WHITEHORSE — A recent fire that revealed the presence of a meth lab in Yukon’s capital city demonstrates the willingness of small businesses to invest in the city, a local economist says.
Despite the distance from larger urban areas such as Edmonton and Vancouver, the small city of 23,000 managed to attract a grass-roots methamphetamine producer.
“The investment by the lab really shows how this town isn’t just for government workers,” explained local economist Keith McGregory about the small business being discovered by the authorities. “These smaller, basement-level businesses contribute back to the economy. I mean, the local Shoppers Drug Mart was completely sold out of most cold medications and the owner had ambitions to hire salespeople.”
McGregory also praised the environmental considerations for opening a local based lab instead of shipping finished product from larger cities in southern Canada or the US.
“This also shows the economy is diversifying away from the traditional grow-ops without any government subsidies,” added McGregory. “Plus, it tastes so much better when it’s made locally.”
Many locals are feeling quite proud that a facility existed right in their neighbourhoods attracting many clientele at the wee hours of the morning.
“So that’s what all the commotion was at 3:30 in the morning,” said local resident Alice Drapeau. “I would have slept easy if I had known that a job-maker is working late to keep his or her customers happy. That’s too bad about the fire.”
