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# New affordable housing underway through Housing Initiatives Fund

The third call for projects for the annual $3.6 million Housing Initiatives Fund recently supported 12 more shovel-ready projects across Yukon. Over the last three years, the fund has supported projects that will result in more than 350 new housing units in the territory.

In Whitehorse, Ramza Developments Limited completed an 18-unit building in June 2019 with funding from the June 2018 Housing Initiatives Fund. In Carmacks, two four-unit projects that received funding from previous program intakes are complete. Many other projects are well underway.

Shovel-ready projects supported this year are anticipated to be completed in the next two years. Two additional organizations will be supported through the fund to continue planning for new housing projects.

> We are committed to supporting new affordable housing development in the territory. The Housing Initiatives Fund has had tremendous uptake from community housing providers, non-profit housing organizations, First Nations governments and development corporations, private sector companies and individuals in Whitehorse and Yukon communities.

Quick facts

- The Yukon Housing Corporation has made changes to the fund over the last three years to ensure that the Housing Initiatives Fund is accessible and relevant to Yukon’s housing market.

- In response to input from previous fund recipients, the third call for projects ran from November 5, 2019 to December 2, 2019, to help successful projects prepare for the 2020 building season. Previously, applications were accepted in June 2018 and January 2019.

- Eligible projects must include a minimum of four affordable units in Whitehorse and one affordable unit in rural Yukon.

- All projects must be 25 per cent more energy efficient than the National Building Code and at least 20 per cent of units in each project must be accessible.

- Eligible projects will receive up to $50,000 per unit in Whitehorse and up to $80,000 per unit in rural Yukon.

- There are three streams of funding: shovel-ready projects in Whitehorse, shovel-ready projects in rural Yukon and project concepts, which will help the fund recipients get the type of support they need to move their projects forward.

- The Housing Initiatives Fund is anticipated to run for two more years, subject to annual budget appropriation.

Backgrounder

HIF 3 Approved Projects

Applicant | Project Community | # of Units
Champagne and Aishihik First Nations | Haines Junction | 10
Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation | Old Crow | 7
Yukon Soaps | Mayo | 2
Rebeka Miller | Dawson | 1
Boreal Commons | Whitehorse | 81
Maxavier / McLarnon | Whitehorse | 12
Ta’an Kwäch’än Council | Whitehorse | 10
Energy North | Whitehorse | 10
SHVT Inc | Whitehorse | 10
Soulspace Design Build | Whitehorse | 5
Treehouse Timber Frames | Whitehorse | 4
536006 Yukon Inc. | Dawson | 2
Project Concepts (seed funding) |
Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre | Whitehorse |
Carpenter’s Union | Whitehorse |

Media contact

Stewart Burnett
Cabinet Communications
867-332-0480
stewart.burnett@gov.yk.ca

Sarah Murray
Communications, Yukon Housing Corporation
867-334-9230
sarah.murray@gov.yk.ca

News release #:
20-017
Related information:
Housing Initiatives Fund
Yukon Housing Corporation