Facility will have 25 emergency beds, transitional housing

Work will begin this spring on a bigger, better Salvation Army homeless shelter to replace the current one in downtown Whitehorse.

Lt.-Col. Jim Champ of the Salvation Army said the current facility is operating at 200 per cent capacity and said the new one will be much bigger, with 25 emergency shelter beds and 22 transitional housing units.

"Transitional housing can provide individuals with the stability needed to find a job, to establish daily routines and to meet basic needs including food and clothing," he said at an announcement Wednesday morning.

The Yukon government is contributing $10.2 million for the purchase of the land and construction of the building.

Premier Darrell Pasloski said the centre will eventually be able to provide more services than the existing shelter.

In addition to its traditional role of providing hot meals, the new facility will also offer addiction counselling and skills-training.

The Salvation Army will operate the new shelter, which is being built across the street from the current one, on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Alexander Street.

It is expected to open in late 2016, at which time the Salvation Army said it plans to sell the older building.