Hockey Day in Saskatchewan will be held in northern Saskatchewan in 2017.
The announcement was made yesterday as part of a new partnership between the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and uranium mining company Cameco.
The weekend is used as a big fundraiser for rural Saskatchewan communities to raise funds for various capital projects such as arena upgrades.
The 2015 event will be held in the southeastern community of Carnduff in January.
Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel once played for the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars and he says the company has decided get on board as a major sponsor of Hockey Day because of what the event represents for smaller Saskatchewan communities.
“We liked what this represents for Saskatchewan — small town community building, kids, people pitching in to help out, healthy lifestyles — it all fit very well with our Cameco values.”
Cameco and the SHA hosted a special preview of Hockey Day in Carnduff yesterday.
A Cameco spokesman says northern communities will be able to start applying to host the 2017 edition of Hockey Day in Saskatchewan next winter, with an announcement of the winning community likely coming in the spring of 2016.