NW Passage tax

THE hamlet of Cambridge Bay in Nunavut, Canada, is planning a CAD$100 tax per passenger for cruise ships calling at Victoria Island this season.

When a cruise ship calls at the western gateway to the Northwest Passage, the tax will cover “the costs of the entertainment that the municipality supplies to the visiting passengers,” Community Economic Development Manager Angela Gerbrandt told CBC.

This includes guided walking tours through Cambridge Bay to sites such as the heritage park and Canadian High Arctic Research Station, interpreters, and a rest-stop with local food samples and tea at the Community Hall.

The tax will not apply to passengers in transit.

Cruise lines calling in the region this coming season include Hurtigruten, Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, and Silversea Cruises.