Nunavut homeowners to receive heating-fuel rebate

AARON SPITZER

IQALUIT — Nunavut homeowners will be getting a break on their fuel bills, but only if they act fast.

In an announcement last week, the Nunavut government said it plans to give homeowners a $450 rebate to help cover the high cost of heating fuel this winter.

According to Manitok Thompson, the minister in charge of petroleum products, the rebate will be a one-time deal, and will be available only to homeowners who make less than $125,000 a year.

About 1,600 homeowners in Nunavut are expected to qualify for the program.

The rebate is meant to cover the period of November 2000 through October 2001, Thomson said. After this summer’s fuel resupply is completed, the rebate program will be reviewed, she said.

Applications for the program became available from the Nunavut Housing Corporation March 5. Homeowners must apply by March 31 to be eligible.

Thompson said cheques will be mailed out shortly after the applications are received and approved.

The specifics of the rebate program were not greeted with universal approval in the Nunavut legislative assembly.

James Arvaluk, the MLA for the Nanulik riding, questioned whether the $125,000 ceiling might be lowered so the amount of the rebate could be bigger.

He also suggested that the program could work on a sliding scale, where wealthier homeowners would get a smaller rebate while poorer people would receive a larger one.

Akulliq MLA Ovide Alakannuark suggested that the rebeate amount was simply too small.

With fuel oil in Kugaaruk now running at about $204 per barrel, he said, the money won’t go very far.

Thompson reacted with some frustration to the criticisms of the MLAs.

“We have not said that we would cover the whole cost of fuel for homeowners,” she said. “This is to help them cope with the increase.”

“I think we fail to remember that we are already subsidizing 3,100 public houses that we pay fuel for in this government. We are already subsidizing the fuel that is going into the hands of the consumers. We are subsidizing quite a lot as a government.”

Arvaluk also asked whether Thompson might once again consider decreasing the price of fuel in Nunavut. In November, the cost of fuel to Nunavummiut jumped by 13.9 cents.

“The gas prices, as we know, are driven by the market prices and I can’t control the world at this time,” said Thompson.

“But I can consider lowering the prices. But that’s it, a consideration.”