Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 09/05) - City taxpayers will have the current construction boom to thank for shelter from the gathering storm of high energy prices, City Hall says.

Corporate services director Dave Devana said, in fact, next year's projected tax increase of 2.85 per cent will likely be lower than expected.

"We're going to try and work to a lower number," he said.

Devana said the city spends about $650,000 a year on heating oil and another $150,000 on gasoline. He said City Hall isn't sure yet how much of an impact rising fuel costs will have on the budget, but said this year's banner year for construction will help the city meet its budgetary targets.

Devana pointed to development of the Niven Lake subdivision, a new federal office building downtown, 24 lots sold in the Kam Lake industrial area, and several other large construction projects underway, that are sure to raise revenue through property taxes.

"It's looks like it will be bigger than we were anticipating," said Devana, who added that he didn't have hard dollar figures yet.

City councillor Dave McCann said he will push City Hall even further during budget deliberations this fall to ensure the city is getting the best bang for its buck.

"I see the real emphasis for us is to raise productivity at City Hall," said McCann.

"I like to think they're constantly focused on this."

Meanwhile, prices at the gas pumps continue to rise. Most pump prices this week appear to be hovering around the $1.25 per litre mark - up from $1.06 earlier this month.

Yellowknife resident Joe Lapka, like many other said two weeks ago when pump prices climbed to $1.10 per litre, said he will continue to pay to drive.

"We gotta move," said Lapka, while adding he feels the most recent hike attributed to the effects of last week's Hurricane Katrina is a scam.

"We can't just decide not to go to work today because we can't fill up our tank."

Andrew Robinson, a co-ordinator with the Arctic Energy Alliance, said there is help for those who want to save money on fuel costs this winter.

A study by Terriplan Consultants found that Yellowknife residents spent nearly $40 million last year on heating fuel alone.

Robinson said Arctic Energy Alliance can point people towards federal government programs that will help homeowners finance insulation upgrades on their houses.

"Your house gets a rating, like 70 or 75. Eighty is pretty good," said Robinson.

"So if you go up five points from a 70 to a 75 that will translate into a certain amount of money that comes back to help cover the costs of a new furnace or the insulation or whatever you put in."