Welcome but not enough, say N.W.T. residents of federal grocery rebate program

Some northerners may have noticed a payment that popped up in their bank account yesterday. 

The federal government started issuing one-time grocery rebate payments. 

The payments are meant to help alleviate the growing cost of food due to inflation; they range from $234 for an individual with no children, to $628 for a family with four kids. 

"People will be disappointed with this little rebate money," said Bertha Catholique, a resident in Łutsël K'é. 

"It's just going to help this month. That's it." 

She said residents in small communities still struggle to afford basic necessities. 

To make up for the high cost, Catholique's family harvests from the land. 

"We always had to do that to survive," she said. 

But even going out on the land is becoming more expensive. 

Sean Whelly, the mayor of Fort Simpson, said these kind of rebate programs and subsidies "are becoming more required." 

He said many community members will try stocking up when they travel south for other unrelated reasons — like medical travel — "just trying to make ends meet." 

Nutrition North already subsidizes some foods in the North, but the program has long been criticized for not easing expensive prices in communities. 

"I worry too that children need to get proper nutrition," said Whelly. "Any relief on food prices would be very beneficial and [for] a variety of foods."