HAY RIVER - The new senior administrative officer (SAO) with the Hamlet of Fort McPherson has an idea generate revenue and possibly improve people's health.

Toby Neuendorf: the new SAO of Fort McPherson is proposing a local levy by NWT communities on unhealthy products. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

Toby Neuendorf thinks NWT communities should be able to impose a local tax on unhealthy products, such as pop, chips, candy, sweet cereals and cigarettes.

"Anything we know is contributing to our health issues in the communities," he said.

Neuendorf refers to the tax as a recreation levy or recreation fee, since the money raised would be used for initiatives to promote recreation, health and culture.

On May 14, the Fort McPherson SAO presented the idea to the annual general meeting in Hay River of the NWT Association of Communities.

Neuendorf said it would be a small levy, without being specific about the amount of the tax. "But it would generate a significant amount of money."

His idea is that each community would have the opportunity to opt into the tax or stay out.

Plus, he suggested the tax could be charged by stores simply by changing computer software. "It's not a big deal for them to handle something like this."

The money could be collected by the GNWT or the NWT Association of Communities and distributed back to participating communities, he said.

Neuendorf has already received resolutions of support for the idea from the Hamlet of Fort McPherson and the Tetlit Gwichin Council in the community.

The resolution from the Tetlit Gwichin Council states that it "fully supports this initiative for the benefit of the community and the residents of Fort McPherson."

The idea was not presented as a resolution at the annual general meeting of the NWT Association of Communities.

Association president Gord Van Tighem, the mayor of Yellowknife, said the idea may return in the form of a resolution at next year's annual general meeting.

"It will give the community and staff time to get wording that makes it more generally acceptable," Van Tighem said.

However, Neuendorf hopes the idea is dealt with "way before" that.