s data showed that visiting professionals for work were a close second after tourists, which is very different than other cities where tourists account for the vast majority. Another difference is that 71 per cent were operating it as their principal residence.

What it means: The Yukon faces a similar problem as the rest of the country — higher interest rates, less housing supply, higher rental prices, and not enough being built. But that’s compounded by a faster population growth than other jurisdictions. Meanwhile, the rental market is even tighter in Whitehorse than in most other cities. You only need to look at the rental websites in the city to see how challenging it is to find an affordable place to rent.

Disclosure: In the interest of transparency, please note that my partner works for the Yukon government.

NEW JOBS

Discover a new job in the Yukon:

• Director of Yukon operations and engagement at Connective Support Society

• Early years visitor — Takhini River Subdivision at Yukon First Nation Education Directorate in Haines Junction

• First cook (in-flight kitchen) at Air North

• Bush pilot at Peel Wilderness Adventures in Dawson City

• Senior planner at the City of Whitehorse

• Recreation instructors at the Canada Games Centre

HOME OF THE WEEK

Is this the biggest cabin in the Yukon? Probably not, but it’s the biggest I found for sale.

This two-story log cabin is not only a good-looking home, but it also comes with a 15-acre agricultural lot. It’s got four bedrooms, one bathroom and is a nicely sized 2,400 square feet. Plus the 445 square foot deck will be great for hosting friends.

And the price tag isn’t all that bad!

THE AGENDA

👮 The RCMP have arrested a suspect in connection to the robbery at the Edgewater Hotel on Feb. 17. Marcus Hickey was arrested on Feb. 21 at his home in downtown Whitehorse. He has been charged with robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, breach of probation, and other charges. 

💰️ The City of Whitehorse passed a $119 million budget earlier in the week. Some key highlights include a 4.62 per cent property tax increase and an increase to transit fares on July 1 to $3.50. Part of the revenue will go to making the snow and ice program permanent, as well as maintenance of city structures. [CBC]

🚰 If you live in Riverdale, and noticed a slight increase in the chlorine levels of your water, you weren’t imagining it. The city said that on Tuesday night from 11 pm-6 am, there was work being done at the Selkirk Water Treatment Plant. Though there was no expected disruption in water, there was a slightly higher chlorine in the water for Riverdale. The water remained safe to drink. The work is being done in preparation for work in March for an ultraviolet (UV) light treatment system installation. 

🌿 The Yukon government has asked the federal government to pause the carbon levy increase scheduled for April 1 and wind down the program, since all main federal parties and Liberal leadership candidates have said they plan to end or change the carbon tax. 

📃 The City of Whitehorse, the Government of Yukon, the Aboriginal Community Safety Planning Initiative, and the Canadian Centre for Safer Communities, have teamed up to develop a multi-year Community Safety and Wellbeing Planning action plan (that’s a mouthful!). It’s all part of a plan to help make the downtown safer, and will take 18 months to complete. There will be ongoing community engagement throughout the process.

🗳️ Former Conservative Yukon MP Ryan Leef announced on Facebook he plans to seek the Conservative nomination in the next federal election. He noted in his post he has lived in five different commmunties in the territory. The riding is considered a swing riding. 

🗳️ Related to that, current Liberal MP Brendan Hanley says he plans to seek re-election and a second term. Many Liberal MPs across the country have bowed out of seeking re-election, as polls in the past showed the party losing most of its seats. But now recent polls show a much closer election. [CBC]

FOOD

Burger ranking: Dirty Northern

Which restaurant has the best burgers in the Yukon? In our ongoing series, we set out to find out which burgers are the best.

It was one of those nights where you want, no, you need to have a burger. We hadn’t been to Dirty Northern since last summer, so thought now would be a good time to return.

The list of burgers is solid, with six options that will satisfy just about anyone — beef, bison, chicken, veggie, it’s all there. The prices range from $24.50 to $26.50, which is on par for living in the Yukon.  

I love onion jam, so opted for the Bison Burger and a side of fries.

The burger itself is a bit on the smaller side. Not McDonald’s size, but the patty itself won’t necessarily leave you feeling full. Luckily the fries are massive, well-cooked, and enough to fill anyone up. Could these be the best fries in Whitehorse? Potentially!

The bison meat didn’t have the overly bison-y taste, which is a good or bad thing depending on what you prefer, and was well cooked. But what really struck me was the combination of garlic aioli, aged white cheddar and balsamic onion jam. The three together work exceptionally well, that mixture of sweet, salty and fat that makes a burger top notch.

• A side note, the beer list is excellent, and both the beer and drinks are reasonably priced.

Ranking: I’d give it a solid 7/10. The burger itself was a bit too small for my liking, especially at that price. But the taste and toppings? Excellent stuff. If fries counted toward the ranking, I’d bump it up to 8. But we’re sticking only to burgers.

WHAT READERS SAID

We asked readers in last week’s newsletter if they still planned to visit Haines and Skagway if tariffs were brought in. Here’s how you all voted.

And here’s some of what you had to say:

EVENTS

Whitehorse

Yukon Cinema | Movies this week and weekend include Wild Robot, Paddington in Peru and Last Breath | Tickets $16

Rec-Connect Youth Day Trip | Mt. Lorne Community Centre | Mar. 2, 9 am-8 pm | For youth 11-14, a day of team building, outdoor skills, skating and more | Tickets 

Klondkie Karaoke | Old Fire Hall | Mar. 5, 14, 6:30 pm | Come by and sign your heart out and compete for cash prizes | Free

Jazz in the Hall: Selina Heyligers-Hare | Old Fire Hall | Mar. 6, 7 pm | Yukoner Selena Heyligers-Hare performs original music and jazz songs that have inspired her | Tickets $15

Comedians Keith Pedro and Simon Glassman | Boiler Room | Mar. 7, 8, multiple times | Come see 2022 Comedy Album of the Year nominee Keith Pedro, and Simon Glassman who appeared on Just for Laughs | Tickets $30

Snowshoe Fest | Biathlon Yukon, Grey Mountain Road | Mar. 8, 1 pm open, 1:30 pm “start” | Explore snowshoe loops and sunny trails | By donation

International Women’s Day 2025 Tattoo Fundraiser | Molotov and Bricks | Mar. 8, 12 pm | Come by and get tattooed, along with many other fun events, tattoos by donation to support women and gender-diverse people | Learn more

Snowshoe Stroll | Greenbelt across from North Star Drivee | Mar. 13, 4 pm-5 pm | Wildlife viewing walk, for all ages | Free

EDI Hut to Hut | Nordic Centre | Mar. 23, 11 am-3:30 pm | Family-friendly ski, snowshoe or fat bike trails, with hot beverages and snacks | Day or season pass required

Dawson City

Classic Cinema: Panther Panchali | Klondike Institute of Art & Culture | Mar. 2, 7 pm-9 pm | Groundbreaking directing and cinematography, of the life of a family in a Bengali village | Free

Mardi Gras/Pancake Tuesday | St. Anglican’s Church | Mar. 4, 5 pm | Pre-Lentent pancake supper, all are welcome, donations appreciated | Free

Lip Sync - Dawson City Music Festival Fundraiser | Diamond Tooth Gerties | Mar. 14, 7 pm | Come solo, as a duo or in a group | Suggested donation $20

2025 Dawson City Fur Show | Robert Service School | Mar. 15, 10 am-5 pm | Fur and trap setting competition, along with a market

Haines Junction

Glacier Nights Snow Festival | St. Elias Convention Centre | Mar. 7-8 | A snow sculpting event, and be sure to bring your toboggan, with musical performances in the evenings and a dance party contest | Learn more

Yukon Hardwater Racing | Pine Lake | Mar. 15-16 | X country racing, kids racing and more | Registration open Mar. 1

Carmacks

Bakers and Makers | Carmacks Recreation Centre | Mar. 3, 6 pm | Come join in on baking and cooking for run, with different themes each session

Faro

Faro Ice Squirm | 200 Campbell St. | Feb. 28-Mar. 1 | Family fun, with broomball, carnival games and more

Teslin

Teslin Lakespiel | March 8-9 | Family-friendly curling on the lake, soup contest and pancake breakfast | Contact [email protected] to register

Have an event or a community announcement? Submit it here.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Now this is quite the throw at Rendezvous. Thanks to DJR Media for the photo.

Have a photo you want to be featured? Send it to us over email!

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• There are lots of volunteers still needed for the Buckwheat International, both before and during the event. I’ll be doing the 22km race! 

• If you’re a nonprofit sport, art, recreation or neighbourhood group, you could get $300 as part of the Community Clean Up Grant. There are 70 areas, and most are along roadways.

• The new White Pass Backcountry Skiing book is now available, great news for all my fellow backcountry skiers.

• The Dawson City Music Festival’s musical lineup this year looks excellent so far, with Shad headlining, along with Jeremy Dutcher and Doug and the Slugs. 

• As of Monday, Musch Lake Road trail tacks have been set at Kluane National Park and Reserve. See you all there!

• The Yukon Ski Marathon is also looking for volunteers for their March 7 and 8.

GAMES

Think you can guess this week’s Wordle? Play it here.