A new plan for horse racing

Re: Unstable ground, Nov. 23.

In contrast to this Citizen article’s headline, I believe our five-year partnership plan puts horse racing on stable ground for decades to come. I made a commitment to work with the horse racing industry to secure a future.

I accept the decision to end Slots at Racetracks Program (SARP) has been difficult for the horse racing industry. That is why I mandated the tri-partisan Horse Racing Transition Panel develop a new plan for the industry that ensured two important pillars: a long-term commitment of predictable and stable funding for the industry, and integration into the OLG’s Modernization Plan.

The future for the industry, and this is true across North America, is in building a new fan base for the sport. Tying revenue to products unrelated to racing has been identified in three separate reviews as poor public policy. Our plan provides the appropriate public support to maintain a foundation for racing based on solid business planning, but, more importantly, it provides opportunities for growth.

The Partnership plan also addresses industry governance by restructuring the Ontario Racing Commission into two divisions — one to oversee traditional regulatory functions; and Ontario Horse Racing, which will distribute funding and work with the OLG on industry development to grow the fan base.

Confidence is already returning to the industry, as evidenced by the recent yearling sales at Forest City, where prices were up on average by $3,000. I appreciate this has been a difficult period of transition, but I believe brighter days are ahead. I’m confident Ontario’s Five-Year Horse Racing Partnership is better than SARP. I believe it will be the model for public support for racing across North America.

KATHLEEN WYNNE, Premier of Ontario, Minister of Agriculture and Food