Rabbit Lake mine closure bad news for workers, northern Saskatchewan: Grand Chief

Located in northern Saskatchewan, Rabbit Lake is the longest producing uranium operation in the province. Cameco Corporation

 Alex MacPherson, Saskatoon StarPhoenix


  The loss of hundreds of jobs at a uranium mine near Wollaston Lake will have lasting effects for the workers, their families and their communities, according to the Grand Chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC), which represents 12 First Nations across northern Saskatchewan.
   “It’s going to add to the unemployment numbers in northern Saskatchewan … It’s going to be certainly bad for the families in terms of the layoffs,” Ron Michel said. “Hopefully, it turns around as soon as possible, but the only thing I can say is it’s going to add up to our northern unemployment numbers.”
   Cameco Corp. announced Thursday that it’s closing the Rabbit Lake uranium mine indefinitely, which will cost $35 million and result in all but 150 of the mine’s 600 employees losing their jobs. Cameco is the country’s largest industrial employer of aboriginal people, and about half the workers at Rabbit Lake are from northern communities...http://thestarphoenix.com/