Local business owners are still expressing concerns over public safety around the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter.

A letter was recently sent to various government officials by a local business owner representing other owners in the area. The shelter, which stands at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Alexander Street, is managed by Connective, formerly the John Howard Society.

The letter writer requested anonymity when contacted by The Yukon Star, despite it being a public document.

In the letter, the person wrote, “Although I feel that writing yet another letter about the downtown situation is a waste of time and energy, I feel compelled to voice our concerns on behalf of all downtown businesses. 

“It’s terrible down here. Nothing has changed AT ALL, after the efforts put forward over the last six or so months. To be honest, everyone is at a loss. We’re exhausted from fighting with the system to save our businesses, with zero change. We need a plan, and we need it now.”

The writer offered other scathing comments on the long-standing problems.

“Whitehorse’s downtown core is well on its way to becoming a boarded-up ghost town. We cannot and will not tolerate this behaviour forever.

“Vehicles constantly getting rummaged through, windows smashed and being stolen from are just the tip of the iceberg that we are dealing with. And we’re tired of it, to say the least.

“So what now? Where do we go from here? Or do we just close up all of our businesses and maybe then it will be noticed?” 

The letter is signed as being from “the majority of downtown businesses”.

Jordan Owens, a spokesperson for the Yukon cabinet, provided The Yukon Star with a lengthy prepared statement on the letter.

“Since last fall, the Yukon government has played a co-ordinating role in bringing together community members, downtown business owners, Yukon First Nations, the RCMP, people with lived experiences, Connective, and local NGOs to ensure that the Downtown Whitehorse Safety Response Action Plan – introduced in December 2023 – reflects the ongoing needs of the community,” Owens stated.

 “After follow-up emails, we understand that the letter’s author is not looking for a formal written response from our office, but rather to better understand plans to address their concerns, to gain information about actions that have taken place to date, and the opportunity to discuss next steps.

“We plan to continue our public engagement by hosting another downtown community conversation, six months after implementing the Downtown Whitehorse Safety Response Action Plan,” Jordan continued.

“We want to engage directly with the community about our collective work to date and hear from the community about their needs and potential next steps.”

The meetings will be taking place over the next few weeks. Invitations will be sent and the meetings advertised.

Owens said the government has extended its contract with Sirius Security following positive feedback from downtown businesses. The service – originally planned as short-term – is offered from Black Street to Strickland Street between Third and Fifth Avenues, Tuesday through Saturday nights.

“Sirius Security continues to act as a visible deterrent against loitering, vandalism, and drug use, and calls the RCMP when additional interventions are needed,” Owens said.

The government is also supporting the Council of Yukon First Nations’ Moccasin Mobile Outreach van to provide culturally safe services to those who are in need.

As well, the government recently ran a drop-in space pilot project in the Jim Smith Building while the Whitehorse Public Library was closed for several weeks for carpet replacement.

It also worked to extend hours at the Supervised Consumption Site in downtown Whitehorse, launched a residential Managed Alcohol Program, enriched the RCMP’s budget by $5.8 million in the 2024-25, territorial budget. 

In addition, the government  allocated $3 million for a land-based healing initiative, staffed the library with an outreach worker, and is working with local partners to decentralize services downtown, Owens said.

Mayor Laura Cabott also responded to the letter with one of her own to the Yukon government, namely Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee. However, the letter is not current, but rather dates to 2023. It was provided by Matthew Cameron, the city’s manager of strategic communications without mentioning it was not a current document.

“I wish to be very clear that the City of Whitehorse is a trauma-informed organization. I also wish to be clear that we recognize the activities occurring outside 405 Alexander Street represent a very complex situation rooted deeply in long-standing societal issues,” Cabott wrote. 

“Additionally, I wish to recognize that a solution to the situation requires a whole community response. That having been said, this situation has been going on for years now, with little apparent improvement.”

The city is, “and will continue to be, committed to contributing to a resolution to the full extent of our jurisdiction and mandate,” Cabott advised McPhee. 

“In writing this letter, I am reconfirming the city’s desire to be part of a solution, but I am also imploring you as minister responsible, to give serious consideration to every and all options available to you to fully address the situation outside 405 Alexander Street.”