Yukon targets 1st suspected drug house

Tenants of a suspected Whitehorse drug house are getting the boot from theYukon government under its new safer communities legislation.

Bright green eviction notices were taped to therickety, white house in the Kopper King neighbourhood Tuesday, giving the occupants five days to move out.

This is the first time the government has used the new law, passedin 2006,to deal with reports of illegal drug activity going onin a home.

NeighbourHuguette Pomerleausaid she was happy to hear about the eviction but remained skepticalit will solve the problem.

"They're going to open somewhere else and then some other corner of Whitehorse is going to have the same problem," she told CBC News Tuesday.

"I really don't know what we can do about it unless we kick them out of town altogether."

Justice Department spokesmanDan Cable admitseviction may not pay off in the short-term, but he says it's better than doing nothing at all.

"Do you sit on your hands and do nothing, or do you get them out and put them on the run and get them moving on to other neighbourhoods, because eventually they'll just leave the jurisdiction and try to go to greener pastures," Cable said.

Whitehorse RCMP say they will review the government's investigation to see if there is enough evidence to lay charges.

Under the safer communities law, the government takes complaints from the publicaboutillegal activity in their neighbourhoods.

After it investigates, it can either work with the landlord to stop the activity or seek a community safety court order.