As Ontario's government deals with a growing deficit, statistics provided by the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association illustrates that racing's partnership with the province delivers value for money
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The OLG Slots at Racetrack Program is a commercial contract between the Government of Ontario, through Ontario Lottery and Gaming, and seventeen racetracks throughout the Province of Ontario.
For more than ten years, the OLG Slots at Racetrack Program has been a successful partnership that generates more than a billion dollars a year for the Province.
By working with the horse racing industry, the government has successfully avoided significant capital costs, and is able to maximize its share of revenue through a fixed agreement. The OLG Slots at Racetrack program brings in more revenue for OLG than lottery tickets, bingo or casinos.
Impact of the Slots at Racetracks Program by the Numbers:
• Slots at racetracks generate $1.1 billion in revenue for the OLG, making it the biggest contributor to the OLG’s bottom line.
• OLG provided the Ontario Government $1.9 billion in the 2009-2010 fiscal year, 60% of that came from the Slots at Racetracks Program.
• That money gets invested into hospitals, the volunteer sector and municipal projects; meaning Ontarians get better services without having to pay more in taxes.
A Strong Horse Racing Industry Makes a Strong Ontario:
• 31,441 full time job equivalents exist in Ontario directly because of the Horse Racing Industry.
• It is estimated a total of 60,000 Ontarians are employed either full time, part-time or seasonally as a result of the Horse Racing Industry in Ontario.
Horse Racing is Big Business in Small Communities:
• The Ontario Horse Racing Industry spends approximately $2 billion per year on goods and services relating to their trade.
• 80% of that money is spent primarily in rural, agricultural communities.
• Hosting a racetrack is a real boon for municipal governments who receive approximately 5% of slot revenue for local programs, sports teams, roads & bridges and emergency services.
OLG Supports the Slots at Racetrack Program:
“Payments to racetracks and horse people are a major economic stimulus for the agricultural industry in Ontario, with spin-off benefits for workers who stable and provide care for horses and the farmers who supply feed.”
I totally agree John, we
I totally agree John, we need this out to the public at large. Just sending it to MPP's keep them informed, but the public is who will be pressuring them to a decision. We need some aggressive PR now, there is a good bunch of money in the SRA account for maketing, seems like we should use some now or there won't be to much to market later. Come on OHRIA, COSA AND OHHA lets do something!!!!
john hennessy is bang on.
john hennessy is bang on. who else reads SC comments but horsepeople. the brain storming is over get our public relations going get a campaign together and get fighting back. the liberals sure have a head start on us. I watch the papers on the internet here in hawkinsville GA and haventseen anything in the London or any other paper. I have heard many times in the past What Happened as they say down here we didnt loose the war we MISSED it.
Seeing this info on SC is
Seeing this info on SC is great. But this is seemingly preaching to the choir. I have yet to see any print ads, radio ads, or any other campaign in favor of continuing our agreement in the mainstream media. Let's get this PR campaign going!
Please, everyone reading
Please, everyone reading this---send it to as many MMPs and the Premier along with your own friends, contacts, neighbours. While it is great to have all of this information, we need to get it out to the public. We are 'talking' to ourselves when we need to get the message out to the citizens of Ontario who are currently being brainwashed into believing only what Mr. McGuinty and Mr. Duncan want them to know which we all know is not the truth. Fight back, horse people, to save our industry.