What to watch for in the Yukon Party government’s 1st main budget

The Yukon Legislative Assembly's spring session begins on Thursday with the Yukon Party government set to table its first main budget since being elected last fall.

And the government didn't keep Yukoners waiting before trickling out some pre-budget announcements that it chose to spotlight.

That includes an expanded energy rate relief program since two current power rebate programs end this month. A government news release on Tuesday said the total investment in the program expansion makes up a 240-per-cent increase from last year's budget.

According to the release, the upcoming budget will include $13 million for the program expansion. Energy Minister Ted Laking said the details of the program, including how much money Yukoners will get back, need to be finalized. He said the rebate program won't fully offset rate increases.

The government has also announced more police funding, including $3 million for 10 RCMP positions, $1 million for operations and gear, and $3 million for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades. A news release says $200,000 will go toward Yukon First Nations for community safety planning.

The government also announced on Wednesday a four-person panel that will undertake an independent review of the Yukon’s education system.

Premier Currie Dixon said the budget, which is subject to legislative approval, will mark the first sitting day of the upcoming session.

November's territorial election saw the Yukon Party take power from a minority Liberal government that had been propped up through a confidence-and-supply agreement (CASA) with the NDP. There are now 14 Yukon Party MLAs, 6 NDP MLAs and one Liberal MLA in the new assembly.

The Yukon Party campaigned on the promise of "change."

Thursday's budget will allow the government to lay out its vision in more detail, including how Dixon plans to get the territory out of what he describes as a financial “mess.”

“There's an opportunity for us to change the look and feel of some government functions,” Dixon said. “There's ways to make government more efficient, to improve services for Yukoners.”

Official Opposition Leader Kate White wonders how the 2026-27 territorial budget will set the table and tone for the largest majority government in the territory’s history.

She wants to see more focus on Yukoners as individuals with social and affordability needs, over what she refers to as government's “industry friends.”

“We've seen lots of announcements and investments right now in mining, but we haven't seen similar things, for example, in social programs,” White said.