Salluit stalemate broken

SALLUIT – The Qarqalik Landholding Corporation, which administers community-held property in Salluit, will be looking around for a new party willing to rent the land under its fuel tank farm.

The Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec had wanted to renew its existing lease for an additional 20-year period, but the FCNQ did not want to pay the substantial increase that the Landholding was requesting. The FCNQ had suggested a local referendum as a way of breaking the impasse in the negotiations.

But at a special general meeting of the Landholding’s members held on February 18, the majority of those present opted to grant the FCNQ only a temporary land lease and invite other tenders for fuel supply in the community.

They authorized the Landholding to select the best overall proposal for Salluit, at “not necessarily the highest rental rate”, and sign a land lease agreement with the successful bidder.