Eligible Norman Wells residents aged 60 and over will have their seniors’ home heating subsidy “nearly doubled,” the NWT government said on Friday.
The territory had already said that was a possibility as a fuel crisis sparked by soaring costs set in earlier this month.
Some residents of the Sahtu town, for which Imperial Oil is the lone supplier, have reported monthly heating costs rocketing to $5,000 or more in recent weeks.
Imperial says the extra cost is because it has to bring in fuel by air after low water meant the barge resupply season failed. The town and GNWT have suggested Imperial could have done more to plan ahead, and Imperial has been called upon by finance minister Caroline Wawzonek to “step up” and help the town.
In the meantime, the GNWT said in a news release that the seniors’ home heating subsidy will go up from $750 per month to $1,455 per month for eligible Norman Wells seniors from October to April.
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“The Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to monitor heating costs in Norman Wells and may adjust the subsidy rate as needed,” the territory stated.
You don’t need to reapply to receive the increase. If you have already signed up, it will automatically go up.
