Hi Simonbee,
I will be monitoring this thread, because the Kazan is on my list for one day, and the Baker logistics always seem to be shrouded in mystery and change.
But the prices you are quoting do not seem unreasonable to me, by northern standards. In fact they seem quite reasonable. When flying people and cargo in the north, you have to switch paradigms! Prices 5 to 10 times what you are used to in the south are fairly standard for the north. For example a $300 jet air fare in the south carrying you few thousand miles, is compared to a $3,000 bush plane air fare in the north carrying you a few hundred miles.
As for the 10 hour drive from home to Winnipeg, that's amazingly "short" for a drive to get people and gear to a launch point to the sub-arctic. When I drive to Yellowknife or Fort Smith to launch into the sub-acrtic or arctic, I am driving for 4.5 days (solo) from where I live in Canada!
I recommend a leisurely drive, and a layover of 2-3 days when you get to the launch point, to de-compress, enjoy some local touristy things, have a few restaurant meals and cold beers, before launching. It gives you time to do last minute checks of gear to make sure everything is just right.
Looking forward to what you find out on logistics, and best wishes for a great trip!