A homeless tenter says there need to be some changes when it comes to the homeless situation in Whitehorse.

Keith Bilau lives in a tent in Whitehorse with his partner, Lisa Smith, and his seven-year-old dog Twilight.

They’ve been living there since April 1, when 28 tenants in the former High Country Inn, including the couple and their dog, were evicted to allow renovations to what will be called “The Hearth” when the building reopens in 2026.

“Safe at Home (which is overseeing the project) said that they’re going to house us all, but they didn’t,” Bilau told the Star on Friday afternoon.

“Thank God we got a tent but yeah, it’s been really cold, a little more difficult living.”

One of the barriers they have to finding a home is locating a place that will permit a dog.

“We’ve had Twilight ever since she was a puppy. We’ve been looking every year for several years now.”

The dog will turn eight on Aug. 24.

Smith is a Kwanlin Dün First Nations (KDFN) member while Bilau is Métis.

Bilau is from the High Prairie, Alta. area but has lived here most of his life.

The couple does not have it easy by any means. He has a bad hip because of arthritis. Smith is recovering from a broken wrist.

“It’s really, really difficult for us to be in the bush,” Bilau said.

“I got a little fire we cook off of. We got a big tent, and it’s hard to heat that. We’ve got a Heater Buddy but still – five nights ago, it was minus 11 C.

“Those cylinders are really expensive. You know, we’re on a budget.”

Bilau said he gets funding from the social assistance office and Smith gets hers from the KDFN.

“I get just over 500 bucks a month to live off, which doesn’t add up to much,” he said.

“You know, you can’t even buy meat or anything nowadays. So it’s really, really tough.”

Bilau said it’s harder to find suitable places to live these days.

“Some people don’t even rent to (people with) kids. Let alone animals. It’s really difficult.

“We’re not just the only people in this situation. But I think we’re the only ones with a dog.”

Bilau discussed a visit he had with Premier Ranj Pillai last Tuesday evening.

“There was a bunch of us there at Safe at Home,” he said.

They met at the Safe at Home office. Bilau figures there were about 10 of them at the meeting with Pillai, showing the premier their concern.

“We all had some questions like, ‘what’s going on? Are we going to be able to get housed properly?’

“He says that they’re talking to the different bands up here. Because this is not just here. He says 
it’s all over the place,” Bilau said.

“But Whitehorse is really bad. And he said it’s gonna take time. It’s not just going to happen overnight.”

When Bilau was told that Pillai had mentioned to reporters about finding places within a week for the homeless people, Bilau said, “I’ll take that. If it’s free.

“I don’t think we’re going to be out of our tent within a week. Probably going to be there all summer. Unless they actually pull some strings. They should be able to.”

Pillai told them different options were in the works.

“He says they’re looking into it,” said Bilau. “He didn’t say anything to me, exactly. But I know he’s got my phone number and he’s yet to call me.

“He might be still getting around to it. Probably pretty busy guy.”

Asked if he feels like he accomplished anything by talking to Pillai, Bilau replied, “Yeah, I think that we’re they’re showing concern – and we weren’t just talking about us. There’s other people that are at the shelter.”

According to Bilau, it’s people who are straight who are having trouble finding places to stay.

“I don’t want any drug addicts or alcoholics around me.”

As a result, they are staying in the tent. Of note is that dogs aren’t allowed in the emergency shelter at 405 Alexander St.

“I don’t even like going there for lunch,” related Bilau.

Because of all the chaos. And it’s like that every day there.

“We had lunch there (Thursday). It was like, chaos. People were all stoned out of it and drunk. We just ate and left.”

Bilau said he has one solution to the homelessness people like him are facing.

“I mentioned to the premier, ‘what about all these empty houses here in town?’ Me and Lisa, we walk our dog around all the time, right?

“And we see these vacant houses, and they’ve been like that for several years already.

“Why aren’t these people renting them out?” he asked.

“I looked through the windows and it looked nice. They could rent it out. Not just paying your land taxes, you’re actually making money off it. It don’t make sense.”

Fining people with vacant houses, he said, would “kind of stoke a fire under their butts.

“Try to get people off the streets, people that are straight. People that need a place to live and don’t have to worry about being around all the carnage downtown.”

Asked if he knows how many people are homeless in Whitehorse, Bilau replied, “I have no idea.”

He was then asked if he knows of other people living in tents.

“No, because I haven’t seen any of them. I know there’s other people out there. I’m not sure about the numbers.”