Yukon premier admits he should have taken over troubled shelter file sooner

Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai said Thursday he should have acted sooner to take over handling of the troubled Whitehorse Emergency Shelter.

"I do believe that that's my responsibility," Pillai said during Question Period. "Should I have done that six months ago? You know what, I guess I should. So again, this is on me."

The state of the shelter has dominated the first two days of the legislature's fall sitting. Pillai has said he wants civil servants across several government departments to draw a list of policy options to fix problems at the shelter.

The Yukon Party especially has blasted the government's handling of the shelter file. It comes in the wake of the nearby Alpine Bakery closing, because of numerous public safety issues around the shelter.

Meanwhile, several reports have also found shelter users often don't feel safe there. And those who are trying to stay sober have a hard time doing so, because the low-barrier shelter doesn't require people to be sober to access services. That has resulted in substance use in and around the building.

Also this week, a government contractor removed wooden barriers from in front of the shelters, which critics have said only serve to conceal illegal activity.

Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon said the government should reconsider the low-barrier model for the shelter.

"I think that the low barrier approach that is much more permissive of drug and alcohol use has proven to be unsuccessful," Dixon said. "We've heard that from advocates, we've heard that from clients themselves and we've seen the results of it in the neighborhood around 405Alexander [Street]."