City councillor Ted Laking is growing more frustrated about the housing situation in the city – and he’s squaring off with the federal government over it.

Laking has repeatedly brought up the subject since last summer.

His initiatives include a recent motion asking for clarification about federal properties he believes could be used for housing.

On Tuesday, he released a lengthy statement addressing the matter, and noting that federal officials haven’t responded to the city’s deadline for information.

“Whitehorse is experiencing a housing crisis that continues to worsen as the Yukon’s capital city keeps on growing,” Laking stated in the release.

“Between 2013 and 2023, the population of the Whitehorse area grew by 7,528. The rate of growth between this period was 27 per cent.

“If growth were to continue at this pace, the Whitehorse area will grow by approximately another 9,500 people by 2033.

Laking added, “These growth projections do not factor in that the federal government has announced an increase in its immigration targets to welcome 500,000 new permanent residents per year by 2025.

“To keep up with this expected massive growth, Whitehorse will be required to build (more than) 4,100 new homes by 2033 based upon Yukon’s average household size of 2.3 people.

“That works out to approximately 415 new homes per year in Whitehorse. For reference, according to the 2022 Yukon Statistical Review, there were only 236 building permits issued for new or converted residential dwellings and mobile units in Whitehorse in 2022.”

Laking noted that on Oct. 10, 2023, his motion calling on the federal government to make available federal lands for housing development was approved by city council.

The motion also requested that the federal government provide a plan and timeline for the divestment of these lands to be shared prior to the end of 2023. So far, Ottawa has not shared a plan.

“We need more action from the federal government to help address the housing crisis,” said Laking.

“A problem this big requires all orders of government to step up; it can’t just be the municipal and territorial governments contributing to the solutions.

“We know there is federal land within city limits that could be better utilized for homes. The federal government could also help by providing the amount infrastructure funding necessary to begin building the services that new residential buildings will require,” the councillor added.

It has been pointed out that one sizeable portion of federal land on Range Road could support anywhere from 88 to 594 new homes.

“With our population expected to increase, every piece of land, and every housing unit becomes that much more important, and the federal government needs to start doing more,” Laking said.

In November, Laking again raised the issue of accelerated population growth expected over the next decade and questioned if growth planning was on track.

Later, Laking requested an update on the Valleyview South (also known as the Tank Farm) planning process.

Administration confirmed that discussions with council will begin in February, and that the adoption of a master plan should happen shortly afterward.