Long-Term Plan Coming for Ontario’s Horse Racing Industry
On Monday, May 13, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food announced that its horse racing transitional panel will work with industry partners, the Ontario Ministry of Finance and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. on integrating horse racing into the province’s gaming strategy to offer new gaming products and generate additional revenue.
A release issued by OMAFRA states that a draft plan for consultation is due in June 2013, with a final plan to be completed by October 2013.
The release states now that transitional funding negotiations with track operators are 'substantially' complete, the province has asked the panel for a plan that sets a clear path forward on: modernizing the governance and regulation of the horse racing industry; growing the fan base and providing more wagering options; providing ongoing government support; and ensuring animal welfare.
“Significant strides have been made over the past months to ensure there is horse racing in Ontario for this year and beyond," Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel member John Snobelen was quoted as saying. "The panel looks forward to continuing our work with the government and the horse racing industry to ensure a sustainable future for the industry.”
The release also contains a quote from Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, who is also the province's Minister of Agriculture and Food.
“I know how important this industry is to communities across Ontario and I am confident that the expertise and guidance of this panel will help the horse racing industry move toward a bright, sustainable future,” Wynne was quoted as saying.
A report by the Ottawa Citizen has quoted Wynne as saying that she is keen on getting the Ontario horse racing industry integrated into the OLG modernization plan, but that it has not been an easy process.
The Ottawa Citizen report has quoted Wynne as saying, “I’m very keen on the horse racing component being integrated into the overall gaming strategy, and that’s been a struggle.”
To view copies of the OMAFRA release in both English and French, please click the corresponding link which appears below.
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• Report: Panel To Take Lead In Integrating Racing Into OLG Modernization Plan
• Wynne Promises To Incorporate Horse Racing Into OLG Modernization
Hudak's plan for
Hudak's plan for privitization says horsemen should be the first ones to be offered a chance to buy racetrack slots. But we as horsemen probably can't afford this so the next best thing would be for the local agriculturural societies to buy them as they are not for profit operations and have racing's best interests at heart. The best tracks around are not for profit operated and have spent slot revenue to help racing infastrucuture and grow the sport such as WEG,London, Hanover and Grand River. The for profit operated tracks such as Windsor,Dresden,Flamboro, Georgian and Kawartha have shown no interest in helping the industry and have already abondoned us.The not for profit tracks could reopen backstretches, (eliminating stall rent and shipping fees).
I'm Not Buying it,the snake
I'm Not Buying it,the snake oil the Liberal Gov't is selling is like buying back your own farm but with higher payments and they want us to thank them for taking it away in the first place by accepting these new conditions. There is a budget vote due lets see if the NDP have any back bone at all and if enough of them are willing to show it by kicking the sorry excuse of a Liberal gov't down the road.
Ladies and gentlemen: The
Ladies and gentlemen: The tap dance continues, just remember, we do not vote LIBERAL come voting day. Just thinking out loud. Bruce T. Winning
Who is really at fault?
Who is really at fault? Based on my experience, I would encourage track management to do the following; you must change your business model from one of dependency to one of independence. Move on with a new class of wagers and methods of betting and by doing this you will open new markets and sources of revenue. In my opinion, track management has become static by solely depending on casino money and when taken away spells doom for the track or tracks effected and so many lives are disrupted and so much suffering.
I have solutions and have been in contact with approximately 80 Harness and Thoroughbred tracks advising them there are solutions to no avail.
So I say, with all due respect to Track Management, put up or shut up.
I close by saying to all the Horsemen, there is hope, if Track Management can get more innovative and aggressive and you can be sure they have my email address
to find out more about $hake The Money Tree.
I wish all you Horsemen out there the best,
John Allen
IT*S SIMPLE............ *
IT*S SIMPLE............ * ELECTION * !!!!!!!!!!
If Ms. Wynne really wants to
If Ms. Wynne really wants to help the Ontario Harness racing Industry and she is really disappointed in Paul Godfrey actions, then she should do her homework and listened to the industry before we are all faced with bankruptcy or forced to pull up roots and move our operations south of the border. Many of us can't afford to wait another couple of years to see what the panel comes up with. Also, the panel needs to include some actual industry participants. It is the everyday horseman( which has the largest number of participants and is the sector that will really make or break rural Ontario ) that have been left out in the cold by the Liberal Government. I don't know if I can put much faith in the transition panel . I remember ,not to long ago, Mr. Snowbelen telling us that we should put the past behind and move on and that only the lower end of the Standardbred Industry will be left behind. This panel does not understand Harness Racing at all.
Wynne sat in the legislature
Wynne sat in the legislature with McGuinty and Duncan at the helm making the disastrous decisions to kill horse racing for the sake of the mighty casino owners and the OLG and did nothing. Now, after the carnage, she is trying to look like a hero by "saving" our industry in order to buy back some votes. If she really believed that we have been wrongly treated, why didn't she (and the others who ran for leadership) do something to put a stop to the stupidity? She didn't think that there was anything wrong back then, apparently. Judging by what we are learning about the gas power plant fiasco, ORNGE, e-Health, etc. etc., I'm thinking that she and so many others in this party aren't clued in about much. They simply let their leader do the talking and making all of the decisions. It was easier to keep their jobs. Can they 'fix' enough of their messes to get re-elected next time around? The NDP and the Conservatives haven't given us any real concrete evidence that they are going to do much more for horse racing.
“I know how important this
“I know how important this industry is to communities across Ontario" Now they know how important the industry is to Ontario....WOW!! It appears to me that the Liberal's are trying to fix an industry that they have broken. They used their two hatchet men to destroy the sport of Harness Racing in Ontario and now they will have us believe that they are actually helping. It's kind of like stealing Somebeachsomewhere from the farm and replacing him with an $8000 claimer.
Isn't it too little too late?
Isn't it too little too late? There's 2 racetracks in my opinion that have been just written off this year..Flamboro & Georgian Downs have lost so many race dates that I don't ever see them recovering from this mess that our gov has made of this..These 2 racetracks have lost so many dates that I don't even know when they run anymore..good god Flam doesn't run again til Nov...This has killed horse racing in Ontario..I wouldn't be surprised if you see the Jody's & more of the top drivers & trainers just leaving Ontario all together & race in the US...at least they have some structure there...we're a lost cause here..The US has a great sires stake program..an amazing PA fair circuit that runs all summer & fall where we have nothing on that front here at all anymore..they've killed all the fall fairs that once ran in Ontario...from Markham..to Ancaster..to Paris & Simcoe....the fall fair racing circuit is gone...Maybe our gov should think of bringing back the fair circuit to Ontario & put some life back into once what was such a great time at all the fairs..put some purse money into our fair circuit..run some grassroots..give the owners..drivers & trainers a reason to want to race on our soil & fix the whole racing situation in Ontario...
In reply to Isn't it too little too late? by greeneyeddevils
Here`s an example of what
Here`s an example of what privatization will do to the harness racetracks.
Great Canadian Casino Gaming own Flamboro and Georgian. Do you see them fighting for additional harness race dates. These are two of the most profitable racetrack slot sites in the province.
In reply to Here`s an example of what by RJ
Right on, Mr. Johnson! And
Right on, Mr. Johnson! And yet all we here coming out of Tea Party Tim Hudak's mouth is that privatization is the answer for horse racing's problems (actually, every problem). In fact, it was the private tracks that "took the slot money and ran" instead of re-investing it into their facilities and the surrounding rural community. Sadly, I continue to read posters on this site who seemed prepared to hitch their hopes to Hudak's neo-conservative wagon when the record shows clearly that his "solutions" never help working people,(and, make no mistake, that's what 99% of horsemen are) but instead just make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
In reply to Here`s an example of what by RJ
Robert, it's about
Robert, it's about transitional funding, reduction of race dtaes to meet the demand and nothing else. Do you see anyone fighting for more dates ?
The tracks have lease agreements...No track can make money from slots, no track makes money from racing...why fight for more days and risk the burden of expense exposure? There is no incentive at all for the tracks to operate.
The fact that they took dates, we are all lucky they did.