Inuvik (Apr 22/05) - Residents choosing to stay in Inuvik to pursue their post-secondary education are at a serious disadvantage compared to their territorial counterparts, according to students at Aurora College.

Students coming from the area don't qualify for subsidized housing, but they complain the cost living is so much higher in Inuvik than the rest of the territory, it makes it hard to get by on the $700 a month received from Student Financial Aid (SFA) after paying for tuition and books, said Donna Zoe.

"I have to live off that here, in one month. Can you believe that?" she said.

The criminal justice student has $50 a month for food and activities after she pays $650 for rent.

"It's too expensive here. It costs me more to buy groceries here too compared to a student in Fort Smith," she said. "We should get a Northern allowance."

Out of town students who move to the region get a break on housing costs, said Robbie Joe, housing officer at the school.

"If you're going to school, the housing corporation would charge you $32 a month."

Accommodations offered by the college at prices lower than market value are solely for out of town students. The cost of a single room is about $220 a month and $505 for a family unit.

A few years ago college officials were asked to make a proposal to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment about cost of living concerns.

The cost of a basket of food in Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife was compared and there was a significant difference, said Miki O'Kane, campus director. "Often it was at least double."

No changes resulted from the exercise.

Zoe explained that at a February ECE meeting, she once again raised the issue of having financial aid adjusted to cost of living with officials.

"They just ignored my question. They didn't answer me," she said.

Not everyone is ignoring her concerns, however.

"We are about to review the SFA system," said Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Charles Dent. "But I doubt we're going to get into indexing."

The minister explained that students in the North receive one of the highest rates of financial assistance in the country and aid from the government is not meant to cover the entire cost of schooling.