All seven SIGA casinos are shutting down temporarily as of Monday night due to concerns about COVID-19. (File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Michael Joel-Hansen

covid-19

SIGA temporarily shutters properties across province

Mar 16, 2020 | 6:22 PM

Prince Albert’s Northern Lights Casino, along with Gold Eagle Casino in North Battleford and Gold Horse in Lloyminster will be closed as of Tuesday. They are among all seven Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority (SIGA) properties suspending operations due to concerns over COVID-19.

The casinos will shut their doors after gaming hours Monday.

SIGA’s announcement comes on the heels of Premier Scott Moe’s announcement Monday morning that casino’s in Regina and Moose Jaw would close their door doors at the end of the business day.

The First Nations owned gaming authority said the closing is also in line with the province’s recommendations to limit public gatherings to 250 people. It was this recommendation which in part pushed SIGA to act, according to president and CEO Zane Hansen.

“Once we had that information, we called our board together and made the direction to temporarily close our operations,” he told paNOW.

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Hansen was not able to say how many employees would be affected. He explained some employees will be kept on to keep up essential operations like building maintenance and security. Casino staff will not be the only people affected, as non-essential staff at the organization’s head office in Saskatoon could be laid off.

He added employees who are unable to work will be compensated by the company.

“We’re starting with a two-week window and we’ll be making sure our employees are kept whole through that window,” he said.

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, Hansen said the organization had been tripling their cleaning efforts. While the doors are closed, Hansen said there will be what he called a thorough cleaning done.

On the financial side, Hansen said the closures would likely have an impact on the organization’s community development funds throughout the province.

“We’re taking every step possible to minimize that,” he said.

MichaelJoel.Hansen@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @mjhskcdn