The Village of Haines Junction in Yukon will hold a public council meeting on January 28, 2026, to discuss new housing developments and the cost of local services. Mayor Diane Strand, who was elected in a Jan. 30, 2025, by-election, will lead the gathering at the St. Elias Convention Centre at 7:00 p.m.
A major focus of the meeting involves managing 44 new residential lots that were completed in late 2025. Council is implementing measures under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) — the village received $1,234,637 to support an Action Plan — to accelerate housing supply, and discussions will examine related zoning and bylaw changes needed to integrate the new lots.
Council is also expected to address how to pay for increased demand on water, sewer and waste services as the community grows. New waste removal fees and other service‑delivery changes have been discussed in recent planning and bylaw work and could come up for consideration at this session.
Another important topic is the long‑standing vacancy in the fire chief role. A staff report (reported by CBC News) says the volunteer fire chief position has been vacant since 2022 and recommends the village consider options including a full‑time paid fire chief who could also serve as a protective‑services manager — a solution that the report says could cost in the order of $88,000–$132,000 annually. Council is likely to review those options and how best to ensure effective leadership of the local fire department.
Remote access to council meetings is typically provided via Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. The agenda package for the January 28, 2026, council meeting was posted on the village website on Jan. 23, 2026, and is available for the public to read so residents can assess how these decisions may affect daily life and local fees.
