Despite the suggestion that seven of the 20 transitional housing units at the new Salvation Army Centre of Hope have been sitting vacant, Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said she’s satisfied with the organization’s service delivery.

She did note that the project agreement between the Yukon government and the Sally Ann – which pre-dates her tenure as minister – is “unique,” and that work is being done to fill all the units.

Kate White, the NDP’s Health and Social Services critic, brought up the Centre of Hope project in the legislature Tuesday.

“The government bought the piece of land that the new Salvation Army stands on, then the government paid for the new building, while the Salvation Army remains the owner of their old building,” White said.

The Yukon government invested $10.2 million for the lot purchase, design development and construction of the facility, according to a press release from its official opening last October.

“The government is also providing over a million dollars in yearly funding for the operations of the shelter and transitional units,” White noted.

“There is even a government staff person seconded to work at the Salvation Army. Yet, as of the March 13, seven transitional units remain empty.”

She reiterated the investment of Yukon dollars in the project, and asked the minister how the government was ensuring delivery on this investment.

Frost pointed out that the arrangement had been initiated before she become minister.

“My job and my responsibility was really to ensure that we work with what we had at the time and what we have today. We have a partnership arrangement with the Salvation Army, and that partnership arrangement was to ensure that we provide supports to the clients who occupy that facility.”

Frost told local media after question period that she couldn’t confirm the number of unoccupied transitional housing units at the Salvation Army. However, she hopes to see all units occupied by this Friday, when an oversight committee charged with reviewing resident intake decisions will meet.

The Star could not reach the Salvation Army’s executive director for comment this morning.

Frost noted that all of the centre’s emergency shelter beds are being occupied, and that upwards of 200 people are served every mealtime.

“The Salvation Army  has never done … a project of this magnitude before,” she pointed out.

“I would say yes, at this point, that given the circumstances and we’re early stages that I’m satisfied with where they are.

“I hope that we can always improve, and we can do better, and we can only do better if we work together.”

The oversight committee is comprised of representatives from the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition, the City of Whitehorse, Kwanlin Dün First Nation, the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council and the territorial government, Frost told the legislature.

The committee is working to ensure transitional units are filled and that transitional support services are in place for the residents of these units, according to the minister.

Frost called the arrangement with the Sally Ann “one of a kind.”

She said she’s not sure the government would ever enter into another arrangement with a Christian-based organization.

Officials are looking at other health and social services partnerships across the Yukon, she said, including with First Nations.