Forum for Whitehorse Mayoral Candidates Held Yesterday

Friday, 5 October 2018 13:04

A picture of the four candidates who spoke yesterday.

The event got underway at the Gold Rush Inn at 6 pm.

The mayoral candidate forum got underway yesterday at 6pm at the Gold Rush Inn in Whitehorse and the candidates included current mayor Dan Curtis, Wilf Carter, Colin LaForme and Rick Karp.

Approximately 100 people attended the event and questions ranging from budget expenses to affordable housing to transit services were answered between all candidates at the event which ran until 9 pm.

Two rounds of debate were included with the forum, and respondents had two minutes to answer questions posed by the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce.

Dan Curtis commented on a project the city is currently doing to help address affordable housing and the current situation of those who are homeless.

"We talk briefly about the Cornerstone Development on Main Street. Right now we have 195 people that are precariously housed in our community that are essentially homeless and living on couches. With that building with which the City of Whitehorse was able to find a million dollars through lacking of development permits, not to mention the leverage they had with the crown corporation of Yukon Housing, that unit alone is going to have 46 homes, 23 of which are going be of assisted living and seven of which are going to be condos that are going to help pay for it".

Colin LaForme also proposed the city change the height restriction bylaw to allow for increased density in the downtown core, which he says would help fix transit issues for low-income housed residents living in the suburbs.

Rick Karp suggests working with land developers and involving more with First Nations in regards to land development in the city.

Porter Creek D, a narrowing of a wildlife corridor in the Official Community Plan and an important place for area First Nations, was opposed by the majority of the candidates.

Wilf Carter also mentioned a problem facing the city and a proposed solution.

"Right now we have ten lots available in the city, we should have 200. (One) thing that I would do that would be smart right now is to start build a cooperative type of program for our city development."

The City of Whitehorse will elect their next mayor and six counselors on October 18th.