Some of the data in two new Yukon poverty studies is staggering, says the executive director of a Yukon non-profit organization.

The Whitehorse Housing Adequacy Study and the Dimensions of Social Inclusion and Social Exclusion in Yukon 2010 report were both released by the Yukon government on Wednesday.

"What we're seeing right here is pretty serious. It's not something that I think we can run away from," said Rick Goodfellow, executive director of Challenge Community Vocational Alternatives, which supports the employment of people with disabilities.

The report on social inclusion found indicators of health and well-being were poor in Yukon, where the life expectancy is five years lower than the average for Canada as a whole.

For more information, see: 2010 Whitehorse Housing Adequacy Study; Dimensions of Social Inclusion and Exclusion In Yukon, 2010