Nunavik food prices 57 per cent higher than in south

KUUJJUAQ – If you’re grocery shopping in Nunavik, you notice right away that your dollar doesn’t go as far as in southern Quebec.

In fact, food that costs you a dollar in Quebec City can set you back $1.57 in Nunavik.

This was one of the most striking differences in prices, which Nick Bernard, a researcher at Université Laval in Quebec City presented last week to the Kativik Regional Government councilors.

The Nunavik Comparative Price Index 2006 compares the prices of 199 food products, 24 household products, 16 personal care products, 14 commonly used models of snowmobiles, essential hunting and fishing equipment, including gasoline, and monthly housing costs in Inukjuak, Salluit and Kuujjuaq with Quebec City.

The survey, prepared with the help of KRG employees, says a majority of products and services are more expensive in Nunavik.

Food on the average costs more expensive in Nunavik than in Quebec City. For example, white potatoes cost more than twice as much in Nunavik. White flour and milk are almost twice as much. Only green cabbage costs less in Nunavik than in Quebec City.

At the time of the survey, a Grade-A whole chicken sold for $9.75/ kilo in Nunavik, but for only $4.16/kilo in Quebec City.

“On top of this difference,” notes the survey, “several meat products in Nunavik are sold frozen while they may be purchased fresh in the Quebec City area.”

A package of garbage bags was about the same price in Nunavik as in Quebec City, but eight rolls of toilet paper were 50 per cent more expensive.

Personal care items are also much more expensive in Nunavik. The study also points out that families in Nunavik, with a birth rate two times higher than in the rest of Quebec, use more of those more costly baby products.

“In other words, baby diaper prices are not only higher, but Inuit households must buy a greater volume of this product.”

And consumers in Nunavik can’t save money on items by buying large format containers because these are more expensive to ship and end up not offering any savings.

As for furnishings, “items likely to be found in Inuit households are, on average, 43 per cent more expensive in Nunavik than identical or similar products in Quebec City.”

Even an Internet account is more expensive – it costs 80 per cent more for a basic package, which may explain why nine Internet subscribers in 10 in Nunavik opt for this.

Snowmobiles and gas and hunting gear are also more expensive.

Moreover, Nunavimmiut don’t have choice of goods, a chance to buy items on sale and they can’t order large-ticket items, such as vehicles or appliances, when they want to unless they’re willing to pay huge air freight costs.

The survey notes that these restrictions on consumer choices are somewhat offset by lack of a dress code at most workplaces in the region, as well as access to benefits such through jobs or beneficiary status.

And housing is cheaper, about one-third less than in southern Quebec.

But with food taking up 40 per cent of household budgets the survey suggests that “the cost of living in Nunavik is, in all likelihood, higher than anywhere else in Quebec.” Households in Nunavik also have a lower per capita income because families are larger and the family income is lower.

The KRG plans to use the results of this price study to lobby for a more generous airfare subsidy program for Nunavik residents, due to come into effect next month, as well as a maritime transport subsidy, similar to those in place in Quebec’s Lower North Shore and Magdelan Islands, for 2007.

“We want to find a way for our region to also be serviced in the same way as other regions. We also pay taxes. Why are we being treated differently?” said Johnny Adams, the former chairman of the KRG, who is still working on wresting a better transportation deal for Nunavik. “What about us?”

A previous price index survey successfully helped the KRG argue that the region’s child care subsidy should be higher – by 67 per cent – to compensate for the higher cost of living.