Colville Lake (Jan 15/01) - Residents of the smallest and most remote Sahtu community hope their first winter road will bring some relief from the high cost of living.
Depending on the weather, the road could be completed by February.
"Hopefully things will be a little cheaper," said resident Tommy Kochon.
Because everything has to be flown in, grocery prices are astronomical -- a four kilogram bag of sugar sells for $25, a can of pop costs $2.50 and a tin of evaporated milk goes for $4.
Kochon is looking forward to the 1,000 km drive to Yellowknife to load up on groceries. "The band will be getting a vehicle and hopefully some of the local people will be getting vehicles and we can drive in and out of here."
The government will spend $195,000 to establish the road. It will cost approximately $115,000 to rebuild in future years.
Though the band owns a van, it is kept in Yellowknife. The only vehicle in the community of 103 people is a gravel truck.
Sub-chief Alvin Orlias said this winter people will travel the way they did in previous years, by snowmobile.
"We'll have more visitors, for sure," said Orlias when asked what changes he thought the road would bring. Orlias said his mother-in-law has friends in Wha Ti who are planning to drive up for a visit.
Another benefit for the community will be access to jobs. This winter marks the beginning of two seismic exploration programs along the winter road route, the first about 32 kilometres from town.
Travel isn't any cheaper than food. It costs $145 to fly to the nearest community, Fort Good Hope, and $207 to get to Norman Wells. Gasoline costs $26.95 for 20 litres.
Gilles Dansereau, the new manager of the co-op, the only store in town, said he has been told freight costs will drop from the normal $1.60-1.90 per pound to 25 cents per pound when the road goes in.
"No two ways about it, it will bring the prices down," Dansereau said of the road.
