Iqaluit (May 23/05) - Frustrated with the rising costs associated with owning a home in Iqaluit, a recently-formed group's voice has grown louder over the last two months in calls for better communication from city council.

"It just feels like homeowners are becoming the main pot of money for the city to do what it wants," said Susan Gardener, president of the Namminiq Angirraliit Aqalunni Association. "We'd like to see more fairness."

The fledgling organization, which formed in January this year, has become a growing presence at recent council meetings. Since its formation, the group has culled hundreds of e-mail addresses from interested residents, and continues to receive faxes of support most days, Gardener said.

Homeowners are being crippled by a long list of fee increases, Gardener said, listing a hike in heating oil costs in September last year, a tax increase in December, higher power rates in February and water rates in April.

An earlier tax collection date announced in March also chagrined members of the group.

Word about the five per cent water rate increase first reached members of the group by a news reporter, which Gardener said illustrated the need for better communication from council.

City officials addressed their concerns at a recent meeting, on the homeowners' own turf.

Recent fee increases have been introduced according to the five-year capital plan signed with the Government of Nunavut in 2002, said chief administrative officer Ian Fremantle.

Questions from residents at the meeting spanned the paving of roads and anticipated construction of a new sewage plant to the shortage of gravel and cancellation of the public bus system.

"I'm very friendly to working with homeowners, and think these meetings are good," said Deputy Mayor Glenn Williams afterward.

The meeting showed how both parties could help one another with communication, and that council's willingness to allow them to make several presentations shows a degree of openness, said Gardener.

"That says a lot that they're willing to accommodate us."

The group isn't out to score political points or attack the existing council, Gardener insists, but expressing what was being said in private earlier.

"Too often we complain to each other behind closed doors, and that doesn't resolve anything."