BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS Yukon today enjoys one of the most prosperous economies in all of Canada. The Yukon Government’s $1.1567 billion budget is the first budget presented by the new government and the $80.009 million surplus will help enable the government to address FALL 2012 future funding pressures. Scott, Nathan Peterson (left) and Skills Canada Yukon President Julien Plourde (centre). Some highlights include: YUKON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY | RIVERDALE NORTH | SCOTT KENT, MLA • $1.875 million for improvement projects for the Erik F.H. Collins More Beds at Housing for Budget Highlights Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport including taxiway IN THE RIDING Update Thomson Centre Yukoners improvements, rehabilitation and installation of a second bridge PAGE 2 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 Congratulations to Riverdale North or jet way. Resident Nathan Peterson, who won • $1.39 million to continue the campaigns to promote Yukon his second consecutive gold medal in overseas and the three territories as travel destinations to Heavy Duty Equipment Repair at the 18th southern Canadians. Annual Canadian Skills Competition in Edmonton this past May. Riverdale North News IN THE RIDING • $5 million over five years for the Yukon Research Centre and the Dear Constituents, While other Yukon athletes were Yukon Cold Climate Innovation Centre at Yukon College. Nathan and the entire Skills Canada competing here in Whitehorse Yukon team did the territory very proud during this spring’s Arctic • $34.984 million for land development to address land with a total of two gold medals, a silver I hope that you are having a I have been pleased to announce Winter Games, Riverdale North availability and housing needs, including Phase One of the and a bronze and helped all of Canada wonderful fall and that the several new initiatives to improve resident Michael Sumner won Whistle Bend subdivision. recognize that Yukon has some of the new school year is off to a housing for Yukoners, which are figure skating gold at the 2012 • $452,000 for the Department of Environment to conduct most skilled students and apprentices in successful start. also outlined in this newsletter. Special Olympics Canada Winter the country. a three-year Cumulative Effects Baseline Study in order Thank you to everyone who came It is an honour and a privilege Games in St. Albert, Alberta. to acquire information on the cumulative effects of quartz out to my constituency barbeque to represent you in the Yukon Michael – the youngest member mining exploration. COMMUNITY on August 30. We were fortunate Legislative Assembly. of Team Yukon – is the first that the weather stayed sunny Yukon figure skater to medal at • $1.86 million to extend the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Please don’t hesitate to contact program to 2016. ASSOCIATION for us and I thoroughly enjoyed the national competition and will me with your questions or catching up with you and hearing represent Canada at the 2013 concerns as I work on your behalf • $4.5 million for housing in Whitehorse in conjunction with Riverdale has a community about your summer activities and Special Olympics World Winter Kaushee’s Place. organization established to support to help ensure that the needs of adventures. Games to be held in South Korea. and promote positive activities that Riverdale North residents are • $457,000 to add six full-time employees to meet the Congratulations Michael! enhance the community. As you will have noticed these addressed and met. significant growth in the Home Care client and the complexity past weeks, work is well of care needs. Thank you and my best regards to For information on meetings and underway to complete the you and your families. • $2.244 million for an additional 10-beds and operations and issues please contact Doug MacLean, second phase site preparations maintenance at the Thomson Centre. President at [email protected]. for the new F.H. Collins • $797,000 for six additional beds at Whitehorse General Hospital. Secondary School. Enclosed in this newsletter is an • $7.3 million for a new Emergency Response Centre that will SCOTT KENT serve as Whitehorse’s primary ambulance station in addition to update on the project and what MLA, Riverdale North we can all expect to encounter Riverdale Station. [email protected] at the school and along Lewes 867.667.8643 Scott joins Michael Sumner and Special Boulevard these coming weeks Olympics Yukon Executive Director and months. Serge Michaud. 4 www.yukonpartycaucus.ca 1 F.H. COLLINS AND THOMSON CENTRE MOVING YUKON FORWARD Yukon Government Pursuing New Home New Affordable Housing Announced for Work is underway to complete Ownership Program Seniors in Whitehorse the second phase site Scott grills for his consituency barbeque at preparations for the new The Yukon Housing Corporation is examining the As seniors continue to represent an increasingly larger Grey Mountain Primary School. F.H. Collins Secondary School. development of a new Yukon home ownership program to segment of Yukon’s population, the Governments of Canada help working Yukoners in lower and middle-income brackets and Yukon have announced a new $12.65 million housing purchase their own homes. development to assist low-income seniors. Workers will be onsite through early fall to finalize site preparations before Similar programs - often referred to as Attainable Home The funding comes as a result of a $5.91 million Investment construction begins next spring. Ownership programs – exist in other Canadian jurisdictions in Affordable Housing 2011-2014 Agreement between Ten More Beds Open and the Yukon Housing Corporation will review these other Canada and Yukon. Norcope Enterprises Ltd. was awarded at the Thomson Centre models and recommend how a program may effectively be Canada will invest $2.55 million towards the 34-unit seniors’ the $1.18 million contract to connect structured here in the territory. water mains to the new school complex, Yukon will contribute almost $7.4 million and site from across Lewes Boulevard. This type of home ownership program can help bridge $2.7 million will be funded through the Yukon Housing Other phase two activities include Throughout the month of August, the affordability gap that sometimes prevents working Corporation’s Seniors’ Housing Management Fund. the construction of an alternate 10 more residents moved into the people from moving out of the rental market and into home The new complex will be located on land owned by the Scott with the graduates of the Teen Parent Thomson Centre for a total of 28 ownership. In addition, as more Yukoners become able to Centre in June. bus loop at the rear of the existing Yukon Housing Corporation at 207 Alexander Street close school, modifications to the main residents in the facility, which opened purchase entry-level homes it frees up more rental housing to amenities, medical services, transit routes and other parking lot and the development of an its first 18 beds late last summer. for others. social services. The facility is scheduled for occupancy in the access road to the lower soccer field, The occupants of these 10 additional summer of 2014. which will be used as a staging area beds come from the communities, throughout the construction phase. other care facilities and Whitehorse The upper soccer field and track will General Hospital. New Investment in Options for Independence remain accessible to both students The Thomson Centre was built as Lottery for First Phase of Residential Lots at and the public throughout the a long-term care facility and was Whistle Bend Society Housing construction period. designed to house 48 residents. The Yukon Government will prepare Plans are underway by Yukon Health The Yukon Government will release 111 new residential lots a tender for the construction of the and Social Services to renovate and in Phase One of the Whistle Bend subdivision in Whitehorse The Governments of Canada and Yukon, in conjunction Scott joins Whitehorse Housing Authority new school later this year, which open the facility’s remaining beds. later this month. with community partners, announced funding in mid- Chair, Florence Roberts, and Yukon Member is scheduled to open for classes in August for a new building to provide 14 new housing of Parliament, Ryan Leef to open six social On September 26, a lottery was held to release 90 units in Whitehorse for clients living with Fetal Alcohol housing units in Takhini. September 2015. single-family lots and land for eight duplexes and Spectrum Disorder (FASD). seven multi-family lots. A pair of duplex lots, which will accommodate two families, has also been designated Funding for the $3.05 million project was provided for Habitat for Humanity. through the extension of the 2009 Affordable Housing Initiative. The federal government will provide $1.05 The Yukon Government is constructing the subdivision based million to the non-profit Options for Independence on work conducted by the City of Whitehorse. Society and the Yukon Housing Corporation will provide Whistle Bend is the single largest subdivision project ever $2 million in construction and mortgage financing. undertaken in the territory and once all phases are complete, The Options for Independence Society delivers housing, will eventually accommodate 8,000 residents. support and supervision for adults living with FASD to In this fiscal year, the Yukon Government allocated a near promote independent living. The new units will allow the record land development budget of $34.8 to complete society to provide housing and program services for up to Phase One of Whistle Bend, carry out work to prepare for 26 residents and are expected to be complete next year. the next phases of the subdivision and proceed with other developments in a number of Yukon communities. For more information, visit www.community.gov.yk.ca 2 www.yukonpartycaucus.ca 3 F.H.