New measures to offset Nunavik’s high cost-of-living start April 1

Nunavik residents have seen signs like this one for years in local stores, but now the program to reduce the high cost of living in the region is expanding as of April 1. (FILE PHOTO)

If you go out to buy a pair of boots or a new jacket in Nunavik, you’ll notice that these items are cheaper as of today.

The drop in the prices of clothing and footwear is no April Fool’s joke.

That’s because, as of April 1, four cost-of-living programs in Nunavik have improved support for the region’s most disadvantaged, the Kativik Regional Government and Makivik Corp. said in a joint April 1 news release.

The new and improved programs will also target healthy lifestyles which take into consideration Inuit traditional activities and culture, the news release said.

Among the major improvements cited: a new 30 per cent subsidy for clothing and footwear purchased from participating local stores under the “Food and Other Essentials Program,” as well as a new transportation subsidy for hunting and fishing equipment that need repairs.

“Subsistence harvesting continues to provide an essential source of food to Inuit households,” said Makivik’s president Jobie Tukkiapik in the release. “This new transportation subsidy for repairs will help harvesters keep their complex, modern equipment in safe working order.”

The “Food and Other Essentials Program,” which already offered discounts between 20 per cent and 40 per cent for more than 1,500 commonly purchased food, personal care and household products, will now include clothing and footwear which will receive a 30 per cent discount when bought in Nunavik.

Co-op stores and Northern stores in every Nunavik community, plus Newviq’vi in Kuujjuaq, are participating in this program.

“While the KRG and Makivik continue to work hard to collect the data needed to negotiate with Quebec on effective and long-term solutions to the region’s high cost of living, the new subsidy for clothing and footwear will provide real and meaningful support to Nunavik families,” KRG chairperson Maggie Emudluk said in the release.

The household appliance and harvesting equipment program will help offset costs for shipping snowmobiles, outboard motors and all-terrain vehicles south for repairs and cover return shipping north for up to one return shipment annually.

As well, snowmobile trailers and ice augers now appear on the revised list of equipment eligible for a purchase subsidy.

The annual maximum amount under the household appliances and furniture program has been increased from $1,050 to $1,750. Sewing machines now appear on the list of eligible items.

And for the country food community support program, there’s an additional $250,000. The new money means each community’s allocation will include a $10,000 base amount plus an additional amount set according to the size of the local Inuit population.

Complete descriptions of program can be found here.

Quebec provides the money for Nunavik’s various cost-of-living measures under an agreement signed with Makivik and the KRG in 2013.

Under this agreement, Quebec committed $33 million for these measures over three years.

The agreement also includes an in-depth study of the consumer patterns of Nunavimmiut by Laval university researchers to develop a comparative cost of living index.

The results of this two-year study will be used to define effective and long-lasting solutions to the cost of living in Nunavik, the release said.

Nunavik’s cost-of-living measures are determined jointly by the Makivik and the KRG, with the KRG responsible for administering the implementation of the measures.