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21TuesdayFebruary262013ByRENEFRANCOEURTherewillbenopleasantsurprisesforNorthernersllingupatthepumpsasgaspricesacrosstheNorth-westTerritoriescontinuetouctuateinthehigherpricerange.Inuvikdriverswerepay-ingoneofthehighestrateslastweekwithpricesteeter-ingabove1.70.Wevehadacouplein-creasesoverthelasttwoweeksBarbLennieman-ageroftheArcticEssoinInuviksaid.Gaswasat1.74attheArcticEssolastWednesday.Lenniesaidsheexpectsthepricetogoupbyafewcentsincomingdays.IdontusuallybotherputtingitupunlessitsathreecentdifferencetomeandactuallyrightnowmymarginismuchlowerthanitnormallyisorIdbeataboutsixcentsmorealitre.ThelasttimegaswentdownwasjustaroundtheendoftheholidayseasonLenniesaid.HayRiverhadoneofthelowestgasratesofthenewyearwhenpricesplummetedto1.129andheldtherefornearlytwoweeksattheendofJanuary.Wewereat1.31beforethenewyearthenitdroppedto1.24then1.12.Nowwerebackupto1.289andIseeitstayingthereforalittlebitanywaysKurtisKingmanageroftheHayRiverEssoServicetoldTheJournallastWednesday.Yellowknifegaspricesre-mainedhighevenwhenHayHighergaspriceskeepontruckinacrossNWTRiverdippedto1.12.Theycontinuetohoveraroundanaverageof1.389.ThepriceatthecapitalsGastownLtd.was1.429lastweek.InFortSmithgashasbeenat1.19forcardlockusersatTDCsinceearlyFebruary.TheRapidCornerStoreandKellysConvenienceStoreandGasBarwerebothat1.30lastweek.MeanwhilethepriceofgasattheCo-opinLutselKehasntmovedfrom1.73sinceOctober.Ourpriceusuallyonlychangesonceayearupordownwhenthenewsup-plywhichcomesinonthebargeeveryAuguststartsbeingused.Thepriceoffuelwasupeverywhereelselastfallsoourpricewentup10centsforthisyeartooBrianGreeneCo-opman-agersaid.NahendehMLAKevinMenicochebroughtuptheissueofxedfuelratesinremotecommunitiesinhouselastTuesday.Thepetroleumproductsdivisionprovidesfueltoanumberofthesesmalltownsinmyriding.FuelisdeliveredinthewinterhoweverthefuelratesaresetinJulyandsoldataxedratethroughouttheyear.Ratescanbeveryhighandputalotofpressureonpeoplewhorelyonthetra-ditionaleconomyhesaid.Iurgethisgovernmenttolookatwaystomakefuelpricesmorefairandreason-able.Oneofthewaystheycandothatisthroughafreightsubsidythatwouldhelpmakeupforthexedcosts.GaswentupeightcentslastMondayattheBigRiverServiceCentreinFortProvi-denceto1.429.TheDehChoBridgehasnotbeenafactordrivingtheratesDaveWilkesBigRiv-ersgeneralmanagersaid.Thebridgehashadaneffectinthatwedonthaveamadrushoftruckersfu-ellingupatthesametime.AndinAprilwhenthereusedtobethateight-weekperiodwithouttheferryoriceroadbusinesswasbad.Thisyearthingsshouldbebetter.AcrossCanadaEdmon-tonhasoneofthebestpumppricesaveragingaround1.097withCalgaryclosebehindat1.126.GaspriceanalystJasonToewssaidhedbesurprisedtoseegaspricesgobelowadollarperlitreintheNWT.Thistimeofyearren-eriesliketodotheirmainte-nancesowhathappensisweendupwithabitofasupplyshortageacrossthecountrydrivingpricesupToewsco-founderoftheGasBuddy.comwebsitesaid.HigherpricesincertaincentreslikeYellowknifeareallaboutlocationheadded.Inthemoreremoteorruralareasthefewergasstationsthereareandthelesscom-petitivetheyarewitheachotherhesaid.Nowtheywanttoavoidtryingtoseemliketheyregougingconsum-ersbutcertainlythereslesspressuretohaveagreatgaspricelikeinmajorcitieshesaid.AccordingtothewinterenergyoutlookfromCana-dasNationalEnergyBoardpricesareexpectedtoaver-agebetween1.20and1.40acrossthecountrythisseason.Americansarealsogrum-blingaboutpocket-emptyingll-upsatthepumps.Theaveragepriceforagal-lonofgasolineacrosstheUSisupto3.67agallona12centincreasefromthepastweekand42centsfromthepastmonth.ByRENEFRANCOEURThenewpresidentoftheFortSmithChamberofCommerceresurrectedin2012afterathreeyearhiatusplanstohoneinonshort-termandlong-termstrategydevelopmentin-creasethechambersmem-bershipandtargetsportstourismin2013.FormermayorJanieHo-bartvotedinby11attend-ingmemberslastWednes-daynightatthechambersannualgeneralmeetingistakingthehelmfromoutgoingpresidentDanaJackson.Wehavetoworkonamembershipdrivetogetmorebusinessesin-volvedincludinghomeoccupationsshetoldTheJournal.Weneedabroaderrangeofthebusinesswehave.Lastyearwehad43businessesregisteredwiththechamberbutthereareover200businesslicencesoutthere.Othermembersofthe2013executiveincludeTDCContractingco-ownerMarieSwansonastreasurerNorth-westernAirgeneralandop-erationsmanagerBrianHar-roldassecretaryandCABConstructionpresidentCraigBrowneasdirectoratlarge.Jacksonwasvotedinasvicepresident.Denitelyfor2013therehastobeafocusonstrategicplanningaswedidntgettothatin2012.SowellfocusonwhatwewanttodointhefutureandimmediategoalsJacksonsaid.Anexecutivemeetingtodiscussgoalsisplannedforlaterthisweek.Noimmedi-ategoalshavebeenset.Atthenextgeneralmeet-inginMarchmembersatlargewillestablishastra-tegicplanforcriticalgoalsbothin2013andforthreetoveyearsdowntheroadHobartsaid.Wewantpeopletomoveherelivehereshophereworkhere.Itstimetolookatmorelong-termsustain-ableeconomicstrategiesin-steadofjustoneShopLocalweekendkicksotospeakJacksonadded.Hobartalsomentionedtheimportanceofrecogniz-ingthepotentialforsportstourisminFortSmithforbusinesses.Wealreadyhaveasportstourisminfrastructureinplacesuchasourbrandnewtrackthevolleyballtourna-mentinthefallwherewehave56teamscompetingshesaid.MostkidswhentheytravelupNorththeybring200tospend.Soletsgetthebusinessesinvolvedandhavethingsforthemtospendtheirmoneyon.MayorBradBrakewasalsopresentatlastWednes-daysmeetingandspokeaboutwhatneedstobeimprovedinthebusinesscommunity.FortSmithisunder-performingandweneedexistingbusinessestoprovideinvestmentinunder-marketedareassuchaswintertourismandspe-cialsportingevents.Eachnewsuccessfuleventbringsmuchneededdol-larsintoourcommunity.Itcouldbeassimpleasadonationorsecondingstaffandequipmenttoassisthesaidatthemeeting.Heencouragedmorebusi-nessestojointhechambertoputthemfrontandcentreinthecommunity.Theycanuseitasalobbygroupandasamethodofhelpingwithinthecommu-nity.ThatswhatIdliketoseehappenmorebusinessusingthechamberasave-hicleforgoodwillBrakesaid.SmithChamberofCommerceselectsnewexecutiveMayorwantstoseemorebusinessesusechamberasvehicleofgoodwillTransportationGasPricesPoliticsBusinessJanieHobartCharlesDesjarlaisofFortSmithchecksoutthepriceofgasashellshistank.PhotoDonJaqueFilephoto