SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - When Jennifer Pagonis opened her power bill two weeks ago, her patience snapped. She was fed up with shelling out hundreds of dollars each month to fuel and electricity, and felt the rising costs would only get worse.

Jennifer Pagonis wants people to start brainstorming about ways to lower the cost of living in Yellowknife. She started a Facebook group addressing the issue and more than 700 residents have since joined. - Elizabeth McMillan/NNSL photo

"It's to the point where I avoid checking mail because I know it's going to be outrageous bills," she said. "But you can't live without power, heat. These are basic necessities of life and we're getting raked over the coals."

The longtime Yellowknife resident found herself wondering, with alarming frequency, if she could still afford to live in her hometown.

"The city and the government are making it so it seems like the only option is to pack up and leave," she said. "I've been here my whole life but the cost of living is getting too high and there's no hope in sight."

Instead of complaining, the mother of three wanted to find out what could be done. She had an inkling other people might feel the same way. She launched a Facebook group, "Yellowknife's cost of living is out of control." Typing in those words on the social website's search engine will take you to her group.

"I don't have any answers, that's why I brought it up," Pagonis said. "If people pull their ideas together, who knows what could happen."

Within days, hundreds of people signed up. To date, more than 700 people have joined - a mix of people who've spent their life in Yellowknife and more recent transplants. Discussion posts range from frustration about high taxes to laments about whether it's feasible to move back to the city.

Many young families are struggling to make ends meet, said Pagonis, adding it's not just a financial issue because the worrying about money puts stress on families.

"It's not a way for healthy families to live. Once you get that money stress in there, it's a wedge," she said. "That middle class family is soon not going to be there at all, it's very limited as it is."

Pagonis wants to get a response from the city and the territorial government.

Dave Ramsay, Kam Lake MLA, brought the growing group and their concerns up in the legislative assembly on Tuesday.

"The government has been really quiet on how they're going to address the high cost of living," he said in an interview.

Ramsay said the cost of living has had a huge impact on people's decisions to move to the territory at a time when both the private and public sector are recruiting.

"We're tired of pay high prices for everything," he said, adding he feels utility costs are the worst and rent is exorbitant.

Ramsay said one area the government could contribute to lowering the cost of living is through programming for child care and increasing educational and training opportunities to allow people to advance their careers.

City councillor Paul Falvo, one of several councillors who've joined and posted messages to the group, called the group an "ongoing town hall meeting." Concerns about the cost of living aren't a new concern, he said, but Facebook provides a forum for people to express their opinions. Falvo said the group could serve to bring the issues to councillors' and member's attention.

He said a possible outcome would be for people concerned about the cost of living to formalize the group into an association of ratepayers - like a chamber of commerce for residents. He said organizing meetings could help lead to actual legislation.

"Talking and venting is fine if it gets things going, but it needs to turn into action," he said.

Pagonis doesn't want the momentum to lag or have the group become just another online forum.

"The only way we're going to see a change is if we can get (politicians) involved," she said, adding a community meeting is now in the works.

"There are people who want to live here. I want to be here," she said. "For the people who really want change, this is a good start."