N.W.T. government ends and extends some COVID-19 relief for residents, businesses
Fees waived for truck permits, airport fees; some funding supports for child care extended
The Northwest Territories government has extended some economic relief measures related to COVID-19 that have expired, relating to child care and transportation.
The government allocated an additional $557,000 to help licensed child-care programs, which now expires on Sept. 30. Those specific measures include:
- Funding to pay up to 75 per cent of eligible fixed costs for child-care operators.
- Funding supports for cleaning child-care spaces.
Some transportation-related fees will continue to be waived for businesses and residents. Those include:
- Deh Cho Bridge tolls (until Sept. 30).
- Truck permits (until Sept. 30).
- N.W.T. airport landing fees (until Dec. 31).
- Leases, licences, concession fees at all N.W.T. airports (until Dec. 31).
These measures were set to expire on June 30, states a government news release sent Monday.
Some of the COVID-19 economic relief measures that have expired are:
- Increase in income assistance and exemptions in unearned income for those receiving income assistance.
- Temporary wage top-up for licensed child-care employees.
- A program to pay 33 per cent of child-care fees for children of front-line workers.
- Waiver of food permit fees.
- Waiver of professional fees for N.W.T. Health and Social Services Department.
Up until June 30, the government says its measures provided about $36.9 million in relief for N.W.T. residents and businesses, according to the news release.
The government claims the extension of the above economic relief measures will save N.W.T. businesses and residents an additional $5.7 million.
In June, three committees of regular MLAs issued their recommendations to the N.W.T. government — and mostly, they recommend the government stay the course with current COVID-19 benefits.