Announced April 15 2020 Saskatchewan uranium giant Cameco - previously the Canadian Mining and Energy Corporation - announced a $1,000,000 CAD fund aimed at easing the burden of COVID-19 on civic institutions in Saskatchewan, with emphasis on Northern Saskatchewan.

Cameco has long been an economic engine for northern Saskatchewan, employing thousands of Northern (Northern Administrative District) residents for work at its Athabasca mines, and supplying resource royalties to the province's coffers.

"It's been a tough 5 years" says Gitzel, no doubt referencing the relatively low (but stable) price of uranium since 2017, and resulting shutterings of multiple Sites in Saskatchewan's north: most recently the Cigar Lake Operation (Mid March 2020) and before that the McArthur Rive and Key Lake Sites (Late 2017).

'Nevertheless we stay dedicated to sharing what we do have'. Tim Gitzel is a lifelong Saskatchewan resident, now living in Saskatoon.

The fund will honor submissions from registered Charities, Not for Profits, First Nations or Municipal level governments (towns, villages, etc.) who can request up to $50,000 (in the form of a grant) to address their service needs.

When asked, Gitzel said Cameco would not be seeking any kind of government assistance, similar to Oil and Gas Relief announced April 14, 2020 by the current Saskatchewan Party. 

The deadline for the Cameco Relief Fund was midnight, April 28 2020.

Northern Awardees of the Cameco Covid-19 relief fund include groups from the following communities: Air Ronge, La Ronge, Beauval, Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Black Lake, Buffalo Narrows, Camsell Portage, Canoe Narrows, Creighton, Cumberland House, Fond Du Lac (Far North Athatbasca), and more. 

In La Ronge/Air Ronge/Tri Communities, the following groups were awarded monies: Northlands College Scholarship Foundation, Children North Family Resource Centre, Kikinak Friendship Centre Inc., the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, and Men of the North.