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IndustryTraditionalEconomy6TuesdayApril152014NWTwildfurstaketopdollaratinternationalauctionGlobaltensionsdropfursalesfromlastyearsrecordhighByMARIACHURCHWildmartenstrappedintheNWTwerethestarofaninternationalfuractioninFinlandlastmonthfetch-ingthetopoverallpricefol-lowedbywildlynxwolfandwolverine.RepresentingNWTtrap-persrepresentativeswiththeGenuineMackenzieValleyFurGMVFprogramundertheGNWTdepartmentofIn-dustryTourismandInvest-mentattendedtheauctioninHelsinkiinMarchtherstofitskindintermsofscaleandrepresentationfromtheworldslargestproducersandbuyersofqualityfurproducts.AccordingtoFrancoisRos-souwafurmarketingman-agerfortheGMVFwhoat-tendedtheauctiontheNWTwildfurcollectionstoodoutagainstthebestranchfurinNorthAmericaandEuropeintermsofqualityandinterest.Alotofpeoplewerecom-ingtoseethewildfurhesaid.Everybodyiswellversedintheranchfurintheminkandthefoxwhichiskindofboring.Itsbeauti-fulitsuniformanditsex-actlythesameasthenextone.Wildfurbeingwhatitisiswildsoalotofthefolkswantedtocomeoutandseeitandcheckitout.DespitethepopularityofthewildfuroverallfurpriceswerelowerthanwhatwasseenlastyearandsalescameupshortofexpectationbutRossouwnotedthat2013wasananomalyyearfortheindustrywithsomeofthehighestpriceseverrecorded.GlobaltensionsdropsalesRossouwsaidgeopoliti-calreasonscanaccountforalowernumberofsalesthanmanyproducerswereexpect-ingnottheleastofwhichisongoingmilitaryandeco-nomictensionsbetweenRus-siaandUkraine.RussiaisonetheGMVFsmainbuyersanditsspend-ingpowerismainlyfueledbythecountrysexportofpetroleum.WithmountinginternationalpressuretoexerteconomicsanctionsagainstRussiainresponsetoitsperceivedmilitarythreattoUkrainetheRussianmar-ketiscomingupdryforfurretailers.Wevebeenabletoweatherthenancialdownturnsinthemarketplacebutnotwhenitcomestosomethinglikethis.Thisgeopoliticalsituationputadamperonthings.AlotofpeopleareinawaitandseeattitudeRossouwsaid.Anotherfactorhinder-ingsalesistheChineseenforcementofhighimporttariffs.RossouwsaidChinarepresents80percentofthefurindustrysaleshoweverrecentleadershipchangesinthecountryhavecrackeddownonimportsenforc-inghightariffsonmanu-facturedgoods.DespitethedropinRus-sianandChinesesalesRos-souwsaidGMVFdelegateswereabletosecure40newclientsforNWTfursmanyofwhomarefromeasternEuropeancountries.NWTtrappersprotIncludingprotfromtheHelsinkiauctionNWTtrap-perswillreceivearound700000insalesthisyeartodate.TheGMVFmartenfursalonegarneredcloseto480000attheHelsinkiauction.Rossouwwillbeattend-ingasecondauctioninHel-sinkithisJuneandsaidheplanstotakeasampleofdressedfurstogaugebuyerinterest.IndustryMinisterDavidRamsaypraisedtheGMVFprogramanditsabilitytogivelocalhuntersandtrap-perstheopportunitytosellfursontheinternationalmarket.TheGNWTisproudtosupporttheGenuineMack-enzieValleyFurProgramandtopromoteourNWTfursassomeofthehigh-estqualitywildfurmoneycanbuyhesaidinapressrelease.In2002theGNWTlaunchedtheTakeaKidTrappingprograminresponsetodecliningnumbersoftrap-pers.Lastyearmorethan3000youthwentthroughtheprogram.PhotoFrancoisRoussouwNWTresidentscashinginonalternativeenergyGNWThandsoutover63000inenergyrebatesinMarchByMARIACHURCHMoreandmoreNorthern-ersareprotingoffamove-menttowardsenergyef-ciencyintheNWTthankstolargerrebatesmoreedu-cationandthecoldestwin-terin30yearsaccordingtotheArcticEnergyAlli-anceAEA.OverthelastyeartheAEAsEnergyEfficiencyIncentiveProgramfundedbytheGNWTfiledmorethan1000rebatestotalling378134.42incashbacktoresidents.InMarchalone113rebateswereledtothetuneofmorethan63000.AccordingtoLouieAz-zoliniexecutivedirectorofAEAthatnumberwilllikelygrowasresidentswhopur-chasedenergyefcientprod-uctsoverthepastyearmakeuseoftheyear-longdeadlinetolearebate.Azzolinisaidheispleasedwiththenumberofpeopleusingthepro-gramwhichwaslaunchedin2007bytheGNWTtopromoteenergyconserva-tionaspartoftheterritorialGreenhouseGasStrategyunderthedirectionoftheAEAandhassincegivenoutcloseto3millioninrebates.Whenyouhavethatkindoftake-upinapopu-lationof43000peopleintheNorthwestTerritoriesitshowsasignicantpartofthepopulationisawareoftheprogramandisbenetingfromit.Itsgreathesaid.NWTresidentsseeingbenefitsAzzolinisaidthehighnumberofusersisduetoacombinationoffactorsin-cludingtherelativelyhighrebateincentivewhichcanputasmuchas1000backinthepocketofanewwoodorpelletstoveownerincreasinginterestinenergyconserva-tionandthecold.InourbusinesswhenpeopleusemoreenergytheytendtocometowardstheArcticEnergyAlliancemorefrequently.Thiswasoneofthecoldestwintersin30yearssopeoplearefeelingitintheirpocket-bookshesaid.Azzoliniadmitsthatmanypeoplestillhaveconcernsabouttheinitialcostofim-plementingbrand-newen-ergyefcientproductspar-ticularlylargeappliancesorheatingsystemswhichcomewithaheftypricetagoftenthousandsofdollarsmorethantheirless-efcientcounterparts.BeyondtheAEAsrebateprogramtheGNWTprovidesseparaterebatestohelpcovertheup-frontcostofinstall-ingenergyefcientheatingsystemsincludingtheAl-ternativeEnergyTechnolo-giesprogramtheEnergyConservationprogramforcommunitiesandtheCom-mercialEnergyConservationandEfciencyprogramforbusinesses.Therearerebatesavail-ableoutthereforpeoplewholookatthepricetagandmaythinkthatitsexcessiveorthinkthatitsanenergysourcethatwouldbenicetohavebutforwhateverreasontheyarenotquitesure.TherebateincentiveIthinkprovidesatleastasecondthoughtforpeopletotakealookatitandevaluateitAzzolinisaid.Inthelongruninstall-ingenergyefcientappli-ancesandbiomassheatingsourceswillsaveresidentsabundleinyearlyenergybillshesaid.AnotherhurdleforNorth-ernerslookingtomakethetransitionissimplyunfa-miliaritywithnewbiomassalternativessuchaspelletstovesandboilers.AzzolinisaidmuchofthegoalatAEAistoeducatecommunitiesintheNWTonhowbiomassheatingsystemsfunction.AEAdirectorpraisesGNWTAzzoliniapplaudedtheGNWTforwhathesayshavebeenyearsofproac-tiveleadershiponenergyconservation.Therearentalotofju-risdictionsinCanadathatcanstandupandboastabouttheactionstheyaretakingtomakeadifferenceongreen-housegasemissionsandal-ternativeenergy.Thegov-ernmentoftheNorthwestTerritoriesandspecicallythepeopleattheLegislativeAssemblythatmakethesede-cisionsshouldbeapplaudedAzzolinisaid.Theyarereallymakingadifference.AEAisanot-for-protso-cietyfundedundertheum-brellaoftheGNWTsclimatechangeprogram.PhotoscourtesyofArcticEnergyAllianceEnvironmentRenewablesHighqualityfursfromacrosstheworldareshowcasedataninternationalfurauctioninHelsinkiFinlandlastMarchwhereNWTwildfursgarneredthetopoverallprices.DonaldAndreandAlfredBeaverhoinstallachimneyonahomeinFortSimpsonlastfall.MoreandmoreNWTresidentsarechoosingbiomassfueltoheattheirhomes.