Daniel T'seleie
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 14/04) - The ice road crossing at Fort Providence has closed and it is a tricky time for Yellowknife businesses.

There is usually a period of three to four weeks before the ferry can begin its summer service. With no way across the Mackenzie businesses must ship all merchandise by air.

"If you're smart you get your supplies ahead of time," said Manuela Keenan, owner/manager of Flowers by Manuela.

The flowers are flown in year round, but Keenan has stocked up on various other goods, like seeds, which will last her until Mothers Day.

Planning ahead is common among Yellowknife's business community.

Extra Foods has a month's worth of non-perishable items in stock. But this strategy doesn't work for everything, says Rob Byers, manager of Extra Foods.

"We can't bring in a month's worth of produce, it'll go rotten," Byers said.

Yellowknife will have fresh milk, though. Extra Foods plans to airlift perishable items over the river.

The price of some items will rise due to extra shipping costs, but Byers says the increase for the consumer is negligible. Most of the shipping cost will be absorbed by the store.

"Companies accept it as part of doing business up here," Byers said.

Companies may be used to the twice-yearly shipping setback, but it can still be hard to predict what supplies will be in demand.

Barbecues and barbecue accessories are among the seasonal items Canadian Tire ordered in advance ,says assistant manager Terry Hartwright.

Hartwright says a warm weekend is all it takes to get people thinking about barbecuing.

Last year the store nearly ran out of charcoal.

Canadian Tire has received 28 trucks over the last month to prepare for the ice road closure.

Normally they would see three trucks a week.

Some items will be flown in if necessary, but for the most part as Hartwright says, "It will be business as usual."