Three governments have agreed to accelerate the construction of 107 Whitehorse-area housing units over the next three years, and 1,518 homes over the next decade.

The announcement of the plans, worth more than $7.2 million, was made Monday afternoon at the Kwanlin Dün Culture Centre yesterday. The funding comes from the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund. 

The plans were publicized by Yukon MP Brendan Hanley,  Sean Uyenets’echᶖa Smith, chief of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, and Amanda Leas, chief of the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council. The goal is to help address the housing crisis in the Whitehorse area.

Two action plans have been initiated with the two First Nations governments. The Kwanlin Dün First Nation has committed to five local initiatives. Those include a new home buyer incentive program for people who need assistance with down payments, a new data management system to improve tracking of infrastructure development, taxes, and living costs.

Kwanlin Dün also signed agreements with the City of Whitehorse and the territorial government for more infrastructure development.

Smith said the 22 units under the Kwanlin Dün initiative will be ready by next year.

“Housing is so important when it comes to the wellness of our people,” Smith said. “A robust and sustainable housing stock can contribute to a person’s self-sufficiency, allowing them to flourish.” 

The Ta’an Kwäch’än Council’s Action Plan also commits to five local initiatives, such as an updated inventory management system to streamline the construction of multiple units simultaneously.

The First Nation also plans to diversify community developments to build more centralized and dense housing with access to amenities, and housing policy changes that permit different approaches to residential land use.

“Today’s agreement will help us fast-track our readiness for the development of 48 new housing units over the next three years, which will result in 68 new affordable homes in the next 10 years. This, to me, is exactly the type of progress we need,” said Leas.

The current 48 new units are under construction in Whistle Bend, combined with condos, duplexes, and single-family homes.

The Housing Accelerator Fund is designed to help slash red tape in communities across the country, and fast-track a minimum of 100,000 permitted new homes over the first three years, and 750,000 over the next decade.

“Together, we’re dedicated to making life more affordable and nurturing strong, prosperous communities here in the Yukon and across our country,” said Hanley.