• MLAs call on N.W.T. gov't to offer more support for residents facing high fuel costs

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-30 11:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Affordability, Energy, Governance]

  The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a motion on Thursday, developed by the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, urging the territorial government to increase home heating subsidies and expand financial incentives for converting to energy-efficient alternative heating appliances. Driven by a global spike in heating oil prices following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, regular MLAs criticized current programs as insufficient given that roughly half of Northwest Territories households rely on diesel as their primary heat source. Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek noted the timing aligns with the upcoming territorial budget cycle and acknowledged gaps in existing wood pellet conversion and senior heating subsidy programs, while pointing out that public housing and income assistance clients already receive full heating coverage. The territorial government now has 120 days to formally respond to the motion.

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• Yukon gov't not swayed by petition to demand investigation into power utilities' billing practices

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-29 01:44:22.0
  Tags: [National, Energy, Affordability, Governance]

  Yukon Energy Minister Ted Laking has declined an opposition petition urging the government to use Section 18 of the Public Utilities Act to order the Yukon Utilities Board to investigate ATCO Electric Yukon and the Yukon Energy Corporation over billing discrepancies. The petition, signed by 1,101 people and tabled by NDP justice critic Carmen Gustafson, called for an independent probe into billing practices between July 2025 and July 2026 following months of customer complaints related to a 2023 billing system transition. Instead of a regulator-led investigation funded by taxpayers, the territorial government previously directed ATCO Electric Yukon to hire its own independent third-party auditor to investigate the billing issues.

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• Q&A | Yukon energy minister says power bills could go up by 53% without federal help

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-22 12:31:09.0
  Tags: [National, Energy, Infrastructure, Affordability, Governance]

  Yukon Energy Minister Ted Laking announced that Yukon power bills could increase by 53 per cent without federal funding support to address critical power infrastructure upgrades and a projected 60 per cent rise in grid demand over the next decade. Laking is lobbying the federal government in Ottawa for a 75-25 per cent cost-sharing partnership for infrastructure projects, noting that connecting to the British Columbia power grid is estimated to cost over $4 billion, which far exceeds the territorial government's $2 billion annual budget. In response to recent grid capacity strains, the Yukon government has repealed the Clean Energy Act, reallocated electric vehicle rebates toward home energy efficiency and heat pumps, and planned thermal backup generation utilizing Whitehorse Power Centres.

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• Cost of living, ‘opioid crisis’ paramount for opposition MLAs as Yukon legislature returns

  Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
  Date: 2026-10-02 11:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Governance, Healthcare, Affordability, Energy, Mining]

  As the Yukon Legislative Assembly begins its fall sitting, opposition leaders Kate White of the NDP and interim Liberal leader Debra-Leigh Reti are pressing Premier Currie Dixon's majority government on the rising cost of living, regional healthcare gaps, and the territory's opioid crisis. Premier Dixon is seeking federal intervention to raise the Yukon's debt cap from $1.2 billion to $3 billion to fund major energy and health projects. Additionally, the territorial government reported that 52 out of 56 recommendations from the Independent Review Board following the 2024 Eagle gold mine heap leach disaster have been implemented, with the remaining four slated for completion by spring.

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• S-251 (45-1) - An Act to establish a national strategy to end energy poverty

  Source: Parliament of Canada (LEGISinfo)
  Date: 2026-10-01 00:00:00.0
  Tags: [National, Energy, Affordability, Social Services, Governance]

  Senator Mary Coyle introduced Senate Public Bill S-251, entitled An Act to establish a national strategy to end energy poverty, in the Senate of Canada. The legislation reached its first reading on October 1, 2026, during the 1st session of the 45th Parliament. The bill aims to create a comprehensive federal framework and national strategy to address and eliminate energy poverty across Canada. Currently, the bill is positioned at the second reading stage in the Senate for future debate and committee review.

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