FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                          May 4, 2023

WHITEHORSE – The Yukon Party Official Opposition is concerned the Minister of Community Services is transferring development risks to Yukoners purchasing lots in an attempt to compensate for delays. The reactionary Liberal government is far behind on their promise to deliver 1000 new lots during this mandate due to the Ministers’ decisions since the 2021 general election.

While the lots are welcome in the communities, the two most recent announcements, including the rural lot lottery on May 4, have included multiple caveats on incomplete land parcels. This follows the recent Whistle Bend lottery that included multiple lots that have not yet completed construction and prohibited purchaser access until that construction has been finished.

In Haines Junction, the installation of power and communication infrastructure is not yet complete, and purchasers are being instructed to avoid parts of the area while work is underway. In Carmacks, purchasers will be responsible for building the driveway, which may require additional permits and a YESAB assessment. One Dawson lot requires a boundary adjustment to be finalized and another lot requires the owner to provide the Yukon government an easement to access a groundwater monitoring well that will require maintenance by the landowner. If conditions at the well change, the lot could be placed on the contaminated site registry.

All this follows the release of lots in Whistle Bend in Whitehorse that went through the lottery process before the construction of services was complete and the Green Streets work the government is being required to fix this summer.

“Throughout the spring sitting, the Minister faced criticism for cutting the rural land development budget and delaying Whistle Bend lot construction the past two years,” said Lot Development Critic Yvonne Clarke. “He now seems to be rushing lots out the door in reaction to the criticism, and we are hearing concerns from Yukoners that the government is transferring risk to lot purchasers. It appears the Minister of Community Services has not learned from the Green Streets debacle and Yukoners are concerned they will be left with issues that should be the responsibility of the Yukon government.”

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Contact:
Tim Kucharuk
Press Secretary
(867) 393-7026