Yukon Premier and Finance Minister Dennis Fentie brought in the largest projected budget in the territory's history on Thursday, including millions to help First Nations build affordable housing, to expand the Whitehorse airport, and to recruit and retain health-care professionals.
Fentie's Yukon Party government, which was elected to a second term in October, projected a $862 million budget this year — up from last year's projected budget of $793 million.
"This budget is our first installment in meeting the commitments outlined in our 2006 election platform," Fentie said in his budget address on the first day of the legislature's spring sitting.
"Mr. Speaker, I believe a majority of Yukoners will say that we are off to a very good start in fulfilling the vision we offered to Yukoners on October 10, 2006."
Taxpayers will see no personal tax increases or decreases.
In terms of spending, Fentie earmarked $32.5 million for the Northern Housing Trust Fund to help First Nations develop more affordable housing.
Other initiatives include:
- $10 million to upgrade the Alaska Highway along the south shore of Kluane Lake.
- $9.2 million to expand the Whitehorse airport terminal and parking lot, in order to help handle passengers on international flights.
- $6.25 million for developing land at the Porter Creek Lower Bench.
- $3.2 million to fund studies on designing a new prison in Whitehorse.
- $2.7 million for highway upgrades to the Dempster, Atlin Road and Robert Campbell highways.
- $2.1 million to recruit and retain doctors and other health professionals.
- $1.81 million for the Tombstone Visitor Reception Centre.
- $1.8 million for affordable housing for seniors in Haines Junction.
- $1.23 million for fish, wildlife, and habitat surveys.
The budget comes with a $2.6 million projected deficit, although that number may change with the addition of $25 million in federal infrastructure funding. The terms and conditions of that funding had not been released before the budget was prepared. The amount of the deficit may also change with supplementary budgets.
The budget came with few surprises, thanks to a series of spending announcements Fentie and his government made in the weeks leading up to Thursday's budget address.
Both of the territory's opposition leaders accused Fentie of delivering a budget that lacked vision and identity.
"I think there is very little vision in this budget," Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell told reporters on Thursday. "It's basically last year's budget upgraded to become this year's budget."
"It's a hard budget to identify in the sense that it's not an environmental budget or necessarily an economic budget," NDP Leader Todd Hardy said. "It's kind of just a vague 'we got a lot of money and we're going to spend it, and these are the priorities, but if you're not part of … the areas that we like, you're just going to have to suffer.'"
Both Mitchell and Hardy said they was dismayed the government has not raised social assistance spending. There was also no funding to build new schools or a new prison, Mitchell said.
