PM announces support for affordable housing across Yukon

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Thank you very much. It’s great to be back in Whitehorse on the traditional territory of the Ta’an Kwach’an Council and the Kwanlin Dun First Nation.

I’m glad to be here with my colleagues, Minister Leona Aglukkaq, Minister Gail Shea, Minister John Duncan, many representatives of various partners who are involved in the projects we’re talking about today, and particularly Senator Dan Lang.

Whenever I come through Eric Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport, I’m reminded of Yukon Eric’s great career and just important it is for the north to have strong and forceful voices in Ottawa.  Dan certainly lives up to that expectation and we very much appreciate, Dan, the work that you’re doing in Ottawa and here, in the Territory.

And Premier Dennis Fentie is here as well.  Dennis, it’s wonderful you could be here and I want to thank you for providing not only strong leadership, in your territorial government, but also strong partnership with the national government, which we have always greatly appreciated.

Whenever I come here, I am always struck by the extraordinary beauty of this territory and of this city.  As I mentioned last night, Laureen and I are big fans of Ted Harrison and his outstanding paintings of scenes from across Yukon. We were both delighted to find some Yukon paintings upstairs at 24 Sussex and we moved them down into the foyer where our visitors can see them, where we can share our passion for the north and where I can be reminded each day of the beauty of Yukon as I leave for work.

This is the fifth consecutive summer that I have visited the north as Prime Minister to advance our government’s Northern Strategy.

The four points of our Northern Strategy are: exercising Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, promoting social and economic development, protecting the north’s environmental heritage, and improving and devolving northern governance to give northerners more local control.

Today, we are here to celebrate some important advances in economic and social development. 

Working together with the Yukon Government we are funding, for low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities, the construction and renovation of 323 affordable housing units across Yukon.

Construction and renovation projects are taking place in various communities across the territory, not just in Whitehorse but also in Ross River, Teslin, Mayo, Dawson, Watson Lake, Carmacks, Carcross, and Haines Junction.

Here in Whitehorse, at 22 Waterfront Place, the construction of 30 new apartments will provide quality, affordable housing for low-income seniors who need a stable, safe place to call home. 

These new homes are being built to the SuperGreen standard, which means reduced energy consumption, increased comfort and environmental benefits for years to come.

And these investments in housing will help more seniors to live independently. This is an example of our government standing up for those who helped build this country and we all appreciate the contribution that our seniors make to our Canadian society, each and every day.

By the way, seniors will be able to move in as early as next spring. That’s because as part of Canada’s economic action plan, we require that projects be completed by March of next year.  And the Premier tells me the building is on track, on time and on budget. So congratulations.

The jobs created by Canada’s economic plan including the construction jobs created through this project and projects like it is helping to ensure that Yukon emerges and is indeed emerging from the global downturn stronger than ever.

That’s an important part of my personal commitment to the north and our determination to fulfil Prime Minister Diefenbaker’s vision of a Canada of the north.

Now before I relinquish the podium, I just would like to take a couple of moments to talk about the larger picture. In the recent global recession, Canada has done better, we’ve done far better than our peers among the advanced economies.  And while the strength of our economy remains encouraging, nothing can be taken for granted.

So, ladies and gentlemen, we are making investments like these so that the legacy of the global recession will not be memories of despair; instead, it will be a mood of hope and a national expectation of greater things to come.

And if we stay on course, continue to focus on the economy, make these investments and deliver on time, we shall enjoy the future of prosperity that awaits us.

Thank you.

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