Nunavik gasoline prices rise to nearly $2 per litre

Gas at the pump costs more in Nunavik since Sept. 1. (FILE PHOTO)

Nunavik drivers will pay more at the pump this week — the price of gasoline rose Sept. 1 by 4.9 cents a litre across the region.

The 2013-2014 price of gasoline, set by the region’s fuel distributors, went up Sept. 1 from $1.946 per litre to $1.995 per litre.

Halutik Fuels, a subsidiary of Makivik Corp., services Kuujjuaq, Quaqtaq and Kangiqsualujjuaq, while the Fédération des cooperatives du Nouveau-Québec serves as a fuel distributor to the 11 other communities in Nunavik.

But the increase in the price of gasoline will mainly be felt by private businesses and governments: that’s because, Nunavik’s gasoline subsidy program contribution for the next year is set at 21 cents.

This means most Nunavimmiut will only pay $1.785 per litre for regular gas at the pump — up from $1.725 last year.

The subsidy program was launched in 2007 to help lower the cost-of-living in Nunavik communities. It’s one of six cost-of-living reduction measures funded by the Quebec government.

As part of the Nunavik Comparative Price Index 2011, researchers at Laval university compared at gasoline prices in Nunavik with those in Quebec City between August 2012 and May 2011.

The study showed gasoline to be more expensive in Nunavik by eight per cent.