Council rejects Toronto casino as expected

Toronto city council voted against a downtown casino and against expanding operations at Woodbine. But it approved a motion to study expanding the city’s convention space during a special council meeting on Tuesday.

The final vote was 40-4.

Click here for a full breakdown of the vote.

The proposed casino could have brought $39 million in annual hosting fees to Toronto, according to the city manager, and coupled with Woodbine, that number was forecast at $70 million a year.

Click here to see the city manager’s report on the casino and convention development.

A motion from Mayor Rob Ford to scrap a downtown casino and expand gambling at Woodbine was defeated 13-31, while a separate motion to study the expansion of convention centre space in the city passed unanimously, with 44 votes in favour.

During the council meeting, Ford said again that he no longer supported a downtown casino since the provincial government wouldn’t meet his desired hosting fee of $100 million a year. New provincial numbers were less than half that, according to city staff.

The mayor addressed council for the first time since allegations surfaced on Thursday that he was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. He did not address those allegations.

Council voted against any new casinos close to Woodbine, in an area known as the C2 zone,  with a motion from Coun. Mike Layton carrying 24-20.

They also voted 34-10 in favour of a motion from Coun. Mark Grimes, opposing a casino bordering Toronto.

The province, under the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp., wants to expand gambling in the GTA.

City manager Joe Pennachetti said earlier Tuesday any downsides would likely affect Toronto no matter where in southern Ontario the new casino is located.

“Weighing the significant economic benefits of an entertainment and convention complex versus the gambling and social implications is very difficult,” Pennachetti said at the meeting.

“We must realize there will certainly be a new casino in the GTA…The social and economic impacts will be felt by Toronto residents and businesses regardless of where it is located.”

The rescheduled special council meeting was brought back by councillors after Ford declared a downtown casino project dead and cancelled the meeting last Thursday.

Layton, who opposed a Toronto casino and Woodbine expansion, announced on Friday that he had gathered enough signatures to overturn Ford’s decision to cancel the meeting.

The casino was a pet project for Ford – who has said it would bring “10,000 jobs” to the city – but he backed away from the proposal last week after the province wouldn’t guarantee a special deal funding formula for Toronto.

Premier Kathleen Wynne said the city must abide by the same funding formula as all other regions, and would not receive a $100-million hosting fee. The province disclosed last week the city could get $53 million under its new formula.

In resurrecting the special council meeting, Layton said councillors still have a duty to deliver an answer to the province, even if that answer is no.

“A year ago, we were asked by the Provincial Government whether or not Toronto would host a casino within our boundaries.
While Toronto did not initiate this request, we have a duty as the elected government to provide the Provincial Government an answer,” Layton said in a statement.

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