The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is providing rent relief for some renters on public land until March 2021.
The decision was made by the government due to the economic burdens created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Department of Lands announced this decision in a news conference held Monday, May 5 and stated that the rent relief will be available to “all holders of existing recreational, residential and commercial and mining surface dispositions on public land.”
“This rent relief initiative will help limit expenses and keep cash available for immediate needs in this time of uncertainty,” Minister of Lands Shane Thompson said.
The department says, this announcement will leave a little over $2.7 million in the pockets of NWT residents and businesses. The incentive “will be implemented later this month once final administrative requirements have been met.”
The rent relief does not apply to new applications received after April 1, 2020.
The government says that applicants who have already applied will receive payments retroactively.
“Commercial and industrial leases include a variety of business types including diamond mines, bulk fuel companies, small contractors, trucking companies, tourism operators, fish plants, outfitting camps, sawmills, and lodges to name a few,” the GNWT said in a news release.
The department says anyone who has already made payments for the 2020/21 fiscal year will automatically receive a refund if their account is in good standing.
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