Nunavik residents will save on motor oil, camping fuel

Nunavimmiut are now eligible to save 30 per cent off snowmobile motor oil and camping fuel, as part of the region’s cost of living subsidy program. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

Nunavik residents can now catch a break on the cost of snowmobile motor oil and camping fuel in the region.

The Kativik Regional Government and Makivik Corp. announced the two items are now eligible for a 30-per cent discount under their cost of living reduction program.

The regional organizations decided in 2014 to use their latest injection of subsidies from Quebec to top-up existing programs to support elders and food security in Nunavik.

While the region has for the last several years received $5 million annually to offset the high cost of living in the region, the Quebec government more than doubled those subsides until early 2017.

Rather than create new measures, the KRG and Makivik chose to stick with six funds that have been in place since 2007 to offset retail prices for goods like food, household products, gasoline and hunting equipment.

On July 1, the KRG and Makivik announced they’ve now added camping fuel and snowmobile oil under their Food and Other Essentials Program, which subsidizes more than 1,500 common food, personal care and household items, by offering discounts of between 20 and 40 per cent.

Nunavimmiut can access those discounts at their local Co-op or Northern store, or Newviq’vi in Kuujjuaq.

Regional leadership continues to tweak the subsidy program, adding clothing, footwear and a transportation subsidy to cover hunting and fishing equipment repair earlier this year.

As part of Nunavik’s latest agreement with the province, regional organizations are working alongside Laval university to track the spending habits of Nunavimmiut.

The study, although underway in six communities, involves surveying families from a number of communities in Nunavik to examine what products they’re purchasing and what their weekly budgets look like.

The survey is expected to be completed in 2016 and will be used to determine longer-term solutions to the high cost of living in Nunavik, the KRG and Makivik said.