It seems the city will need about 1,000 more housing units over the next decade to keep up with projected population growth, according to a presentation to city council on Oct. 15. 

Urban Systems, the consultants who analyzed the information, noted that Yellowknife's population is expected to grow to be a little more than 22,400 by 2035. That's about a 10 per cent jump from its current size, according to Urban Systems.

Here's what those 1,003 new residences would likely need to look like:

-193 new studio or one-bedroom units

-263 two-bedroom units

-473 three-bedroom units

-174 units of four or more bedrooms

As of 2021, there were about 7,500 households in the city, with an average of about three people per household. The most common household type consisted of a couple with children, according to Urban System's findings. 

A spike in more housing units could help cool the cost of rent in the city as well. For the past seven years, while the number of housing units the city builds each year drops, the cost of rent has steadily risen. 

"The general trend is that the number of [housing] completions per year has decreased over time," said Jake Papineau, the consultant giving the presentation to council.

In 2017, the city built 120 housing units, the next year, it only erected 43. That was par for the course until 2023, when the municipality only managed to build 15 additional residences, according to Urban System's findings.

Meanwhile, rent costs for all types of units has climbed. The average monthly rental for a one-bedroom unit in 2017 was about $1,400. As of 2023, that cost is now about $1,600.

"Based on the number of bedrooms, we're seeing rents increase around 28 per cent since 2010. Over that same period, household incomes haven't increased by the same amount, so less money has to go further," Papineau said.

These numbers might not paint the most accurate picture, however. Papineau noted the data his company obtained from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation suggests that YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 vacancy rate in 2023 was 3.4 per cent, which is a fairly standard number for most provinces and territories. However, Urban Systems said the feedback it gathered from local residents indicated that the real rate is lower.

But Urban Systems is far from finished. Papineau said the company's final report should be complete by the end of the year. He added that a public survey may be circulated to collect more data.

"We're working with the city staff to determine whether that's a feasible path going forward," he said.