Yukon Territory Poverty Progress Profile

The Yukon Government is in the process of developing a plan called, The Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Strategy. Lead by the Department of Health and Social Services, the plan will receive input from other departments and NGOs. Since its proposal in October 2009, the plan awaits completion and implementation.1 This has lead to initiatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) including the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition (YAPC) to steer the way in attempting to collaborate with other community groups and the Yukon Government on a poverty plan. The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition supports a “housing-first” approach that puts housing at the core of eradicating poverty. The Yukon Territory comprises of approximately 35,944 people with an estimated 75.9% living in the territory’s capital, Whitehorse.2 A quarter of the population (7 580 people) is of Aboriginal ancestry.3 Many of the social services are located within the capital, isolating the rural communities.

Statistics Canada has yet to produce reliable data in the Yukon Territory, including the three measurements of poverty (LIM, LICO, MBM).4 Therefore, this document will portray an approximation of poverty in Yukon but will not give an exact analysis of the territory.

Publication Date: 
2012
Location: 
Yukon Territory, Canada