Yellowknife (Mar 08/00) - Yellowknifers rang in the new year by paying a bit more for goods and services, according to consumer price index data released last week by the GNWT Bureau of Statistics.

For January 2000, the Yellowknife consumer price index rose 1.3 per cent compared to January 1999.

As for the cost of living in January 2000 in Yk compared to December 1999, the cost of living dropped six-tenths of a per cent.

The decline was due primarily to a what Statistics Canada called a significant decline in the cost of inner-city transportation, clothing and footwear.

As well, costs were lower for household goods, vehicle purchase and leasing, and recreational equipment and services.

These lower prices were somewhat offset by higher costs for fuel, fresh fruit, household products, personal-care supplies and travel services.