WHEREAS the residents of Haida Gwaii have been granted a Northern Living Residents Deduction in prescribed intermediate zone B, but prior to the change by the Canadian government to create a line across Canada prescribing different zones, Haida Gwaii residents were recipients of the full Northern Tax Deduction; AND WHEREAS the Canadian government provides additional isolation pay to government employees who are stationed on Haida Gwaii, yet is unable to change the area to prescribed zone A to reflect this awareness: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM lobby the provincial government to work with the Canadian government to reinstate the Northern Residents Deduction on Haida Gwaii to prescribed northern zone A; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian government reevaluate all northern communities, their level of isolation and their access to necessary services to ensure that there is consistency and fairness across Canada.
