After nine days of debate, MLAs finally passed the supplementary budget for 2023-24 last Thursday before the clock ran out on the fiscal year.

The government was asking for an additional $61.175 million, with major top-ups for the Department of Health and Social Services ($47.5 million) and Highways and Public Works ($43.8 million).

At the same time, some departments were adjusting their budgets downward, such as Economic Development ($20 million) and the Yukon Housing Corp. ($13 million).

According to the Yukon Party’s Scott Kent, this was one of the largest, if not the largest, supplementary budget in Yukon history.

Liberal House Leader John Streicker said this was the longest debate ever on a supplementary budget, with the average being six days long.

He said ministers had fielded 285 questions to date.

MLAs will next turn their attention to the $2.08-billion budget for 2024-25. They have until May 2 to do this, as well as pass two bills (Exemption Act and Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2024). The new fiscal year began today.

Last Wednesday, Brad Cathers, the Yukon Party’s Finance critic, had expressed concern that the government had arrived at the “11th hour” before having its spending authority expire with the end of the past fiscal year.