Core Days is being held at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band's Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

industry gathering

Core Days organizer believes mining industry on the edge of renewed prosperity

May 12, 2026 | 4:28 PM

With interest in the Northern Saskatchewan mining industry heating up, an annual conference in La Ronge focused on the subject is having its highest attendance ever.

That’s according to Keewatin Community Development Association CEO Randy Johns, who is leading the Core Days conference in conjunction with Northlands College and the Lac La Ronge Indian Band. Core Days has been held for the last 10 years and this year there are approximately 120 attendees with about 60 companies represented.

“It’s a lot of junior and senior mining companies that come in and they talk about their projects and new things that are going on in Northern Saskatchewan, and there is a lot going on right now,” Johns explained.

“There’s a lot of interest not only in the companies that are actually exploring and mining, but there’s also all the services that go with that. There’s a lot of local businesses that provide services; there’s expediting, there’s camp construction, there’s environmental services, and exploration services. There’s a lot of things that go along with it and that all creates employment.”

Uranium and gold have always been a major focus in the Northern Saskatchewan mining industry, but even more so now considering the price of both commodities is high. With the federal government also taking an interest in critical minerals, especially after American sanctions were introduced more than a year ago, there’s even more to be excited about since the North is home to many of them.

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The provincial and federal government have also begun to invest in infrastructure in the region. For example, SaskPower is spending approximately $270 million to reinforce its transmission system in Northern Saskatchewan over the next several years.

A career fair is being held in conjunction with the major conference. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“We’re on the edge of the beginning of an up phase for the mining industry with interest in all of those commodities,” Johns noted.

“What you see is a mining project become much more viable if there’s good infrastructure, so what you see is the province and the federal government starting to invest in infrastructure. That’s things like roads, power lines, etc. That all makes the mining of various commodities much for viable.”

Johns added events like Core Days are particularly important because it gives a chance for networking between mining and exploration companies, as well as the businesses interested in providing services. He also said a theme of the event is ensuring northerners are involved with the prosperity that comes from mining in the way of meaningful employment opportunities.

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

by Derek Cornet

Core Days organizer believes mining industry on the edge of renewed prosperity

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