Opposition continues to hound Yukon gov't on Whistle Bend care facility costs

Yukonopposition MLAs refuseto let the government off the hook when it comes to the expected costs of running the Whistle Bend extended care facility.

The NDP and Liberals have accused the government of launching the major capital project without knowing how much it will cost taxpayersin operations and maintenance (O&M).

• Yukon gov't mum on Whistle Bend facility operation costs

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Last week, Health Minister Mike Nixon said it would cost about $28 million per year.On Monday, he admitted that's anestimate, based on the cost of running the Copper Ridge care facility.

"We do not have an approved budget yet for the O&M costs for running the new Whistle Bend continuing care facility.That's a couple of years out," Nixon said.

"However, we do have an idea of the order of magnitude of the costs."

NDP MLA Lois Moorcroft was not satisfied.

Moorcroftsaid that when departments give budget submissions to management board, they're expected to meet requirements of the Financial Administration Act.

"[That] requires all departments to include in the expenditure plan 'the total estimated capital cost of the project and the financial and human resources required to complete the project, including the resulting operation and maintenance impact of the project,'" she said.

She asked public works minister Scott Kent whether the procurement study on Whistle Bend met those requirements.

"We're trying to determine whether the minister... did his job managing the procurement, according to law, for this controversial project. Maybe that's why he doesn't want to answer the question,"she said.

Minister Nixon replied that the government "has included those O&M costs in its long-term fiscal plan."

The territory's latestbudgetestimates the total cost of operations and maintenance for all government departments inthe coming years ($1 billion for 2018/19), but does not break it down by facility.

Liberal Sandy Silver, meantime,introduced a motion on Monday callingon the government to "release detailed cost estimates for the operations and maintenance of the new Whistle Bend" care facility.