Photo by Whitehorse Star
Pauline Frost
Program extended to help Yukoners pay rent
Tenants and landlords who are affected by income losses during the COVID-19 pandemic can continue to receive support from the territorial COVID-19 Rent Assist program.
Tenants and landlords who are affected by income losses during the COVID-19 pandemic can continue to receive support from the territorial COVID-19 Rent Assist program.
Tenants living in private non-subsidized market rental housing in Yukon who have lost 30 per cent or more of their income due to COVID-19 are eligible for a grant to help cover rent in July, August and September, the Yukon government said Friday.
Under the program, announced in May, eligible households can receive 50 per cent of median market rent based on unit size:
• $415 per month for a bachelor, or room in a house;
• $500 per month for a one bedroom;
• $600 per month for a two bedroom; and
• $800 per month for a three bedroom or larger.
The grant will be paid directly to landlords on behalf of tenants.
This will ensure that landlords, who may also be experiencing lower income as a result of the pandemic, continue receiving partial income from their rental properties and tenants who have had to defer paying rent will have less owing.
In June, the government passed a ministerial order that protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent if they are under a health protection measure and allowed tenants who deferred rent payments due to income lost due to COVID-19 will have until Dec. 31 to repay the outstanding amount to their landlord.
For new clients who are interested in the program, the COVID-19 Rent Assist program applications for July to September will be available in late July at https://service.yukon.ca/forms/en/rent-assistance-covid19.
Existing clients of the COVID-19 Rent Assist program for April, May or June should contact the Yukon Housing Corp. to learn how to renew their application.
“It is important that we continue to support Yukoners who are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pauline Frost, the minister responsible for the corporation.
“This will help tenants who have experienced a loss of income due to the COVID-19 situation and landlords who may not be receiving their rental income. The Government of Yukon will continue to support Yukoners during these uncertain times as we work to keep our territory safe and healthy.”
Yukoners can apply for support for the three months until Wednesday.
During these three months, the corporation approved 140 Yukon households for support.
This program has a budget of $1.29 million.
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Comments (7)
Up 16 Down 2
Always Questions on Jul 15, 2020 at 4:26 pm
Frankly, I much prefer this 1.29 million dollars (of our taxes) going to the people that need it than some grant/subsidy/giveaway to Corporate Canada like 12 mil for energy upgrades for new fridges for Loblaws.
Up 23 Down 3
melba on Jul 15, 2020 at 3:50 pm
I am a landlord and can tell you that one person who rents from me is getting money in this program. She works two low paying jobs and does not have enough money to buy groceries plus pay rent. Without this program, guess who gets to play Social Assistance Provider? Me. I would never evict her anyway, but I'd be out of pocket and she would 'owe me' money when she barely ever had enough in the first place. So where's that money going to come from?
As far as giving money away, I'd rather see it go to situations like this before we pay for roads for foreign owned mining corporations or heating bills for corporate owned hotels. At least it's going to Yukoners, and Yukoners who need it. It will all get spent in the local economy, too.
And I do agree that the government better be checking up on these tenancies to confirm they exist and all other pertinent details. I know the situation with my renter is real.
Up 6 Down 15
Patti Eyre on Jul 15, 2020 at 2:40 pm
Thank goodness for the liberal government! They care and are trying to do what's right!
Up 18 Down 3
brian on Jul 15, 2020 at 8:30 am
Matthew... Welcome to the welfare state?? We've been one for a long time already.
Up 34 Down 10
Matthew on Jul 13, 2020 at 7:37 pm
Welcome to the welfare state... people so dependent on their two faced government they will literally follow them to the slaughter house. And we haven't even started yet! News flash, MONEY isn't free!
Up 27 Down 12
Khan Fu-Shistissay on Jul 13, 2020 at 6:18 pm
Liberals buying votes with my money. Nice. Not only are they spending my money/your money we now have the moral and ethical taint of unabashed, liberalized demonocracy throwing my money around like love crazed horndogs at a strip club - No democracy is demoNOcracy in the sad, sad Liberal parody of governance.
Up 27 Down 9
JC on Jul 13, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Will these tenants be properly vetted before they get a cheque, or will we have to hear about the tenants and landlords scams later after millions of tax dollars are paid out? Like what always happens resulting from these generous socialist government handouts.