Building a strong Canada starts with investing in the infrastructure that people and communities rely on every day. The Government of Canada and the Government of Yukon have entered into two agreements on a shared commitment to support housing and infrastructure for Yukoners. Together, these partnerships will deliver approximately $350 million in housing and infrastructure.
The first of these partnerships is for almost $157 million under the Provincial and Territorial stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund to build and renew infrastructure in Yukon. With this agreement in place, Yukon will receive up to $82.4 million to support infrastructure projects and priorities related to housing and post-secondary education over 10 years, as well as up to $74.5 million in health infrastructure funding over three years.
This investment will help prioritize upgrades to support and enable housing supply, including water and wastewater systems, roads and bridges, and community infrastructure. It will also help with building and upgrading learning and research spaces, as well as critical health infrastructure, including hospitals and long-term care.
The second of these partnerships is through Build Canada Homes and the Yukon Housing Corporation (YHC). This partnership will accelerate the delivery of up to 500 shovel-ready homes for Yukoners. Supported by federal funding of up to $100 million and up to $93 million from YHC, this collaboration will support a portfolio-based approach to accelerate housing delivery of both public-housing units owned and operated by YHC and partner-led units constructed by community housing developers territory-wide. The initiative will expand capacity and provide predictable, long-term funding to address urgent housing needs across Yukon communities.
The new housing units will focus on affordability aligned with YHC's Rent-Geared-to-Income, employee, and partnership programs. YHC-led public housing projects will prioritize very low-income households and staff essential service delivery, while partner-led projects supported through the Housing Initiatives Fund will ensure affordability for a minimum of 20 years, in accordance with program criteria.
To accelerate construction timelines and improve efficiency, partners will apply modern methods of construction (MMC). Approximately one-third of units in each stream are expected to incorporate MMC, with an intent to prioritize Canadian-made materials and products, supporting domestic supply chains and economic growth. The initiative also supports the integration of supportive and transitional housing, which will help to address homelessness and provide housing stability for vulnerable people.
Creating vibrant communities requires more than building homes; it also depends on investing in the infrastructure that supports them. That's why the Governments of Canada and Yukon are working together to deliver critical infrastructure and affordable homes for Yukoners.
