SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The outstanding balance for Arctic Winter Games tickets sales owed to the City of Yellowknife by online ticket seller yktix.com is being paid back in monthly installments.

The Yellowknife web-based company, owned by Tony Watier, owed the city $113,000 for ticket sales from the 2008 Arctic Winter Games held in March, 2008, but had failed to make regular payments until December, according to Carl Bird, director of corporate services for the City of Yellowknife.

Bird said payments would be over a three-year period with the city receiving final payment in December 2011.

Watier approached the city in early November seeking to set a payment plan after the territorial civil court ruled Oct. 4 that Watier had failed to keep his end of the ticketing agreement.

Bird said no reason was ever given to the city as to why it took so long for the money to start coming in, but he is pleased they are finally being paid back for the ticket sales.

After the completion of the games, the city invoiced Watier once and sent letters on two occasions asking for payment, but received nothing, Bird said. In August, after months of trying to get payment, the city took the matter to court.

An initial payment had been made to the city for $70,000 after the ticket sales agreement was signed, but Watier still owed $113,000.

From the city's perspective, Bird said it was hard to comment on whether they would ever work with Watier again in the future.

"The situation would have to present itself and it hasn't yet," Bird said. "It's hard to say if something came up what we would do. We'd be open to criticism if we worked with him again."

Yktix.com is currently selling tickets to the Canadian North Midnight Concert, featuring Nova Scotian musician Jimmy Rankin on June 20. It is also selling tickets for Folk on the Rocks.

Calls to Watier were not returned before press time.