52% of Torontonians support a casino: poll

A recent survey suggests more than half of Torontonians would like to see a casino complex built in the city.

According to the Ipsos Reid online poll of 906 people conducted last week, 52 per cent of those questioned said they favour the idea, 42 per cent are against it and six per cent are undecided. The results are accurate plus or minus 3.7 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

John Wright, senior vice-president of Ipsos Reid, said the strongest opposition to a casino comes from East York. Every other part of the city is about 60 per cent in favour of the idea, he said.

“It’s not really about public opinion, per se, it’s about the geography of public opinion,” he told CityNews.

“If you took Rob Ford’s electoral results in 2010 and laid them over top of the results of this poll you’d find that they pretty much mirror exactly where he’s come from , plus about 10 per cent.”

The poll results show more men support a Toronto casino than women. The results also showed most of the opposition comes from high income earners, while the idea has greater support among middle- and low-income earners.

“This is, for councillors and for the mayor, a winning proposition for them politically because the opposition is concentrated only in a few parts of the city,” Wright said.

After asking the so-called “ballot question” of whether a resident supported or opposed a casino, the pollster then asked a series of questions on the factors that drive their opinion for or against.

Some of those drivers include perceived economic and job benefits, and concerns about problem gambling and crime.

After outlining the arguments for and against a casino, Ipsos Reid found support for a complex rose two percentage points, to 54 per cent in favour of the idea.

The poll results came the day after the CEO of MGM Resorts International, Jim Murren, pitched his company’s vision for an “integrated resort”at Exhibition Place that would include a Cirque du Soleil show and cuisine crafted by renowned local chef Mark McEwan.

Toronto city council is awaiting a staff report due in March following public consultations on a possible casino in Toronto. The public consultations are expected to wrap up on Friday. Click here for more information. Councillors are expected to vote on the matter in April.

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