Silu Autut runs a number of businesses in Rankin Inlet, including a taxi company, expediting outfit and small engine repair shop.
With fuel prices rising to start the new year, the entrepreneur is questioning how he’s going to continue covering costs to maintain his companies.
“All the hunters and all the locals, people around us, are affected by this,” said Autut to Kivalliq News. “All my businesses, we always try to help the people out, but it’s starting to get really hard to do that, because it’s costing me money.”
Diesel and gasoline both cost an extra 15 cents per litre as of Jan. 4, leading to retail prices of $1.50 per litre for diesel heating, $1.83 per litre for diesel in vehicles and $1.70 per litre for gasoline. Naphtha cans now cost $9.43 at retail.
Gas is one factor, but inflation is hitting in a number of ways, Autut said. Parts that would previously cost $250 landed are over $300 now.
Last year, Autut started his expediting and hauling business, which he said was very successful by boat in the summer.
“But with the increase, just for me to go to Chester and back is going to cost me over $1,000 now,” said Autut. “That’s going to be the same issue with the Bombardier (in winter).”
He said he’s “definitely” going to have to raise prices for his expediting business, but he wants to maintain the existing taxi fares, recognizing that costs are going up everywhere.
“It’s just really sad to see,” said Autut. “Everyone is going to be affected by this. And people that don’t have full-time jobs, these are the people that are going to be affected the most. It’s starting to get too ridiculous here.”
Savannah Issaluk in Chesterfield Inlet said the increased costs have her reconsidering her once-regular hunting trips. She usually goes to Wager Bay by snowmobile to set nets and hunt wolves or caribou, and then to White Island by boat for camping and narwhal.
“It gets pretty expensive just buying the gas alone, also grub and supplies add up too,” said Issaluk. “It’s getting more expensive every year. Inflation is really affecting the trips.”
For Autut, the increased prices have him fearing he may need to make a major decision with his businesses.
“It’s a big struggle,” he said. “It’s really hard. You’ve got to be very careful on what the next steps are going to be… With everything going up, I don’t know if we’re going to keep going after this winter.”
He said he likes to always have a plan in place, but he fears he may have to let one of his businesses go in the wake of rising costs.
ᓯᓗ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐊᐅᓛᖅᑎᑦᑎᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᖅ ᖃᑉᓯᐊᕐᔪᖕᓂᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓂᒃ ᑲᖏᖅᖠᓂᕐᒥᑦ, ᐃᓚᐅᔪᑦ ᑖᒃᓯᓕᕆᓂᖅ, ᐊᐅᓚᖅᑕᕈᔾᔨᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒥᑭᔪᓂᒃ ᐃᑯᒪᓕᕆᕝᕕᖕᒥᑦ.
ᐅᖅᓱᐃᑦ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᓄᑖᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᖅ ᐱᒋᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍᒥᑦ, ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᓇᓗᔪᖅ ᖃᓄᖅ ᑲᒪᒌᓐᓇᕈᖕᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᒋᑦ ᐊᑭᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓛᖅᑎᓐᓂᐊᕐᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖏᑦ.
“ᒪᖃᐃᑎᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᒥᐅᑕᐃᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᕙᑎᑉᑎᖕᓃᑦᑐᑦ, ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᙵ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᑭᕙᓪᓕᕐᒥᑦ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ, “ᑕᒪᕐᒥᓗᒃᑖᖅ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒻᓂᑦ, ᐃᑲᔪᕋᓱᖃᑦᑕᖅᑐᒍᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᓂᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᖕᓇᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᖅᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ, ᑮᓇᐅᔭᓂᒃ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖃᑦᑕᕋᒪ.”
ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᖕᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᖅᓱᕐᒧᑦ ᑕᒪᕐᒥᒃ 15 ᓴᓐᓂᑦ ᐃᓚᖃᓕᖅᑐᑦ ᐊᑐᓂ ᓖᑕᒧᑦ ᐱᒋᐊᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᖅᖀᓐᓇᕐᔪᐊᖅ 4-ᒥᑦ, ᐊᑭᖃᓕᖅᓗᓂ $1.50 ᓖᑕᒧᑦ ᐅᖅᓱᐊᓗᒃ, $1.83 ᓖᑕ ᓄᓇᒃᑰᕈᑏᑦ ᐅᖅᓱᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ $1.70 ᓖᑕ ᐅᖅᓱᕐᒧᑦ. ᓈᑉᑕ ᐃᐳᐃᑦᑐᐃᑦ $9.43-ᓂᒃ ᓂᐅᕕᐊᒃᓴᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᓕᖅᑐᑦ.
ᐅᖅᓱᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᔪᑦ ᖃᑉᓯᐊᕐᔪᖕᓂᑦ, ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. ᐃᓚᒃᓴᐃᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᖅᐸᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ $250-ᓂᒃ ᑎᑭᑎᖦᖢᒋᑦ $300 ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ ᐊᑭᖃᓕᖅᑐᑦ.
ᐊᕐᕌᓂ, ᐊᐅᑐᑦ ᐊᒡᔭᖅᑐᐃᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐅᓯᑲᑦᑕᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᓕᓚᐅᖅᑐᖅ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕆᑉᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐊᔪᙱᑦᑎᐊᓚᐅᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐅᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᐅᔭᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ.
“ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᖅᑎᓪᓗᒍ, ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᓕᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᖓ ᐅᑎᕐᓗᖓᓗ ᐊᑭᖃᓕᖅᑐᖅ $1,000 ᐅᖓᑖᓄᑦ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᑕᐃᒪᓐᓇᐃᓐᓂᐊᕐᒥᔪᖅᑕᐅᖅ ᐹᒻᒪᑎᐅᒃᑯᑦ (ᐅᑭᐅᒃᑯᑦ).”
ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ “ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᖅᓯᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᒡᔭᖅᑐᐃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᓱᖁᓯᕈᒪᙱᑕᖏᑦ ᑖᒃᓯᒃᑰᕈᑏᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᑉᓗᓂ ᓇᓂᓗᒃᑖᖅ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᖅᑕᖃᕐᒪᑦ.
“ᓂᑲᓪᓗᖓᓇᖅᑐᖅ ᑕᑯᑉᓗᓂ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᐅᑐᑦ. “ᑭᑐᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᑕᒪᑐᒧᙵ. ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᓕᕇᓐᓇᐅᔭᕐᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖃᙱᖦᖢᑎᒃ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᑕᐅᓛᖑᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ. ᒪᐃᓗᐊᖑᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ.”
ᓴᕚᓇ ᐄᓴᓗᒃ ᐃᒡᓗᓕᒑᕐᔪᖕᒥᑦ ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᕐᓂᖓᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᑎᒋᔭᖓ ᒪᖃᐃᖦᖢᓂ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᖓ. ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓄᙵᐅᒐᔪᒃᑐᖅ ᓯᑭᑑᒃᑯᑦ ᒪᑦᑎᑕᐅᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᓯᔭᖅᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᒪᕈᖅᓯᐅᖅᖢᓂ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᑐᒃᑐᓯᐅᖅᖢᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᖕᒧᑦ ᐅᒥᐊᒃᑯᑦ ᑕᖕᒫᕆᐊᖅᑐᖅᖢᓂ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑑᒑᓕᒃᓯᐅᖅᖢᓂ.
“ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑖᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᕐᓗᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᑕᖁᐊᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᐃᓚᓯᓂᖃᖅᑐᑦᑕᐅᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐄᓴᓗᒃ. “ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᖅ ᐅᑭᐅᑕᒫᑦ. ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᑐᑦ ᓱᓇᑐᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᖅᓯᔪᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑕᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂᒃ.”
ᐊᐅᑐᑦᒧᑦ, ᐊᑭᑦᑐᕆᐊᖅᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒃᓴᖅᓯᐅᕈᑎᖃᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖏᓐᓄᑦ.
“ᐊᒃᓱᕈᕐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ,” ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ. “ᐊᔪᕐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᖅ. ᐅᔾᔨᖅᑐᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᑎᑦ ᓱᓇᐅᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑕ ᑭᖑᓪᓕᕐᒥᑦ ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕈᑎᒋᓂᐊᖅᑕᑎᑦ… ᓱᓇᓗᒃᑖᑦ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᑎᓪᓗᒋᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᙱᑦᑐᖓ ᑲᔪᓯᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑉᑕ ᐅᑭᐅᖅ ᐱᐊᓂᒃᐸᑦ.”
ᐅᖃᖅᑐᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᒃᓯᒪᔪᒪᐃᓐᓇᓲᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᔪᖅ ᐃᓚᖓᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᔭᖓ ᓄᖅᖃᐅᑎᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᐊᕋᓱᒋᑉᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐊᑭᑦᑐᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᒋᑉᓗᒋᑦ.