Lisa Thompson, MPP (Huron-Bruce) is calling on the McGuinty government to back off any attempt to end the Slots at Racetracks Program, which has brought substantial growth to the horse racing industry

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The horse racing industry in Ontario provides an estimated 60,000 jobs for Ontarians, mostly in rural areas, and pays a total of $1.5 billion in wages and salaries each year. The average direct wage exceeds $50,734 annually—one of the highest industrial wages in Ontario.

“This is a stable industry that creates jobs and puts millions into the provincial treasury every year,” said Thompson. “I cannot support any measure that removes jobs and economic stimulation from rural Ontario.”

Over the last decade annual expenditures by the horse racing industry has increased by 67% to $2 billion dollars in 2010 from $1.2 billion in 2000. Approximately 80% of this expenditure occurs in Ontario's rural agriculture communities where it provides much needed economic growth.

“The horse racing industry has been a part of the fabric of communities in rural Ontario for over 150 years,” said Thompson. “These are real people who depend on the horse racing industry for their livelihood—and the McGuinty Liberals want to take that away because they don’t know how to manage the books.”

“Removing the Slots at Racetracks Program would not only be catastrophic for the horse racing industry, but what about other rural merchants who depend on this program?” said Thompson. “We have to think about the feed dealers, truck owners, and all the employees who are dependent on these sectors. This is a huge industry and the trickle down effect will be substantial. I will not stand by and let rural Ontario be on the losing end of yet another McGuinty Liberal broken economic policy.”