N.W.T. MLAs urge gov't to help with climbing fuel prices

Winter is almost here and across the Northwest Territories, people are wondering just how much more it's going to cost to heat their homes. It's a concern MLA's brought to the Legislative Assembly this week. Families are looking at their budgets and trying to figure out how they will absorb those increases. Global oil prices have risen since the US and Israel attacked Iran earlier this year and in smaller northern communities where living costs are already high, those increases can be especially difficult. Families have no control over these events overseas but they still have to find a way to heat their homes. There are ways to reduce the cost of heating a home. Switching from oil to a wood or pellet stove is one option but buying and installing a new heating system can be costly. MLAs say government subsidies haven't kept up with those rising costs. Certainly with the inflation that we've seen over the past five years installing those appliances has gone up significantly. Ottawa is also promising more help. Earlier this month, the federal government announced more than $2 billion to help Canadians make their homes more energy efficient. That includes rebates for heat pumps, which can reduce heating costs. And the Canada Greener Homes Affordability Program is designed to provide free home upgrades for lower- and middle-income households. Those upgrades include better insulation and more efficient heating systems. But how much of that support will reach northern households Particularly in remote communities remains an important question. Now, MLAs in the Northwest Territories want their own government to do more. They've passed a motion calling for more financial help with heating bills and better incentives to switch to other heating systems. Finance Minister Caroline Wozniak says some communities have already benefited from programs that will help people move away from heating oil. But she acknowledges those programs could go further. Some of those programs don't go as far as they could and so points taken on that front. The territory already covers heating costs for people in public housing and those on income assistance. It's also recently expanded its heating subsidy program for seniors. But members of the Legislative Assembly still want to see more support for residents and the territory has three months to respond to their motion. Devin Trudynek, CBC News, Yellowknife.