Yellowknife (Mar 03/04) - There's an old, heavily-cliched adage that nonetheless works well for Yellowknife: The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Purchasing a head of lettuce these days may not elicit the same sort of consumer outrage it did back in the early 1990s, but there are a still a few expenses around here that leave you shaking your head.

According to Don Yamkowy, owner of Key West Travel, cheaper airfare won't be on the horizon any time soon.

"Comparing us to a Grande Prairie or a Fort McMurray, which each have access to a discount airline, I think we're at a huge disadvantage," said Yamkowy.

"If you walked in at the last moment, and didn't get a seat sale, you're paying close to $1,000 to fly to Edmonton, which is an hour and a half."

Yellowknifers, on average, spend more than $11,000 a year to travel, whether it be by plane or car. The Canadian average is about $3,500 less.

Yamkowy blames the high costs on Yellowknife's isolation and a lack of competition. Simply put, connector flights are at a premium up here. There are no discount carriers like Westjet or Canjet around to help bring down the costs.

He also thinks there is a general mindset in the North that has given itself over to the high cost of travelling.

"A lot of companies pay you a travel allowance to go out," said Yamkowy.

"In other parts of the country there is no travel allowance, therefore you're looking for the best deal. There's a market for that."

Making the rent

Another sore point in Yellowknife is the high cost of rented accommodations. According to the 2001 NWT Bureau of Statistics, Yellowknife renters spend about $9,905 a year compared to $6,780 for the rest of Canada.

While most employment sectors in Yellowknife provide salaries high enough to offset these costs, it is not always the case in the service and retail industries. In recent years, several stores and restaurants actually had to shut down because there wasn't enough staff willing to work for less than $20 an hour.

Jeremy Findlay, who has worked in Yellowknife's service industry since 1997, considers himself lucky. A single-bedroom apartment in this city averages just less than $1,000 a month.

He was able to find a duplex to rent with four other roommates, which brings down the rental costs substantially. The Bullock's Bistro cook also has a good relationship with his boss.

"It's not a fantastic wage, but it's fair," he said.

He wouldn't reveal what he pays for rent, but said it accounts for about 25 per cent of his monthly earnings.

Findlay doubts he would be paying so little if he rented somewhere else, however.

"I'm really lucky where I live," said Findlay.

"The landlord has never raised the rent, but if I had to live on my own I'd be living pay cheque to pay cheque."

People in his house, many of whom also work in restaurants and bars, have come and gone over the years. Those who move in are usually universal in their assessment of Yellowknife living, said Findlay.

"Talking to my roommates, they are so relieved to move into a place that's reasonable," said Findlay.

The price of sins

Likely the biggest comparative increase in costs for Yellowknifers are for items some may argue we're better off making do with less of.

Tobacco products have seen an 82 per cent increase in price since 1992. Alcoholic beverages have climbed by 32 per cent.

"It is a crock," said Bob Ross, owner of Jose Locos. "It is just the government making its money."

He said the cost of purchasing liquor for his establishment has gone up from April 1 last year by 15 per cent alone. Nonetheless, he said he has no plans to make his customers pay more for now.

"The government always bitches about alcohol and tobacco, but they're not putting the money they make off it into health care."

Coun. Blake Lyons, said while Yellowknife may still be an expensive place to be, we have advantages shared by few others.

"There was that type of mentality where people would come into the North and make some money, then move out," said Lyons.

"But good God, you can get clean water and air any time of day up here.

"You can even walk on water at times."