http://www.canoe.ca/WinnipegSun/front1.html

Gearing up for Y2K Survival stuff moving well, stores say By WENDY STEPHENSON -- Business Editor

Jennifer Ricard, 5, isn't worried about her snow fort in Wolseley, but the Y2K bug is creating quite the stir all over town. - Aaron Harris, SUN It looks like the whole city is sold out of portable gas stoves and fuel, Terry Robinson of SIR Sports Store said yesterday.

With the clock ticking closer to midnight, Dec. 31, there seems to be a growing fear among Winnipeggers that the power just might go out and they'd better stock up with Y2K emergency supplies.

People are buying survival gear -- heaters, candles, solar blankets, camp stoves and fuel -- which isn't unusual at this time of year, but they're buying more, Robinson said.

"One customer spent $3,000 on freeze-dried food, a stove, water containers and a water purifier," he said.

SIR has been able to restock some soldout items, but it's running low on others.

No candles are left in the store, but a shipment is expected today, he said.

"It's a little bit of a change (the buying spree) from a couple months ago."

Chris Medway of United Army Surplus said they've sold out of kerosene heaters and propane stoves, and all that's left are a few wood stoves.

FLASHLIGHTS

Last Friday, they got in 50 cases of kerosene fuel and only 10 are left, Medway said.

"We're not getting more before the end of the year."

Since the beginning of December, there's also been a run on first-aid kits, hatchets, folding shovels, dried food, candles and flashlights, he said.

"Give it another two days and we'll probably be out of flashlights."

Brian Blackman of the Polo Park Canadian Tire said they've sold out of stuff mainly to keep warm -- heaters and Coleman stoves.

Winnipeggers are not alone in their Y2K hoarding.

In Toronto, demand has soared in recent weeks for items such as bottled water, canned goods, batteries, kerosene lamps, propane heaters and generators.

Hardware stores in Alberta have been scrambling to keep their shelves stocked as sales of generators -- now worth an average $1,000 each -- soared about 500 per cent during the past five months.

--With files from CP

-- Matt (mattd97@hotmail.com), December 29, 1999

Answers

Matt, no offense, but in Winnepeg OR Toronto I'd have a generator AND a kerosene heater just as I'd have a backup window air conditioner unit in Jackson, MS. That's just smart.

This is an interesting "chicken and the egg" scenario, though. What do you think happened first, the panic or the media coverage of a "panic"?

-- Simpleminded (nope@wont.never), December 29, 1999.

Toronto's no colder than NYC and Winnipeg is no worse than Minneapolis, and you'd need an air conditioner in the summer in both places too BTW.

-- Matt (mattd97@hotmail.com), December 29, 1999.

Toronto's no colder than NYC and Winnipeg is no worse than Minneapolis, and you'd need an air conditioner in the summer in both places too.

-- Matt (mattd97@hotmail.com), December 29, 1999.

I lived in Toledo, OH for six years without an air conditioner, only suffered about three nights a summer. Had a good fireplace though. Good thing. We lost power almost every year (for a couple of hours to a couple of days) due to snow.

-- Simpleminded (nope@wont.never), December 29, 1999.

Matt......I've just spent the afternoon in stores like Superstore and Home Depot in Edmonton, Alberta.....

Don't know what stores you are talking about.....I nearly got killed by the massive stacks of heaters, gas cans and generators that are piled high in these stores.......there are more 'y2k' supplies available than there have ever been!

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), December 29, 1999.

Craig, how far is Edmonton from Winnipeg? (fool)

-- (4@5.6), December 29, 1999.

Polly attacked by killer preps

"I nearly got killed by the massive stacks of heaters, gas cans and generators..."

ROFL!

-- (TrollPatrol@sheesh.now), December 29, 1999.