Rent relief is coming to all holders of existing NWT recreational, residential, commercial and mining surface dispositions on public land.
In a statement released Monday May 11th, the NWT’s Minister of Lands announced the territorial government intends to waive rent on existing surface dispositions on public land, for the fiscal year 2020-21.
Shane Thompson says rent relief is available to all holders of existing recreational, residential, and commercial and mining surface dispositions on public land.
- Surface dispositions are usually leases, but there are a small number of other types of dispositions such as easements or licences of occupation, that will also be eligible for relief.
- The rent relief for existing surface dispositions on public land, is retroactive to April 1, 2020.
The rent relief applies retroactively from April 1, 2020 until March 31, 2021 to allow all leaseholders to receive the same rent relief as those who received it at the beginning of the pandemic.
- The rent relief does not apply to new applications received after April 1, 2020.
If you have already paid rent that was due during this period and your account is in good standing, your payment will automatically be refunded.
- However, if you have overdue rent payments from prior years, these outstanding rents must still be paid.
According to the release, Thompson says this will leave a just over $2.7-million in the pockets of NWT residents and businesses and will be implemented later this month once final administrative requirements have been met.
This is meant to complement additional NWT economic relief measures announced in recent weeks by the GNWT.
Commercial and industrial leases include
- diamond mines, bulk fuel companies, and small contractors.
- trucking companies, tourism operators, fish plants, and outfitting camps.
- Sawmills as well as lodges.
All standard leases of greater than 5 years contain a 5-year rent review provision. Letters notifying leaseholders of a rent review will continue to be issued in 2020-21.
