Gas prices just went up in Nunavik, but beneficiary price stays mostly stable

Nunavik beneficiaries are paying a half-cent more per litre for gas after Kativik Regional Government increased a fuel subsidy in tandem with a price hike in the region.

The price of gas is now 3.5 cents more expensive per litre across Nunavik. The change took effect Sept. 1.

Kativik Regional Government announced in a news release Aug. 31 that all beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement are getting a three-cent subsidy increase per litre in response to the price change.

A litre of gasoline in Nunavik now costs $2.62, up from $2.585, for the general public. With the subsidy, the cost per litre is $1.84 for beneficiaries, up from $1.835.

The higher general price is due to the increased costs of transporting fuel from the south as well as the overall increase in fuel prices over the years, the news release said.

“The gasoline subsidy is an important tool to ease some of the burdens that our businesses and residents face,” said KRG chairperson Hilda Snowball in the release.

“We know that Nunavimmiut deal with unique and difficult challenges in making a living and providing for their families in their day-to-day lives”

KRG announced the subsidy in partnership with Makivvik.

In the release, Makivvik president Pita Aatami called the subsidy a “lifeline” that improves access to traditional activities on the land for more Inuit.

The gasoline subsidy is part of the Nunavik cost-of-living reduction measures that were first put in place in 2007. The program received further funding from the Quebec government in 2019, and has a pool of $115.8 million available until 2025.

The gasoline subsidy is one of six cost-of-living reduction measures in place for Nunavimmiut. The other programs offer assistance to elders, reduced airfare, country food community support, household appliances and harvesting equipment.