Extension of the Agreement on Nunavik Cost-of-Living Measures And Addition to the Household Appliance and Harvesting Equipment Program

Kuujjuaq, Québec, April 27, 2017 – The Agreement on the Financing of Measures to Reduce the Cost of Living in Nunavik administered by the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) has been extended until March 2018. This one-year extension will allow the KRG, the Makivvik and the Québec government to pursue negotiations to define effective and long-lasting solutions to the high cost of living in Nunavik, based on the conclusions of the two-year research report completed by Université Laval in November 2016.

New harvesting equipment item eligible for rebate 

Locally built qajaq have been added to the harvesting vehicles and equipment component of the Household Appliance and Harvesting Equipment Program, one of the current Nunavik Cost-of-Living Measures. This component targets vehicles and equipment intended for hunting, fishing, trapping and gathering activities. It is hoped that this new eligible item will encourage the practice of traditional activities, contribute to subsistence harvesting and foster local expertise in qajaq construction. Locally built qajaq purchased through local hunter support programs will receive a 30% rebate up to a maximum of $500, as is the case for qamutiik, boggans and ice augers.

The KRG administers six measures to help reduce the effects of the region’s high cost of living on Nunavimmiut. These are:

1) Elders’ Assistance aims to reduce some of the difficult socio-economic conditions faced by elders through biannual payments of $875 to beneficiaries of the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement (JBNQA) living in Nunavik and aged 60 or older.

2) The Airfare Reduction Program ensures rebates for all Nunavimmiut when travelling between the region’s communities or to southern Québec, and for JBNQA beneficiaries living in another region of Québec for their return travel to Nunavik.

3) The Country Food Community Support Program aims to increase the quantity of country food available in each community by reducing related purchase and transportation costs.

4) The Household Appliance and Harvesting Equipment Program helps pay for the very high cost of household appliances and furniture as well as subsistence harvesting vehicles and equipment.

5) The Food and Other Essentials Program provides discounts for all Nunavimmiut of between 20 and 40% on over 1500 food, personal care, household, clothing and footwear products, as well as some camping supplies, purchased in Nunavik stores.

6) The Gasoline Program delivers meaningful support to subsistence harvesters by facilitating their access to hunting and fishing areas.

Funding for the Nunavik Cost-of-Living Measures is paid by the Québec government pursuant to an agreement signed with the KRG and the Makivvik. For more information on all six Nunavik Cost-of-Living Measures, consult http://www.krg.ca/en/cost-of-living-program.

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The KRG is a non-ethnic public organization created in 1978, under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. The organization has jurisdiction over nearly the entire territory of Québec north of the 55th parallel in areas such as municipal matters, transportation, the environment, policing, employment, labour training, income security, childcare services, renewable resources, land-use planning, civil security and economic development.
The Makivvik is the development corporation mandated to manage the heritage funds of the Inuit of Nunavik provided for under the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. Makivvik’s role includes the administration and investment of these funds and the promotion of economic growth by providing assistance for the creation of Inuit-operated businesses in Nunavik. Makivvik promotes the preservation of Inuit culture and language as well as the health, welfare, relief of poverty, and education of Inuit in the communities.