Yukon extends Whitehorse emergency shelter contract into spring

Just days before an NGO’s contract to operate the Whitehorse emergency shelter was set to expire, the Yukon government says it’s signed an extension until next spring. Non-profit organization Connective will continue operations of the shelter until March 31, 2027. The announcement comes after months of uncertainty over the future of the shelter, which serves a predominately Indigenous clientele. Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers said in May that Connective would cease operating the shelter after its contract expired on Aug. 31. Cathers said at the time the government would find a new operator, or possibly take over operations itself until one could be found, though he provided virtually no updates about a replacement. The territorial government said in a release Wednesday that the extension will provide “stability” at the shelter. At the same time, it said, the extension would give an advisory committee time to complete a review and make recommendations for improvement, while also allowing the government to explore potential alternative locations for services, including those offered at the shelter. The government said it intends to seek expressions of interest for future operators in early 2027. According to the release, the decision to extend Connective’s contract follows a recommendation from the advisory committee, which is composed of Yukon government and First Nations officials. It states the recommendation was discussed at a recent leadership summit focused on the shelter’s future. “We heard clearly from Yukon First Nations leadership and the (shelter) Advisory Committee why they wanted the contract with the current operator extended for several months,” Cathers said in the release. “We listened, and agreed to their request to extend the current contract to March 31st.” Connective said in a statement to APTN News it “welcomes” the decision. “This extension ensures continuity for those who rely on the shelter, while allowing time for the Yukon Government to determine the program’s future operation,” it said. Yukon NDP leader Kate White said in a statement she’s pleased to see an update, but noted she still has concerns about what she calls Cathers’s “lack of timely communication” about the matter. In a prior interview with APTN News, she accused Cathers of keeping the public in the dark about the shelter’s future. “This minister doesn’t have a great track record for communicating,” she said. “(He) had a lot of things to say about the Whitehorse emergency shelter in the spring and in the media following the spring sitting, and then it’s just been silence.” Connective, which took over operations of the shelter from the former Liberal government in 2022, has faced public criticism following overdose deaths at the facility, as well as outcry from nearby businesses and residents who say shelter users cause disturbances and safety issues. The Yukon government said the advisory committee will continue working in the coming months, with recommendations expected to help inform decisions about the shelter’s future. Continue Reading