Casino’s no heaven, but no hell either
Brantford mayor tells Scarborough meeting of his city’s experience, saying that it wasn’t too bad
Redemption or downfall?
A multibillion-dollar downtown casino resort would be neither for Toronto, the mayor of Brantford says.
“It is not going to be the most amazing thing ever. But you’re not going to drop into the deepest depths of hell. It will be somewhere in the middle,” Chris Friel said. “The truth is that, just as we function now, you will function in the same way. It is . . . just another industry.”
Friel shared his experience during a town-hall discussion hosted by city councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37, Scarborough Centre). The meeting, held at Parkway Mall on Saturday morning drew dozens of people who were for, against, and just curious about the controversial proposal. Thompson and Friel were joined by Rod Phillips, chief executive officer of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.; Maureen Lynette, co-founder of No Casino Toronto; David McKeown, the city’s chief medical officer; Mike Yorke, president of Carpenters’ Union Local 27; and Peter Notaro, intergovernmental relations officer for Toronto. Casino Brantford has 905 employees and has drawn nearly 20 million visitors since it opened in November 1999, Friel said. The city, population 96,000, has received $48.8 million in that time, and most of it has been used to revitalize its downtown. In that time, police calls, bankruptcies and demand for social services have been static, though all rose during the economic downturn, Friel said. “I’m not telling you to have a casino in Toronto,” Friel said. “What I’m trying to suggest is that there is an incredible amount of Ontario experience. We’re more than willing to share it and very little of it is negative.” A casino project could create a total of 12,000 new full and part-time jobs that pay, on average, between $40,000 to $60,000 per year, Phillips said. No Casino Toronto is skeptical of economic development claims, and believes the potential impact on the city, families, and health care are being overlooked.
According to one survey, there are nearly 11,000 people in Toronto who are or at risk of becoming problem gamblers, McKeown said. “The more easily available gambling is, the more likely people are to get into trouble.”
Yorke, whose union has 7,000 members in the city, touted the job opportunities. “This city needs jobs. This city needs investment.”
Kevin Chapman, a 22-year-old carpenter, agreed. “I see more people leaning towards the casino as we get closer to it.”
David Finnamore, 82, didn’t see it that way. “I was opposed to it when I came in here and I’m even more opposed to it now that I see other people making valid points.”
Thompson told reporters after the event that his constituents seem to be in favour of the casino.