Latest news with #RichardMostyn
Cision Canada
03-07-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Federal and territorial governments invest in expansion to transit fleet in Whitehorse Français
WHITEHORSE, YT, July 3, 2025 /CNW/ - The City of Whitehorse will improve their transit system thanks to a combined investment of over $7.8 million from the federal and territorial governments. Ten 40-foot fully accessible buses will be added to the existing fleet in Whitehorse between 2026 and 2028. The City's current fleet consists of 15 low-floor accessible buses that were purchased between 2008 and 2023. New buses will ensure efficiency and maintain service levels while helping to meet the needs of the growing city for residents and visitors. The additional buses will allow opportunities to improve routes, ensure unexpected maintenance can be accommodated, and will maximize the service life of the fleet for the city. Quotes "Expanding the transit fleet in Whitehorse will provide people with more reliable and efficient service for their daily commuting and travel. By increasing accessibility, improving service levels and improving routes, our government is able to support a growing city with sustainable public transit infrastructure into the future." Dr. Brendan Hanley, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs and Member of Parliament for Yukon "Through this joint investment, we're delivering on our commitment to strengthen transit and active transportation options in partnership with the City of Whitehorse. Thank you to the Government of Canada for their continued support in building vibrant, sustainable, and connected Yukon communities." Richard Mostyn, Minister of Community Services "We are pleased to be working in partnership with the Governments of Canada and Yukon to bolster our transit fleet. Whitehorse is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada and enhancing public transit is key to ensuring the sustainable growth of our community. In recent years, our efforts to enhance transit services has led to record levels of ridership. This funding will ensure we can continue to build on that success and meet the growing needs of our community." Quick Facts The federal government is investing $5,894,443 through the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The Government of Yukon is investing $1,965,481. Including today's announcement, eight infrastructure projects under the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream have been announced in the Yukon, with a total federal contribution of more than $9.8 million and a total territorial contribution of almost $3.3 million. The new Canada Public Transit Fund (CPTF) will provide an average of $3 billion a year of permanent funding to respond to local transit needs by enhancing integrated planning, improving access to public transit and active transportation, and supporting the development of more affordable, sustainable, and inclusive communities. The CPTF supports transit and active transportation investments in three streams: Metro Region Agreements, Baseline Funding, and Targeted Funding. Visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website for more information. Associated Links Public Transit Infrastructure Stream Housing and Infrastructure Project Map Strengthened Climate Plan Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada SOURCE Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
CBC
22-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Yukon gov't, with NDP support, introduces new Residential Tenancies Act
The Yukon government has introduced a new law that aims "to create a fair balance between tenants and landlords" and replace the former Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The new bill — the Residential Tenancies Act — enshrines rent control, requires landlords to provide a specific reason for ending a lease, and sets out distinct rules for mobile homes, among other changes. "This bill ... is a delicate and deliberate balance of stability, transparency, and reasonableness to guide landlord and tenant relationships in the Yukon," said Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn. The act would also allow tenants to end leases when their safety is at risk or if they need to move into long-term care. It also, for the first time, allows and regulates deposits for pet owners. The idea behind that provision, said government policy analyst Sarah Murray, is to encourage more landlords to allow pet ownership in their units. "One of the key issues that we heard from people is that the lack of pet-friendly rentals is one of the big issues in the Yukon," she said. Lars Hartling, president of the Yukon Residential Landlord Association, said he welcomes the new bill. But he still wants the government to get rid of rent caps. "Rent caps are arguably a bit of slamming on the brakes for investment into the Yukon," he said. "When this act is in place, it's going to be in place for a long time." That's a concern echoed by Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon, who's on record saying landlords should be able to charge whatever they want. But he also said the rent control provision, which was introduced as an NDP demand in the confidence and supply agreement (CASA) with the government, was clearly meant as a temporary pandemic measure. He said the government risks driving out private-sector investment in rental properties. "I think that the intentions behind these policies are good intentions," Dixon said during debate on the bill Wednesday. "I think that it's meant to be an effective policy, but I don't think that the outcome shows us, here in the Yukon or around the world, that it is indeed an effective policy." NDP Leader Kate White said the bill also requires landlords to offer right of first refusal for tenants who are forced out due to renovations. "If a landlord has not chosen to keep up with required repairs to keep a building meeting the health and safety standards, that's not a tenant's problem," she said. "I think that evicting someone for those reasons is unfair." The bill is now before the legislature's committee of the whole.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Yukon no longer 'unregulated Wild West' for psychologists, as territory adopts new rules
Charlene Bradford couldn't be happier to say goodbye to what she characterizes as "an unregulated Wild West" when it comes to psychology and mental health services in the Yukon. Bradford, a registered psychologist and president of the Psychological Society of Yukon, is celebrating the territorial government's announcement that as of Saturday, psychologists will be regulated under the territory's Health Professions Act. The society has argued for years that Yukon was the last jurisdiction in Canada to not have a regulatory framework for psychologists. That meant that anybody could call themselves a psychologist in Yukon, regardless of their training, experience, or ethical standards, and offer services to local clients. "We're very excited about the whole situation," Bradford said on Wednesday, about the new territorial regulation. "It's kind of a sense of relief as well, being like, OK finally — we've been working for a long time for this." The government announced the new regulation on Tuesday. It requires all psychologists practising in the Yukon to be licensed and registered, and also sets out processes for complaints or disciplinary action against a professional. In a statement, Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn said the regulation is about "ensuring that Yukoners receive care from highly qualified and ethical professionals." "By setting clear standards and strengthening accountability, this regulation not only improves access to registered psychologists but also fosters trust and transparency in mental health services," Mostyn's statement reads. Community Services Minister Richard Mostyn said in a statement that the new regulation sets clear standards for psychologists practising in the territory, and strengthens accountability. (Rafsan Faruque Jugol/CBC) The government also says the new regulation means that Yukoners who see a psychologist will now be eligible to benefit from federal tax deductions. Under the regulation, psychologists must now register with the territory and hold a certificate in order to identify themself as a psychologist, registered psychologist or registered doctoral psychologist. The certificate must be renewed annually. 'A psychologist, for real' Bradford says it's about protecting the public and ensuring that people are receiving quality care. "I think the first biggest thing is that if you go and see a psychologist now in Yukon, they're actually a psychologist," she said. "So they've met a minimum standard of education, they've completed some licensing exam, they've had an exam in the legislation in the area, and a supervised practice. So you can be assured that they're a psychologist, for real." Bradford said the Psychological Society of Yukon has heard from Yukoners who have seen someone they believed was a psychologist, only to have their benefits claim rejected because that person was not in fact a psychologist. "So that part's a little easier now," she said. Bradford said she and others formed their society in 2019 as a way to advocate for psychology regulation in the territory. She says it's gratifying to feel their efforts have now paid off. She's especially pleased to see that there will also now be a requirement for registered psychologists to have some basic education in Yukon First Nations history and culture in order to practise in the territory. "We do have psychologists who are living and practising in Yukon, and then we also have psychologists who are living outside of Yukon but do come up here. And so for us, that was a really big piece — it's like, OK, but you need to understand the Yukon context when you're coming up," she said. Bradford also says Yukon needs more psychologists, so she hopes the new regulation makes the territory a more appealing place to work. "We have regulations and there's a clear process for that now, which is really fabulous. So I'm hoping it opens the doors for other psychologists to work here, perhaps from across the North, perhaps in telehealth ways," she said. "So there's a lot of possibility there."
